Compare the2022 Honda AccordVS 2022 Hyundai Sonata

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Honda Accord has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sonata doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Accord deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Accord’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Sonata’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Accord and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

	Accord	Sonata
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	261	514
Leg Forces (l/r)	231/338 lbs.	321/341 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	266	346
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Compression	54 lbs.	189 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

	Accord	Sonata
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	140	163
Chest Movement	.8 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	152 G’s	305 G’s
Hip Force	431 lbs.	498 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	62 G’s	72 G’s
Hip Force	428 lbs.	539 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	20 inches
HIC	242	288
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	38 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Accord its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sonata is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Warranty

There are over 28 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Accord’s reliability 16 points higher than the Sonata.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Accord has more powerful engines than the Sonata:

	Horsepower
Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder	192 HP
Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	252 HP
Sonata SEL Plus/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder	180 HP
Sonata 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	191 HP

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Sonata SEL Plus/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Accord	Sonata
Zero to 60 MPH	6.6 sec	7.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	16.2 sec	20 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.2 sec	7.8 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.9 sec	4.3 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.9 sec	5.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	15.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	90 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the Sonata:

		MPG
Accord
	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
	Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
Sonata
	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/33 hwy
	SE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/38 hwy
	SEL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sonata doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Sonata (5 to 7). This means the Accord produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sonata every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Sonata.

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sonata doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Accord stops much shorter than the Sonata:

	Accord	Sonata
60 to 0 MPH	109 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Sonata (225/50R17 vs. 205/65R16).

The Accord’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sonata SE’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata SE.

Suspension and Handling

The Accord offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Sonata’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Accord’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Sonata doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Accord Touring handles at .89 G’s, while the Sonata SEL Plus pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sonata SEL Plus (26.4 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Accord Sport SE/EX-L uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sonata doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sonata doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Accord EX-L is quieter than the Sonata Limited (68 vs. 69 dB).

Passenger Space

The Accord has .7 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 5.6 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sonata.

Cargo Capacity

The Accord has a larger trunk than the Sonata (16.7 vs. 16 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Sonata’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

Towing

The Accord 2.0L Turbo offers up to a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Sonata has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Accord’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sonata’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Accord the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sonata can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Consumer Reports rated the Accord’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Sonata’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Both the Accord and the Sonata offer available heated front seats. The Accord Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sonata.

The Accord has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Accord is less expensive to operate than the Sonata because it costs $391 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Accord than the Sonata, including $201 less for a muffler and $297 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2021 issue and they ranked the Honda Accord EX-L first. They ranked the Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus fourth.

The Accord was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 25 of the last 27 years. The Sonata has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Accord 2.0T Sport was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2018. The Sonata has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Accord as the 2018 North American Car of the Year. The Sonata has never been chosen.

The Honda Accord outsold the Hyundai Sonata by over two to one during the 2021 model year.