Compare the2024 Audi A4VS 2024 Hyundai Sonata

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The A4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Sonata doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A4 and Sonata have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A4 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Sonata’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi A4 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 A4 has a standard Audi Backguard System, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Audi Backguard System moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Sonata doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The A4 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A4. But it costs extra on the Sonata.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A4’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Sonata doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The A4 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sonata only offers a rear monitor.

Both the A4 and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

Warranty

The A4’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Sonata’s (12 vs. 7 years).

Reliability

The Audi A4’s engines use 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.

Engine

The A4 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 10 more horsepower (201 vs. 191) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (236 vs. 181) than the Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A4 gets better mileage than the Sonata:

			MPG
A4
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/35 hwy
Sonata
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A4’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sonata doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the A4’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Sonata doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A4’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Sonata:

	A4	Sonata
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.2 inches

The A4’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.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A4 has larger standard tires than the Sonata (225/50R17 vs. 215/55R17).

The A4’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’s 55 series tires. The A4’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Sonata N Line’s 40 series tires.

Chassis

The A4 is 5.8 inches shorter than the Sonata, making the A4 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the A4 offers cargo security. The Sonata’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the A4. The Sonata doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The A4 has a 3968 lbs. towing capacity. The Sonata has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the A4 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Sonata. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 34% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

Ergonomics

The A4 45 TFSI 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 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the A4, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Sonata doesn’t offer a memory system.

The A4 Prestige 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 Sonata doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The A4’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 rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The A4’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 intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A4 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Sonata doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A4 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sonata doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the A4 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sonata doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A4 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Sonata doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the A4 with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Sonata’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The A4’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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.

Both the A4 and the Sonata have standard heated front seats. The A4 Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sonata.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the A4 (except Premium) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sonata doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the A4’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Sonata doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the A4 and the Sonata offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the A4 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.

The A4 Prestige’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Sonata doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A4 and the Hyundai Sonata, based on reliability, safety and performance.