2013 Hyundai Sonata gains equipment, loses manual transmission

Hoping to leverage its popularity with buyers to an even higher degree, the 2013 Hyundai Sonata/Sonata 2.0T lineup rolls onto the scene with an even more impressive roster of standard and optional equipment, highlighted by the addition of heated seats to all but the entry-level Sonata GLS model. However, with a buyer take-rate of barely one percent on the GLS with six-speed manual transmission, Hyundai did some calculated rationalization and elected to drop it from the lineup. For 2013, the new entry-level Sonata comes with the same six-speed Shiftronic automatic that's already standard-issue on the SE and Limited. While that upgrade pushes its starting price up to $21,670, that figure is only $100 more than an autoshifted 2012 Sonata GLS.

The highest-volume Sonata variant, the GLS with Popular Equipment Package, also sees a modest uptick in its bottom line thanks to the addition of fog lights and heated front seats. However at $22,495, it still makes a strong value statement relative to key competitors like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu. The other most notable changes to the 2013 Sonata/Sonata 2.0T Turbo family are found in the Limited and Limited 2.0T Turbo, where replacing the formerly standard panoramic sunroof with a conventional counterpart has led to a $600 price drop. Those two Sonata models now open at $26,620 and $28,370, respectively.