2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: First Drive

When it appeared in 2011 to counter rivals like the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid generally didn't fare too well in head-to-head matchups. Complaints of a lack of refinement in the hybrid powertrain and braking feel were cited, and the Sonata routinely under-delivered on the fuel economy front. Hyundai seems to have been listening, as these are exactly the areas the company focused on for the 2013 Sonata Hybrid, and the result is a top-notch, fully competitive hybrid sedan ready to take on the competitors.

Changes start with the powertrain: The same 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine remains, but it now makes slightly less power, 159 horsepower compared to the 2012 model's 166. This is made up for by a more powerful electric motor, rated at 35 kilowatts instead of the last model's 30. Net power thus drops from 206 in the 2012 model to 199 in the 2013, but this is the only trade-off for superior performance, fuel economy and cargo room. The 2013 Sonata Hybrid's lithium polymer battery has a higher capacity, but it's also lighter and better packaged, allowing the trunk's cargo room to grow from 10.7 to 12.1 cubic feet.

10 Cars for $10K: The Best Used Cars for $10,000

At Cars.com, we focus on new cars, but when it comes to overall car sales, used cars own the field. CNW Marketing Research reports shoppers bought more than 40 million of them in 2012, the highest total since 2007. For every new car sold, nearly three used cars changed hands.

Shoppers are still taking the used route despite near-record used-car prices, which soared so high that we suspended our $10,000 used-car recommendations — once a regular Cars.com feature — for two years. Blame the recession, which slashed new-car sales and the resulting supply of late-model used cars that are typically traded in for them.

Used-car prices are coming back to earth, according to Manheim's Used Vehicle Value Index, but that's not to say used-car prices are low again. They have ebbed enough to give $10K cars another go.

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Priced at $26,445

For the 2013 model year, Hyundai has bumped up the Sonata Hybrid's electric-only capability and fuel efficiency while reducing its price. The Sonata Hybrid will start at $26,445, including a $795 destination charge; that's $180 less than last year's starting price with destination. The 2013 Sonata Hybrid Limited trim level will start at $31,345 with destination.

The 2013 Sonata Hybrid improves fuel economy and operates in all-electric mode more often and for longer periods of time, the automaker said. This is achieved with an advanced version of Hyundai's Hybrid Blue Drive architecture, which adds a larger-capacity 10.5 kW generator, an electric motor that boosts output by nearly 17% and a lithium-polymer battery pack that increases output by 38%. These upgrades are paired with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission, good for a top electric-only speed of 75 mph, according to Hyundai.

The Cars.com $26,000 Midsize Sedan Showdown

It's been two and a half years since we conducted our very first multi-car comparison with USA Today and "Motorweek." That showdown featured eight midsize family sedans competing against each other, with the Hyundai Sonata taking first and the Ford Fusion coming in last.

A lot has changed in that amount of time, with four of the six contenders in this year's contest sporting completely new designs.

How did they do?

Read the full showdown to find out.

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Cars.com $26,000 Midsize Sedan Showdown
Cars.com $26,000 Midize Sedan Showdown: Mileage Results
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Cars.com $26,000 Midsize Sedan Showdown: Mileage Results

We took six of the top-selling, most fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. and pitted them against each other. How’d they do in our mileage drive?

While Nissan's redesigned 2013 Altima may have the highest EPA-estimated mileage rating among family sedans, its trip computer had the largest discrepancy with our calculations at the pump. After a 185-mile loop, the Altima's trip computer read 4.38 mpg above our calculations — far higher than the variances we observed for the 2013 Ford Fusion, 2013 Honda Accord, 2013 Hyundai Sonata, 2013 Kia Optima and 2012 Toyota Camry. The Altima won the day's trip-computer mileage with an observed 35.9 mpg, but its calculated pump mileage — 31.52 mpg — landed it a third-place finish behind the Camry and Accord.

Cars.com/USA Today/MotorWeek $26,000 Midsize Sedan Showdown

We took six contenders on a daylong mileage loop in mixed city/highway conditions. Per our usual mileage-challenge procedures, we began and ended at the same gas pump, swapped drivers over roughly equal chunks of seat time, kept windows and sunroofs closed and avoided cruise control. With cool temperatures and low humidity, we kept air conditioning off this time.

At day's end, our calculated pump mileage amounted to less than 1 mpg difference from what the trip computers read for five of the six cars, but the Altima's was off by 4.38 mpg. Why the discrepancy?

Honda Shines, Toyota Falls in Latest IIHS Crash Tests

The 2013 Toyota Camry sedan and Prius v hybrid (above, right) failed a new crash test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that simulates a frontal impact overlapping a small portion of the car — say, piling into a tree from your left headlight. IIHS announced today its test of 18 model-year 2013 family cars. It's the largest yet for the so-called "small overlap" frontal test that many luxury brands failed in August 2012.

At the other end, the Honda Accord sedan and nearly-defunct Suzuki Kizashi (above, left) earned IIHS' top score, Good; 11 other cars — including the Accord coupe — earned Acceptable ratings. The IIHS rates cars Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor. Of the 18 cars tested, the Toyotas scored Poor, but the Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu and Volkswagen Jetta sedan scored Marginal.

One-Stop Shopping: Car Seat Checks for 2012's Best-Selling Family Cars

If you're shopping for a family car, chances are high that at least one of the vehicles on our list below is on yours, too. These are the best-selling family cars for January-November 2012, and we've installed child-safety seats in all of them.

Will one of these cars work for your family? Our Car Seat Checks are designed to tell shoppers how easy or difficult it is to install safety seats into a car and what works well and what frustrates us about each car's Latch system.

Recall Alert: 2012-13 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai is recalling 22,512 model-year 2012 and 2013 Sonata sedans because the side curtain airbags may inflate randomly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from Jan. 24 through June 21, 2012. On these vehicles, there may have been a deficiency in the manufacturing of the inflator module, which is used to inflate the curtain airbag assembly in a crash. Under certain conditions, the inflator module may leak the gas stored within, causing the curtain airbag to inflate randomly.

Manual Transmissions Fading Out of Midsize Sedan Lineups

Soon a majority of mainstream midsize sedans will have standard automatic transmissions and no manual transmission option.

It's been a long time coming. The stick shift has stuck around longer on midsize sedans than on other body styles, probably due to the broad appeal of the segment; these cars still make up the most vehicle sales in the U.S. The manual-transmission option also allowed marketing departments to advertise the highest fuel-efficiency figures and the lowest base prices, which were usually found on the manual-equipped models.

2013 Hyundai Sonata: What's Changed

For the new model year, Hyundai adds more available features to Sonata's base trim level. Most prices increase by $100 to $150 or more per trim for 2013.

All 2013 Sonatas now come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission; the manual-transmission GLS is no longer available. Without the manual transmission, all Sonatas now get 24/35 mpg city/highway.

The Popular Equipment Package on the GLS now costs $825 and includes features like fog lights and heated seats, for a total cost of $21,720.

The SE trim now comes standard with heated front seats, and the Limited trim no longer comes with a panoramic sunroof. Instead, it gets a regular sunroof. The Limited trim is $600 less expensive this year because of the change. If you still want a panoramic sunroof, it's been added to a $2,900 Limited Premium Package. Ultimately, a 2013 Hyundai Sonata tops out at $31,270, which is just $100 more than last year's model.

The 2013 Hyundai Sonata is already on sale. Continue reading below for more pricing details.