2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid drops base price by $1,350
That's a good way to get folks through the door.
Hyundai released pricing for the refreshed 2018 Sonata Hybrid back in April, but information about its plug-in-hybrid sibling was nowhere to be found -- until today.
Hyundai has finally released pricing for the 2018 Sonata Plug-In Hybrid . It will start at $33,250, which is $1,350 cheaper than last year's base price. But it's not like standard equipment has decreased. You still get a fair bit of kit, including a power driver's seat, heated front seats, LED running lights, blind spot monitoring and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are no options, so what you see is what you get.
A slightly fresher look for a slightly fresher plug-in hybrid.
No matter which trim you choose, the powertrain remains the same. It mates a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle gas I4 to a 9.8-kWh battery and a 67-horsepower electric motor. Its 28-mile range on battery alone is 1 mile higher than last year. The battery can charge to full in less than three hours on a 240-volt Level 2 charger.
Like other refreshed 2018 Sonata , the PHEV variant picks up a slight exterior redesign with a new hood, new front fenders, a different grille and redesigned taillights. The interior sports a redesigned center stack and instrument cluster, in addition to a sportier three-spoke steering wheel.
If you want to jam your Sonata Plug-In Hybrid with more doodads, opt for the $38,850 Limited trim. It adds ventilated leather front seats, a power front passenger seat, a heated steering wheel, LED headlights and a panoply of safety systems that includes automatic braking, rear parking sensors and lane-keep assist. It also packs an 8-inch touchscreen with embedded navigation. It's $250 more than it used to be, but the added safety systems make it worth the price bump.
Best of all, the battery is big enough to qualify for a federal tax credit. You'll be eligible for up to $4,919 in tax credits, in addition to any state-level incentives. Bear in mind this isn't a discount on the window sticker, but rather a dollar-for-dollar reduction of your annual tax liability. If you're not paying that much in taxes, you won't get the full benefit. The 2018 Sonata Plug-In Hybrid is already on sale at Hyundai dealerships.
