Compare the2022 Hyundai SonataVS 2022 Volkswagen Arteon

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Sonata are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Arteon doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Sonata’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Arteon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sonata and the Arteon 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sonata the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 139 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Arteon has not been fully tested, yet.

The Sonata comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Arteon’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Sonata 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Arteon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Arteon ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Sonata’s 7 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Arteon runs out after 100,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sonata for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Arteon (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

There are over 29 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sonata’s warranty.

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 Sonata’s reliability 28 points higher than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 64 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 18 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The Sonata N Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 295) than the Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Sonata uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Arteon requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Hyundai Sonata, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Arteon.

The Sonata N Line’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Arteon doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Sonata N Line’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Arteon:

The Sonata stops much shorter than the Arteon:

The Sonata has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Arteon’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sonata is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Arteon.

The Sonata N Line handles at .93 G’s, while the Arteon SE R-Line 4Motion pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sonata N Line executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sonata’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Arteon’s (35.9 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Hyundai Sonata may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 550 pounds less than the Volkswagen Arteon.

The design of the Hyundai Sonata amounts to more than styling. The Sonata has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the Arteon (.3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Sonata get better fuel mileage.

The Sonata has 7.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Arteon (104.4 vs. 96.5).

The Sonata has 2.1 inches more front headroom, 4.9 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 7.9 inches more rear hip room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Arteon.

The Sonata Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Arteon doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Sonata Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Arteon SEL Premium’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

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

The Hyundai Sonata outsold the Volkswagen Arteon by almost 18 to one during the 2021 model year.