2020 Hyundai Sonata and Sonata Hybrid get 5-star safety rating

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata and Sonata Hybrid have achieved an overall five-star safety rating - the highest possible score - after attaining high scores from each of the rating categories in the latest evaluations conducted by the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Transportation Administration.

The new Sonata maximises occupant safety through a range of active and passive safety technologies. The car has a comprehensive nine-airbag set-up, while the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) works to alert drivers to things they might miss while driving.

The 2020 Sonata is fitted with standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection, an advanced active safety feature that helps alert drivers to emergency situations, and may brake autonomously, if required. Using front radar and front camera sensors, the system operates in three stages. Initially warning the driver visually and acoustically, it assesses the nature of the collision danger and can apply increasing amounts of braking force to avoid a collision or minimise damage when a collision is unavoidable. The system is activated when a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist is sensed in front of the car.

Sonata features Hyundai’s latest SmartSense advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). A series of sensors and systems combines to potentially warn the driver and may take action in the event of a safety incident. Meanwhile, other ADAS systems can help the driver perform certain tasks using the car’s three radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors and five cameras. These features include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (standard), Lane Keeping Assist (standard), Advanced Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go (standard) and Highway Driving Assist (optional).

The car also has Lane Following Assist (LFA) system that may automatically adjust steering to help keep the vehicle centred in its lane of travel. LFA can keep the vehicle centred on both highways and city streets.

The Blind-Spot View Monitor with the Sonata’s outside mirror-mounted cameras offers the driver an enhanced field of vision. If the driver activates a turn signal, an image of the view from the corresponding wing mirror is displayed in the 12.3-inch cluster display. Furthermore, if a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, the system provides audible and visual alerts and applies partial braking if necessary.

The new Sonata uses four cameras to provide the driver with an enhanced, bird’s-eye view of the car’s exterior, giving the driver confidence when manoeuvring into or out of spaces.

Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist helps detect pedestrians and obstacles with a rearview camera and ultrasonic sensors. The system can provide warnings and apply emergency braking to assist in the avoidance of a collision.