• CardinaleWay Hyundai of El Monte

Jan 19, 2026
Does the 2026 Hyundai Sonata Offer HTRAC All Wheel Drive for Rainy-Day Confidence around La Puente, CA?

CardinaleWay Hyundai of El Monte – Does the 2026 Hyundai Sonata Offer HTRAC All Wheel Drive for Rainy-Day Confidence around La Puente, CA?

Drivers who regularly face wet mornings and slick streets want to know whether the latest Sonata can add extra traction when it counts. The short answer is that select trims of the 2026 model do offer available HTRAC® all-wheel drive, and that option can provide meaningful confidence without changing your daily habits or the way you enjoy a midsize sedan.

Below, we outline how HTRAC® works in the Sonata, which drivers benefit most, and what to look for on your test drive to make sure AWD is the right fit for your routes around town and weekend plans beyond city limits.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How does HTRAC® AWD enhance the 2026 Sonata’s everyday driving?

HTRAC® actively helps optimize torque delivery to all four wheels, supporting better stability and traction on wet or uneven surfaces. In the Sonata, this system is tuned for seamless operation — you do not have to manage modes during your commute. On a rainy weekday in La Puente, CA, HTRAC® can help you accelerate cleanly from a stoplight, manage off-camber neighborhood turns, and maintain composure on freeway ramps with standing water. It is also useful when you encounter gravel shoulders near trailheads or steep parking structures with a slick surface. Because the Sonata remains a refined, quiet sedan first, HTRAC® simply works in the background, adding confidence while preserving the smooth, easygoing feel owners expect.

Who stands to benefit most from choosing HTRAC®? If your weekly routes include hills, shaded streets that stay damp after storms, or school drop-off zones where traction varies, AWD can be a worthwhile upgrade. Drivers who head to trailheads on the weekend will also appreciate the extra stability on loose surfaces. And if you commute early or late, when drizzle tends to linger, the added grip can make urban driving more predictable.

  • Wet-weather traction: Helps reduce wheel slip when starting on slick intersections and curved on-ramps.
  • Balanced stability: Aids directional control on crowned or uneven lanes without demanding driver intervention.
  • Confidence for families: Supports composed stops and starts in school zones and crowded lots.
  • Weekend versatility: Adds poise on gravel turnouts and light-duty unpaved driveways.

Pairing HTRAC® with the Sonata’s standard 12.3-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ makes wet-weather navigation and communication feel natural and low-stress. You can keep both hands on the wheel while route guidance and audio stay a glance and a voice command away. Add available driver aids such as a 360-degree camera system and Blind-Spot View Monitor, and the Sonata’s visibility in tight, rain-splashed spaces improves further — especially useful in crowded shopping centers following a storm.

When you schedule a test drive, bring your daily route to life. Ask to include a damp surface street, a freeway ramp, and a tight parking scenario. With HTRAC®, you should feel smooth, drama-free launches and planted mid-corner behavior, along with easy maneuvering in and out of spaces. If you also want a sportier feel, sample the N Line with its 290-hp 2.5L turbo and retuned 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. You will get a sense of how the Sonata balances composure with responsive performance, even when the weather turns.

CardinaleWay Hyundai of El Monte is serving San Gabriel, Arcadia, and La Puente with guidance tailored to your streets and schedules. Our team can explain which trims offer HTRAC®, how it interacts with Hyundai SmartSense®, and how available features like Remote Smart Parking and the Bose premium audio system fit into the configurations you are comparing. We will help you evaluate AWD against your actual conditions and confirm whether it is the right match for your daily drive.

Ready to feel the difference AWD can make in real life? Bring a list of your key driving scenarios — the hills, the turns, the parking structures — and we will map a route that shows you exactly how the Sonata with HTRAC® behaves when the pavement is damp, and confidence matters most.

Request more 2026 Hyundai Sonata information