Compare the2025 Audi A5 SportbackVS 2025 Hyundai Sonata

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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The A5 Sportback’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 A5 Sportback and Sonata have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback 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. The Sonata doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the Sonata.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A5 Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Sonata doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Sonata’s (12 vs. 7 years).

Reliability

The Audi A5 Sportback’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.

The battery on the A5 Sportback is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the A5 Sportback’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Sonata’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

Engine

The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback gets better mileage than the Sonata:

			MPG
A5 Sportback
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/36 hwy
Sonata
	FWD	SEL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/36 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sonata doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the A5 Sportback’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Hyundai only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Sonata SE.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A5 Sportback’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Sonata:

	A5 Sportback	Sonata
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.2 inches

The A5 Sportback’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 A5 Sportback has larger standard tires than the Sonata (245/40R18 vs. 205/65R16). The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sonata (265/30R20 vs. 245/40R19).

The A5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sonata SE’s standard 65 series tires. The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the Sonata N Line’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A5 Sportback has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata SE. The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Sonata N Line.

Suspension and Handling

The A5 Sportback offers an available 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.

Chassis

The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI is 6.1 inches shorter than the Sonata, making the A5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the A5 Sportback. The Sonata doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the A5 Sportback has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just 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.

Towing

The A5 Sportback has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The Sonata has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the A5 Sportback 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.

Ergonomics

The A5 Sportback offers a 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 A5 Sportback, the optional memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Sonata doesn’t offer a memory system.

The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback’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/N Line’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the A5 Sportback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Sonata can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The A5 Sportback’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 A5 Sportback 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.

Laser headlights, standard on the A5 Sportback Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Sonata’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A5 Sportback has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sonata doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A5 Sportback’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Sonata SEL/N Line.

When the A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback’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 Audi A5 Sportback and Hyundai Sonata offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The A5 Sportback offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Sonata’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The A5 Sportback has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Sonata SEL/N Line. The A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige 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 A5 Sportback’s standard 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.

The A5 Sportback 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/N Line.

Both the A5 Sportback and the Sonata offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the A5 Sportback 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 A5 Sportback Prestige’s Park Steering 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.

Model Availability

The Audi A5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Hyundai Sonata isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.