Compare the2024 Hyundai SonataVS 2024 Kia K5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Sonata have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia K5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Sonata is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia K5, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Sonata and the K5 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, 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, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 much safer than the K5:

The Hyundai Sonata achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The K5 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Sonata’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the K5’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sonata for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the K5.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Sonata has a 150-amp alternator. The K5’s standard 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked fourth.

The Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (191 vs. 180) than the K5 1.6T’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl. is faster than the K5 1.6T 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Sonata gets better mileage than the K5:

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 K5 doesn’t offer launch control.

The Sonata stops shorter than the K5:

For better traction, the Sonata has larger standard tires than the K5 (215/55R17 vs. 205/65R16).

The Sonata’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the K5 LXS’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sonata has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the K5 LXS.

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 K5’s liftover is 28.6 inches.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Sonata’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the K5’s useful trunk space.

The Sonata’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 K5’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

On a hot day the Sonata’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the K5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Sonata’s 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 K5’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance.