The sportiest of Hyundai just got a little less, well, sporty. The 2019 Hyundai Sonata Sport loses its turbocharged engine for the new model year, leaving a naturally aspirated inline-4 as the only option.
CarsDirect reported the engine's departure from the Sonata Sport on Tuesday, but the 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine still lives on as an option for the Sonata Limited. However, that mean buyers will have to spend nearly $4,000 more to get turbocharged power in the Sonata. The 2018 Sonata Sport starts at $28,485; the 2018 Sonata Limited with the boosted mill runs $32,785. Pricing for the 2019 Sonata is not yet available.
For 2019, Hyundai's 2.4-liter inline-4 will serve the Sonata Sport. It makes 185 horsepower, a far cry from the 2.0-liter turbo's 245 hp.
Buyers looking for a little more grunt without added premium bits from the Sonata Limited trim will be left looking at rival mid-size sedans. The Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Mazda 6, Chevrolet Malibu, and Toyota Camry all offer higher-power engine options. While the decision to drop the turbocharged engine from the Sport model is rather odd, Hyundai could be simplifying its lineup in preparation for the redesigned 2020 Sonata or hoping to push more buyers either to a more expensive trim or to the soon-to-come new model.
The next-generation Sonata will wear design inspired by the Le Fil Rouge concept car, though it's unclear which powerplants the Korean automaker will stick under the hood. We should see the 2020 Sonata launch in the fall of 2019.
