The 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was named a 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Car Under $25,000 by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.

The site in question is one of the highly regarded sources of information about car quality and impressions on world’s widest selection of vehicles. They offer pricing information for new and used cars. Also, they are the source of a wide range of guides, helping customers deal with nagging problems in purchasing a used vehicle as well. With this in mind, naming the The 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid a 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Car Under $25,000 by the same source, poses a great deal of praise for the Korean car maker, specially in the eco-friendly field of such vehicles.

The 2015 Hyundai Sonara Hybrid offers an industry-exclusive Hybrid Lifetime Battery Warranty, and a EPA-estimated 40 mpg highway rating. The car saw no increase in pricing, compared to the 2014 model. Practical, yet efficient, it is a rather interesting choice for families who want to keep their fuel bills as low as possible. But overall, the car offers the practicality needed in the segment as well.

“The Sonata Hybrid not only provides consumers value with class-leading technology and design, but also alleviates price pain at the pump,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America in a statement. “Hyundai is committed to be a leader in alternative fuel vehicles and to increase our green footprint across our lineup.”

The 2015 Sonata Hybrid features an electric motor coupled to the 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. The vehicle uses all-electric mode during optimal moments such as driving on a highway, while keeping the gasoline engine idle until circumstances are necessary for it to be included int he power delivery. This means that the car can save the additional power for acceleration and heavier climbs for example, while keeping the steady, comforting and event free highway runs on EV power alone, saving fuel in the process and providing improved efficiency and saving money for their owners.

“The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid offers all the upscale feel and luxury features of the conventionally powered Sonata, but with the added benefits of a transparent hybrid drive system that delivers exceptional fuel economy,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director, KBB.com. “The fact that the model also offers an exceptionally long warranty is the cherry atop the sundae.”

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City traffic has become so bad these days that it has become impractical to drive a big SUV with boat-like handling characteristics. It’s much easier to zip around town in a subcompact or small hatchback, after all. The fact that fuel prices falling to record lows due to the drop in oil prices is just icing on the cake, especially if your daily commute to work involves inching through parking lot-like traffic jams.

For Hyundai, its small cars are the top sellers in Asian markets like India and the Philippines, where the Korean company’s Eon and i10 lines are common sights on the street. Even as the more formidable Starex, Sta. Fe, Tucson, Elantra and Accent are also popular, nothing beats a low price tag, especially in emerging markets.

But even then, small does not necessarily mean cheap. Our review model for this automotive feature is the 2015 Hyundai Grand i10, a subcompact hatchback directly competing with the Suzuki/Maruti Swift, and recent market entrants, the new Mitsubishi Mirage and Toyota Wigo. Price-wise, however, the Grand i10 is a bit on the steep side, which means the choice might come between this subcompact hatch or a bigger — although lower trim — subcompact sedan. Even Hyundai’s own Accent has a lower starting price than the top-spec Grand i10.

Hyundai often attaches the “Grand” moniker to significantly-upgraded models, and for the i10, this marks the car’s second generation, first launched in late 2013. The Grand i10 is 100 mm longer than its predecessor, and the top-spec variant also offers features and amenities that one might find more at home on more expensive and larger vehicles, such as safety and electronics packages.

Specifications

Our review model is the top-of-the-line L variant, powered by a 1.2 liter Kappa motor delivering a maximum power of 87 ps @ 6,000 RPM and torque of 12.2 nm @ 4,000 RPM, with 0-100 Kph acceleration rated at 15 seconds. Motor-driven power steering makes turning light, with a tight turning radius. LxWxH is 3,765 mm x 1,660 mm x 1,505 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,425 mm. Cargo space is measured at 1,202 liters.

The Grand i10’s Kappa motor comes in a mostly aluminum construction to minimize weight, resulting in the car’s having a curb weight of 941 to 998 Kg. In the Philippine market, the Grand i10’s starting price is PhP 538,000 (US$ 12,155) for the base model, climbing up to PhP 688,000 (US$ 15,544) for the top-spec model. The difference comes mainly in the following:

• 1.2 L vs. 1.0 L displacement
• Alloy wheels vs. Steel with full wheelcap
• Electrically-actuated folding side mirrors
• Rear parking assist (Camera- and radar-assistance)

Note that Hyundai actually had to reprice the Grand i10, perhaps to better compete against the 3-cylinder Toyota Wigo and Mitsubishi Mirage, which have taken over Manila streets of late.

Design, comfort and amenities

The Hyundai Grand i10 has more than the usual small-car amenities that you would wonder why these don’t already come standard even on bigger cars. The touchscreen LCD makes navigating the entertainment system a breeze. Shift to Reverse and you get a rear-view camera. You even get push-to-start ignition.

Inside the cabin, space is what you would expect from a subcompact hatch — it will surely feel a bit claustrophobic if you’re more used to bigger sedans or SUVs. However, the ride is comfortable enough, with adequate NVH insulation and a supple suspension. Comparing the Grand i10 with the Honda Jazz, which we reviewed a few months back, I can say that the Grand i10 is surprisingly more comfortable.

I’m not too fond of the resistive nature of the 7-inch touchscreen, however, as it is sometimes inaccurate and would require repeated presses to register a touch. With the popularity of capacitive displays even on cheap tablets today, I wonder why Hyundai has to settle with a resistive screen. The lack of audio controls on the steering wheel can also be concerning, especially since Hyundai has already put in this level of kit on the Grand i10.

Unlike the Honda Jazz, the Grand i10’s seating design is more conventional, with the fuel tank situated right below the rear passenger bench. The rear backrest folds in full (no split), but it doesn’t fold flat. This can be quite limiting in terms of carrying big cargo like boxes or furniture. Legroom is comparable to most subcompact sedans — it’s evident that Hyundai put in the extra length into extending the rear passenger space.

Audio quality is acceptable, and you can plug in your phone or USB thumbdrive for MP3 playback. The car’s head unit also supports Bluetooth audio, enabling music playback from your smartphone and handsfree communication while driving.

The Grand i10 also comes standard with a navigation system. While apps like Waze and Google Maps are already formidable alternatives to a car-bound GPS navigation system, it’s good to know that Hyundai has incorporated a feature once reserved for more premium models (even the Nissan Altima that VR World reviewed in November did not have this feature).

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Hyundai’s much awaited fuel cell car, the internationally known 2015 Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell or the North American Tuscon Fuel Cell. This car is Hyundai’s latest FCEV vehicle that is actually coming to market and will be available around the world fairly shortly as it is a 2015 model year vehicle, meaning we’ll see it on the road later this year. What’s such a big deal about Hyundai’s FCEV is that it is a fuel cell powered electric vehicle that can do hundreds of miles on a single ‘tank’. Instead of being powered by batteries and large battery packs, the ix35 Fuel Cell is basically powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology.

What’s more impressive is that Hyundai was able to get 700 km of range out of the vehicle, which translates to 435 miles per fill up. All you have to do with this car is find a hydrogen fueling station and then fill up your car, which takes up to 3 minutes, according to Hyundai. While the prices of hydrogen fuel varies greatly, it suffers from the same problem that fully electric battery-based vehicles have. There simply aren’t enough charging/refill stations to properly accommodate someone on a daily basis looking to refill/recharge based on where they are. However, with 435 miles of range, most people wouldn’t be looking to recharge their vehicles for at least a week unless they’re trying to drive cross-country.

2015 Hyundai ix35 / Tuscon Fuel Cell

These numbers that Hyundai is reporting in their press release of the vehicle, nearly double that of the stated range of the 2015 Hyundai Tuscon Fuel Cell which has a rated EPA estimated range of 235 miles. So, your mileage may vary (pun intended) but you will very likely still get somewhere around 27.8 Km per liter if converted to gasoline which translates to around 65 MPG. However, fuel capacity and tank sizes are measured in pounds and kilograms rather than in liquid volume due to the way the hydrogen is stored. The actual rating is that it only takes 9.5 grams of hydrogen for the ix35 Fuel Cell to drive 1 kilometer. Based upon this you get a rough estimated range of 593 kilometers or 368 miles, even though the US version does not have as much of a stated EPA range.

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