Compare the2024 Honda AccordVS 2023 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda Accord 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Accord and the Sonata Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Honda Accord is safer than the Sonata Hybrid:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Accord its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sonata Hybrid is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

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

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 6 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 12 more horsepower (204 vs. 192) than the Sonata Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Accord is faster than the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid:

Both the Accord and Sonata Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Accord 1.5T has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Accord’s standard fuel tank has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sonata Hybrid (14.8 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The Accord stops shorter than the Sonata Hybrid:

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Sonata Hybrid (225/50R17 vs. 205/65R16). The Accord Sport/Touring’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sonata Hybrid (235/40R19 vs. 215/55R17).

The Accord LX/EX/EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sonata Hybrid Blue’s standard 65 series tires. The Accord Sport/Touring’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Sonata Hybrid SEL/Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord LX/EX/EX-L has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata Hybrid Blue. The Accord Sport/Touring’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Sonata Hybrid SEL/Limited.

The Accord has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Sonata Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .87 G’s, while the Sonata Hybrid Limited pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Touring Hybrid executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sonata Hybrid Limited (27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The front grille of the Accord uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Accord has .8 inches more front hip room, 6 inches more rear legroom, 1 inch more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sonata Hybrid.

The Accord has a larger trunk than the Sonata Hybrid (16.7 vs. 16 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Sonata Hybrid’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

The Accord 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 Sonata Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Accord’s front power windows 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 Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Sonata Hybrid SEL/Limited’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

On a hot day the Accord’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Sonata Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Both the Accord and the Sonata Hybrid offer available heated front seats. The Accord Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sonata Hybrid.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 25 more times in the last 26 years. The Sonata Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the Hyundai Sonata by over four to one during 2023.