2025 Hyundai Sonata: The Midlife Crisis Sedan That’s Trying to Play It Safe

The Hyundai Sonata has always been the kind of car you recommend to someone when they ask, “What’s a good, reliable sedan?” You know, the kind of car that’s dependable, relatively inexpensive, and won’t make you cringe when you see it parked in your driveway. In the past, that’s exactly what the Sonata was—a sensible, middle-of-the-road, vanilla-flavored sedan that you bought because you had to, not because you wanted to. But with the 2025 Sonata, Hyundai is clearly trying to shake things up. They want to be bold. They want to be edgy. They want to be noticed. The result? A car that looks like it’s going through a midlife crisis but still trying to play it safe.

Let’s start with the most obvious change: the design. The 2025 Sonata looks like it went to a plastic surgeon and asked for “the works.” Gone are the soft, conservative lines of previous models, replaced by sharp angles, aggressive creases, and a front end that could probably slice through a brick wall. The headlights are thin, sleek slits of LED that look like they belong on some futuristic concept car, and the massive grille takes up so much of the front fascia that you wonder if Hyundai’s designers were trying to make up for something. It’s clear that Hyundai wants this car to turn heads, and to their credit, it does. You’re not going to mistake the Sonata for anything else on the road.

Move around to the back, and things get even more interesting—or confusing, depending on your point of view. The rear end of the Sonata has a sloping, fastback design that’s meant to give it a sportier, coupe-like profile. It’s almost like Hyundai wanted you to think you were looking at a luxury grand tourer rather than a family sedan. The taillights stretch across the width of the car in a single light bar, a design cue that’s been borrowed from more premium brands like Audi and Porsche. And just to make sure you don’t forget this is supposed to be a “sporty” sedan, there’s a little lip spoiler integrated into the trunk lid.

But here’s the thing: while the Sonata certainly looks the part, it’s still a Sonata. All the sporty, aggressive design elements can’t hide the fact that underneath, this is still a mid-size sedan built for the masses. It’s like buying a pair of designer shoes and then realizing they’re still just shoes—you can dress them up all you want, but they’re still going to be used to walk around the grocery store.

Step inside the 2025 Sonata, and the theme of “trying too hard” continues. The interior is a mix of high-tech gadgets, futuristic design elements, and enough soft-touch materials to make you think you’re sitting in a luxury car. The dashboard is dominated by a massive 12.3-inch touchscreen that controls everything from navigation to climate settings, and there’s a fully digital gauge cluster that changes its appearance depending on which drive mode you’re in. It’s all very impressive at first glance, but once you start using it, you realize that maybe, just maybe, Hyundai has gone a little overboard.

Take the infotainment system, for example. Yes, it’s packed with features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even voice-activated commands, but it’s also fiddly to use. The touch controls are a bit too sensitive, the menus are a bit too cluttered, and the whole thing feels like it’s trying to be more complicated than it needs to be. It’s the kind of system that makes you miss the days when cars had simple buttons and knobs for everything. But hey, at least it looks cool, right?

One area where the Sonata does excel is space. The cabin is roomy, with plenty of legroom for both front and rear passengers, and the trunk is big enough to swallow a week’s worth of groceries or luggage for a family road trip. The seats are comfortable, and there’s even an available Nappa leather option if you want to feel like you’re driving something a bit more upscale. But as nice as the interior is, there’s still a sense that Hyundai is trying to convince you that this is a luxury car when, in reality, it’s not.

Now, let’s talk about performance. Hyundai offers two powertrains for the 2025 Sonata: a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. The 1.6-liter engine makes 180 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, which is perfectly adequate for daily driving. It’s smooth, relatively quiet, and delivers decent fuel economy—up to 37 mpg on the highway, according to Hyundai. But adequate is the key word here. It’s not fast, it’s not thrilling, and it’s certainly not going to get your heart racing.

If you’re looking for more power, you can opt for the 2.5-liter engine, which makes 290 horsepower in the Sonata N Line. This is the engine you want if you actually care about performance. The N Line can do 0-60 mph in about 5.3 seconds, which is quick enough to surprise you and anyone else who thought the Sonata was just a family sedan. But while the extra power is nice, the Sonata’s handling doesn’t quite live up to the sporty promise of the N Line badge. The steering is light and a bit vague, and the suspension is tuned more for comfort than for spirited driving. It’s not a bad car to drive, but it’s not going to give you the kind of excitement you’d get from something like a Mazda6 or a Volkswagen Arteon.

That said, the Sonata excels at being comfortable. The ride quality is excellent, even in the sportier N Line trim, and Hyundai has done a great job of insulating the cabin from wind and road noise. This is a car that’s built for cruising, not for carving up back roads, and if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re not going to be disappointed. The Sonata is easy to drive, easy to live with, and easy to love—just as long as you don’t expect it to be something it’s not.

One area where Hyundai has really stepped up its game is safety. The 2025 Sonata comes loaded with advanced driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. There’s even a semi-autonomous driving mode that can take over steering, acceleration, and braking on the highway, though you’ll still need to keep your hands on the wheel. It’s the kind of tech that makes driving in heavy traffic a lot less stressful, and it’s a big selling point for the Sonata.

But here’s the big question: should you buy one? If you’re in the market for a mid-size sedan that looks cool, is packed with tech, and won’t break the bank, the 2025 Hyundai Sonata is a great choice. It’s stylish, comfortable, and loaded with features that make it feel more expensive than it is. But if you’re someone who cares about driving dynamics and wants a car that’s genuinely fun to drive, you might be better off looking elsewhere. The Sonata is a great car for getting from point A to point B, but it’s not going to make you look forward to the journey.

In many ways, the 2025 Sonata feels like it’s going through a bit of an identity crisis. Hyundai wants you to think it’s a sporty, premium sedan, but at its core, it’s still the sensible, practical car it’s always been. And there’s nothing wrong with that. The Sonata is great at being what it’s always been: a reliable, affordable, and comfortable family sedan. It doesn’t need to be anything more than that, no matter how hard Hyundai tries to convince you otherwise.

So, if you’re looking for a stylish, comfortable sedan that won’t break the bank, the Sonata should be at the top of your list. But if you’re hoping for something that’ll get your adrenaline pumping, you’re going to be left wanting more.