Compare the2023 Hyundai SonataVS 2023 Audi A4

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

Safety

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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 A4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sonata Limited has standard Reverse Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A4 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Sonata has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the A4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sonata has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A4.

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 A4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sonata and the A4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Audi A4:

	Sonata	A4
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	26%
Neck Stress	171 lbs.	232 lbs.
Neck Compression	33 lbs.	55 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	321/341 lbs.	431/395 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	1 inches
Neck Stress	98 lbs.	119 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/21 lbs.	324/341 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 Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Audi A4:

	Sonata	A4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	163	172
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.1 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	539 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	288	333
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	577 lbs.	666 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sonata the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A4 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

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 A4’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 Audi covers the A4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the A4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sonata for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A4.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sonata’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sonata has a standard 760-amp battery. The A4’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 11 points higher than the A4.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 54 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Audi.

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 Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 84 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

Engine

The Sonata N Line’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (290 vs. 261) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 273) than the A4 45 TFSI’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sonata gets better mileage than the A4:

			MPG
Sonata
	FWD	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
A4
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/33 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Sonata uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A4 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

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 A4.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Sonata N Line’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the A4:

	Sonata N Line	A4 40 TFSI	A4 45 TFSI
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.4 inches	13.3 inches

The Sonata stops much shorter than the A4:

	Sonata	A4
70 to 0 MPH	152 feet	155 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sonata is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A4.

The Sonata N Line handles at .93 G’s, while the A4 Prestige pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sonata N Line executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the A4 Premium (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sonata’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the A4’s (35.9 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The Hyundai Sonata may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 300 pounds less than the Audi A4.

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 A4 (.3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Sonata get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Sonata a Large car, while the A4 is rated a Compact.

The Sonata has 12.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 (104.4 vs. 92).

The Sonata has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 4.8 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4.

Cargo Capacity

The Sonata has a much larger trunk than the A4 (16 vs. 12 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A4 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Sonata Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A4 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Sonata’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the A4’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

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 A4 Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sonata owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sonata will cost $160 to $6315 less than the A4 over a five-year period.

The Sonata will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sonata will retain 46.08% to 47.23% of its original price after five years, while the A4 only retains 43.4% to 44.48%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sonata is less expensive to operate than the A4 because it costs $82 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sonata than the A4, including $413 less for a water pump, $24 less for a muffler, $74 less for front brake pads, $555 less for a starter, $125 less for fuel injection, $266 less for a fuel pump, $667 less for front struts and $11 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Sonata will be $18976 to $19863 less than for the Audi A4.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Sonata and the Audi A4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sonata second among midsize cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The A4 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Hyundai Sonata outsold the Audi A4/S4 by almost four to one during 2022.