N LINE TRIM GIVES SONATA MORE PUNCH
BUT RUMORS ABOUND ITS END IS NEAR
Though company officials have not confirmed it, the Hyundai Sonata may not see a ninth generation as it approaches the end of a three-plus decades run in the United States that began in 1989 or four years after it replaced the Hyundai Stellar.
The rising popularity of SUVs and decline in sedan sales no doubt is one factor. Available data shows that in 2010 cars, including sedans, accounted for 38-40 percent of the automotive market compared to 29 -30 percent for truck-based SUVs and car-based crossovers.
By 2024,SUVs owned nearly 60 percent of U.S. sales while smaller s vehicles like sedans had fallen below 20 percent.
For the Sonata specifically, Hyundai reported that though overall company sales jumped 12 percent this August to a record 88,523 vehicles the Sonata fell 19 percent compared to August 2024. Sales for the third-quarter were off 21 percent for the same period from a year ago
There is a touch of irony here in that somewhat grim picture and that is that the argument could be made that the 2025 Hyundai Sonata is the best Sonata yet. US News & World Report ranked it behind only the Honda Accord in its analysis of reviews for midsize cars. (With an all-hybrid lineup, Toyota’s Camry led the way for HEVs in the rankings.).
The 2025 Hyundai Sonata has a sleek fastback profile and is roomy and comfortable inside with lots of easy to use tech features. It comes in five trims including the hybrid model with the SE serving as the base. The SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience trims come with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque.
The 2025 Hyundai Sonata N-Line, which this review is based on, ups those numbers to 290 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft with its 2.5-liter turbocharged-4-cylinder. (The Sonata Hybrid, reviewed here last March, is rated at a combined a192 horsepower for its gas engine-electric motor combo.)
The engine in the 2025 Hyundai Sonata N-Line is mated to an 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. It scoots from zero-to-60 mph in 5.2 seconds according to zeroto60times.com, and drinks regular gas at the rate of 23 miles-per-gallon city, 32 highway, and 27 combined, which is only a couple of miles off that for the non-turbo models.
Sitting at the top of the portfolio, the 2025 Hyundai Sonata N-Line offers a lot in the way of standard features. Inside the roomy cabin are unique premium cloth seats with microfiber inserts, 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with 2-way lumbar support, heated front seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, Bose premium sound, Bluetooth compatibility, a wi-fi hotspot and wireless charging, voice recognition, leather-wrapped “N” steering wheel, steering-wheel paddle shifters, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual automatic climate control.
The 2025 Hyundai Sonata rides on standard 19-inch wheels and features Smart (adaptive) cruise control with automatic stop/start, auto hold (to prevent creeping), and Hyundai’s Blue-Link services. LED headlights, taillights, and daytime driving lights.
g assist. rear cross-traffic assist, and highway drive assist.
Starting MSRP is $36,400 including destination and delivery. My test 2025 Hyundai Sonata N Line came with only two extra charges — $1,000 for the silver matte extrrior paint and $210 for carpeted floor mats to run the final total to $37,610.
What I didn’t like about the 2025 Hyundai Sonata N Line: No manual transmission is offered, and the N Line comes with front-wheel drive only. No all-wheel drivei is available.
Would I buy the 2025 Hyundail Sonata N Line? Sure would. It’s the most expensive of the non-hybrids in the trim lineup but still is under the price of the similarly equipped Sonata Limited HEV.
