Compare the2023 Volkswagen ArteonVS 2023 Hyundai Sonata

The Volkswagen Arteon 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.

The Arteon has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sonata doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Arteon offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Sonata doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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

The Volkswagen Arteon’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Sonata’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 120 more horsepower (300 vs. 180) and 100 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 195) than the Sonata SEL Plus/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder. The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 109 more horsepower (300 vs. 191) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 181) than the Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (300 vs. 290) than the Sonata N Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Arteon FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Sonata N Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder (25 city/33 hwy vs. 23 city/33 hwy).

The Arteon has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sonata SE’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Arteon has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 15.9 gallons).

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

	Arteon	Sonata
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.2 inches

The Arteon’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sonata are solid, not vented.

The Arteon stops much shorter than the Sonata:

	Arteon	Sonata
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Arteon has larger tires than the Sonata (245/45R18 vs. 205/65R16).

The Arteon’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sonata SE’s standard 65 series tires. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Sonata SEL Plus/N Line’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Arteon has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata SE. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Sonata SEL Plus/N Line.

The Arteon has a standard 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 Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion handles at .90 G’s, while the Sonata Limited pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Arteon’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The Sonata’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Arteon has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Sonata doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The Arteon has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Sonata has no towing capacity.

The Arteon’s front and rear power windows all 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. With the Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The Arteon’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Sonata’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Arteon has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sonata doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Arteon also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Arteon’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sonata offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Arteon has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line. The Arteon SEL Premium 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 Arteon has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Sonata Limited.

The Arteon SEL Premium has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Sonata.

The Arteon 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.

Both the Arteon and the Sonata offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Arteon has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Sonata doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Arteon has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Sonata and isn’t available on the Sonata SE.

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