Compare the2023 Hyundai SonataVS 2022 Honda Accord

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

Safety

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The Sonata Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Accord only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX/EX-L/Touring offers a blind spot warning system.

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. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX-L/Touring offers Cross Traffic Monitor and the Accord’s Cross Traffic Monitor does not include automatic braking.

Both the Sonata and the Accord 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 and driver alert 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 Honda Accord:

	Sonata	Accord
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	33%	34%
Neck Stress	98 lbs.	140 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/21 lbs.	378/216 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 Honda Accord:

	Sonata	Accord
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	301	386
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	577 lbs.	756 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Accord:

	Sonata	Accord
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	195	576
Head Peak Forces	no contact	77 G’s
Neck Tension	379 lbs.	424 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.54 in	2.13 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.5 in	1.57 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	982 lbs.	1138 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	111	279
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	156 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.75 in	1.46 in
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	8 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 Accord 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 Accord’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Sonata 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Accord. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Accord ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Sonata’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Accord’s (7 vs. 5 years).

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. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Accord.

Reliability

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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 82 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 24th.

Engine

The Sonata N Line’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (290 vs. 252) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 273) than the Accord’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl. is faster than the Honda Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Sonata	Accord
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	91 MPH

As tested in Motor Trend the Sonata N Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Honda Accord 2.0:

	Sonata	Accord
Zero to 30 MPH	2.2 sec	2.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.3 sec	5.8 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	8.5 sec	9.4 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13 sec	15.1 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	2.5 sec	2.8 sec
Quarter Mile	13.9 sec	14.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	103.5 MPH	97.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

		MPG
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
Accord
	Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/32 hwy

The Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord (15.9 vs. 14.8 gallons).

Transmission

The Sonata offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Accord doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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 Accord doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Sonata’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

	Sonata	Sonata N Line	Accord	Accord Sport/Touring
Front Rotors	12 inches	13.6 inches	11.5 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	12.8 inches	11.1 inches	11.1 inches

The Sonata stops much shorter than the Accord:

	Sonata	Accord
70 to 0 MPH	152 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sonata SEL Plus/N Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accord (245/40R19 vs. 235/40R19).

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sonata is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Accord.

The Sonata N Line handles at .88 G’s, while the Accord pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sonata N Line executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Accord (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sonata’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Accord LX/EX-L’s (35.9 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The Sonata’s turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the Accord 2.0T’s (35.9 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Chassis

The Sonata is 3.2 inches shorter than the Accord, making the Sonata easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Sonata Limited is quieter than the Accord Sport:

	Sonata	Accord
At idle	37 dB	41 dB
Full-Throttle	78 dB	78 dB
70 MPH Cruising	69 dB	70 dB

Passenger Space

The Sonata has .5 inches more front headroom, 3.8 inches more front legroom and 1.1 inches more rear headroom than the Accord.

The front step up height for the Sonata is 1.5 inches lower than the Accord (15” vs. 16.5”).

Cargo Capacity

The Sonata’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord LX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Accord doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The Sonata uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Accord uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Sonata and the Accord have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sonata is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accord prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Sonata’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accord’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Sonata’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord Sport 2.0T/Sport SE/EX-L/Touring.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sonata Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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 Accord doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sonata owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Sonata with a number “5” insurance rate while the Accord is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sonata is less expensive to operate than the Accord because typical repairs cost much less on the Sonata than the Accord, including $10 less for a water pump, $2 less for front brake pads, $242 less for a starter, $246 less for fuel injection, $247 less for a fuel pump, $109 less for front struts and $273 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Sonata will be $994 to $1568 less than for the Honda Accord.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Sonata and the Honda Accord, 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 Accord isn’t in the top three.