Just yesterday, we told you how Hyundai's 2013 Sonata Hybrid was late out of the gate (along with its mechanical twin, the Kia Optima Hybrid), with growing speculation suggesting that the company was revisiting its gas-electric sedan with an eye toward improving its efficiency.

Well, today Hyundai has released official details, and that's exactly what's happened. Sporting a larger starter generator, a higher output electric motor and a more potent 47 kW lithium polymer battery, the 2013 Sonata hybrid is more efficient than before. The revised hardware helps the sedan jump two miles per gallon combined over its 2012 predecessor. That pushes the 2013 Sonata Hybrid to 36 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 38 mpg combined. Engineers also tweaked the machine's software, with revised driving pattern detection and engine on/off logic.

Surprisingly enough, the new battery pack actually weighs less than the kit in the old Sonata Hybrid, taking up less room in the trunk. Engineers shaved 4.6 pounds from the pack and the vehicle's cargo area now boasts 12.1 cubic feet of space compared to the 10.7 cubes in the outgoing model. Hyundai has yet to release any images of the updated model (a 2011 example is pictured), so presumably the revisions are limited to what's beneath the sheetmetal.

Even with all the changes, the Sonata Hybrid now carries a base MSRP of $25,650. That's $200 less than last year, and now buyers can option up to the Sonata Hybrid Limited at $30,550, plus destination. No word on any changes for the Sonata's Kia counterpart, but we'll keep you informed if anything comes to light. In the meantime, check out the full press release below for more information.


UPDATE: Gallery of new 2013 Sonata Hybrid images added.

Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets bigger, better battery pack, lower MSRP [UPDATE]

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets bigger, better battery pack, lower MSRP [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #309

Autoblog Podcast #309 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.