Compare the2025 Kia K5VS 2025 Hyundai Sonata

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the K5 and Sonata have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The K5 EX/GT1 has standard Parking Collision Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Sonata doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The K5 EX/GT1 has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sonata only offers a rear monitor.

Both the K5 and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia K5 is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

	K5	Sonata
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	295	514
Neck Injury Risk	21%	22%
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	33 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 Kia K5 is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

	K5	Sonata
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	110	125
Abdominal Force	190 lbs.	234 lbs.
Hip Force	264 lbs.	360 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	202	250
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	589 lbs.	780 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The K5 GT’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 99 more horsepower (290 vs. 191) and 130 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 181) than the Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia K5 4 cyl. is faster than the Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl.:

	K5	Sonata
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.3 MPH	87.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
K5
	FWD	LXS 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/37 hwy
		GT-Line/EX 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/36 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/33 hwy
Sonata
	FWD	SEL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/36 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The K5 stops shorter than the Sonata:

	K5	Sonata
70 to 0 MPH	179 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	127 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The K5 GT handles at .85 G’s, while the Sonata SEL AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The K5 GT executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Sonata SEL AWD (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The K5 has .2 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear hip room than the Sonata.

Ergonomics

The K5 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 K5 EX/GT1, the 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 K5 EX/GT1’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 Sonata doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The K5 EX/GT1’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 SEL/N Line’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The K5’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 K5 EX/GT1 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 Sonata’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The K5 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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the K5 EX/GT1 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 K5’s optional (except LXS) 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 K5 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Hyundai Sonata isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the K5 first among midsize cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Sonata was rated second.

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