Compare the2023 Hyundai SonataVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta

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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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 Jetta doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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

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 Jetta doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sonata’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Jetta.

The Sonata Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Jetta only offers a rear monitor.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sonata and the Jetta have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras 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 Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta:

	Sonata	Jetta
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	31.7%
Neck Stress	171 lbs.	354 lbs.
Neck Compression	33 lbs.	58 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33%	41.6%
Neck Stress	98 lbs.	152 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/21 lbs.	308/63 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 Volkswagen Jetta:

	Sonata	Jetta
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	301	306
Hip Force	539 lbs.	554 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	577 lbs.	627 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 Jetta:

	Sonata	Jetta
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	195	226
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.5 in	1.85 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	982 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	111	274
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.75 in	1.97 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	10 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Sonata, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Jetta, which received a four-star rating.

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 Jetta last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

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 Jetta’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 Jetta. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Jetta 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 Jetta 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 Jetta (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.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sonata has a standard 760-amp battery. The Jetta’s standard 480-amp battery and largest (optional) 640 amp battery aren’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 15 points higher than the Jetta.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. With 45 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Volkswagen.

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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 10 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Sonata SEL Plus/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (180 vs. 158) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 184) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (191 vs. 158) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sonata N Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 132 more horsepower (290 vs. 158) and 127 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 184) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Sonata SE’s standard fuel tank has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (14.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Sonata SEL/SEL Plus/Limited/N Line’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (15.9 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Transmission

The Hyundai Sonata comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Jetta.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer an SMG.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sonata	Sonata N Line	Jetta
Front Rotors	12 inches	13.6 inches	11.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	12.8 inches	10.7 inches

The Sonata stops much shorter than the Jetta:

	Sonata	Jetta
70 to 0 MPH	152 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	124 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 Jetta (245/40R19 vs. 205/60R16).

The Sonata SEL Plus/N Line’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Jetta Sport/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sonata SEL Plus/N Line has standard 19-inch wheels. The Jetta’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Sonata has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Volkswagen Jetta has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

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

The Sonata has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sonata flat and controlled during cornering. The Jetta’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sonata’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Jetta (111.8 inches vs. 105.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sonata is 3.3 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Jetta.

The Sonata N Line handles at .93 G’s, while the Jetta pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sonata N Line executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Jetta SEL (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sonata’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Jetta’s (35.9 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

Chassis

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 Jetta (.27 to .28) 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 Jetta is rated a Compact.

The Sonata has 9.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Jetta (104.4 vs. 94.7).

The Sonata has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 3 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta.

Cargo Capacity

The Sonata has a much larger trunk than the Jetta (16 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Sonata easier. The Sonata’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Jetta’s liftover is 28.7 inches.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Sonata. The Jetta doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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 Jetta 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 Jetta 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 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 Jetta doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Sonata’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Jetta’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sonata’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Jetta’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

When the Sonata Limited is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Jetta’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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

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 Jetta doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sonata is less expensive to operate than the Jetta because it costs $27 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sonata than the Jetta, including $383 less for a water pump, $80 less for a muffler, $14 less for front brake pads, $405 less for a starter, $200 less for fuel injection, $219 less for a fuel pump and $256 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Sonata and the Volkswagen Jetta, 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 Jetta isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Hyundai Sonata outsold the Volkswagen Jetta by 44% during 2022.