Sonata Interior Tweaked for Hybrid

new styles of fabric and trim, as well as a bigger, full-color display are two interior elements added to the upcoming hybrid-electric version of the Hyundai Sonata, going on sale soon in the U.S.

"If a customer doesn't have navigation, they still have a really good (information-center) display of hybrid functionality," Michael Dietz, manager-product planning, tells Ward's at Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.'s research and development center in Namyang, South Korea.

Situated between the car's speedodometer and tachometer, the hybrid's display comprises a 4.2-in. (10.7-cm) thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal screen, which replaces the smaller, multiple-vacuum fluorescent model found in conventional Sonatas.

Marketed as the "Hybrid Technology Display," Sonata Hybrid drivers can gauge their driving mode (Normal or Blue), energy-flow direction, state-of-charge of the lithium-ion polymer battery and instant and average fuel economy.

An electric-power-only indicator also is visible on the dash.

Dietz says Hyundai may change the "Blue" mode label before the Sonata Hybrid hits the market. "Blue" is Hyundai's version of "Eco" or "Econ" and activated via a steering-wheel-mounted button.

Another feature of the display is an "Eco Level" scoring system, which ranges from sky gray to bright blue for least fuel-efficient to most fuel-efficient driving.

Also differentiating the Sonata Hybrid's interior from that of the standard Sonata are trim pieces with "a metal-grain" finish, Dietz says.

Seating fabric in pre-production models driven by Ward's was a tone-on-tone dark grey with a zebra-stripe pattern. Hyundai also plans to offer a leather-seating option.

Push-button start will be standard on the car. "I think when people look at a hybrid, they're expecting a higher level of technology," Dietz says.

Passenger space remains the same as the standard Sonata, but trunk volume is reduced due the placement of the Li-ion polymer battery pack.

"It goes from 16.4 cu.-ft. to 10.7 cu.-ft. (0.5 cu.-m to 0.3 cu.-m), so it maintains still pretty good volume size," he says.

Rather than a 60/40 split-fold rear seat, Dietz says the Sonata Hybrid features a ski-pass through the middle of the rear seats. "We want to maintain functionality."