Compare the2025 Hyundai SonataVS 2025 Acura TLX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Sonata are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The TLX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Sonata achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Acura TLX has not been tested.

Both the Sonata and TLX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sonata has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The TLX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Sonata and the TLX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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

	Sonata	TLX
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	356	358
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	98 lbs.	186 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/21 lbs.	416/473 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 Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Acura TLX:

	Sonata	TLX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	128
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	223 lbs.	539 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	264	464

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

The Hyundai Sonata (Built after November 2024) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The TLX has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

The Sonata comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The TLX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Sonata 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Acura covers the TLX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the TLX ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

The Sonata’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the TLX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sonata for 2 years and 24,000 miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the TLX (3/36,000 vs. 1/12000).

There are over 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sonata’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sonata’s reliability 12 points higher than the TLX.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 18th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Acura.

Engine

The Sonata N Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (290 vs. 272) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 280) than the TLX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Sonata N Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl.:

	Sonata	TLX
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	5.9 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13 sec	15.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.9 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	14.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	103 MPH	97 MPH
Top Speed	155 MPH	131 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Sonata
	FWD	SE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/38 hwy
		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
TLX
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6	19 city/25 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Sonata uses regular unleaded gasoline. The TLX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The Sonata offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The TLX doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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 TLX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

The Sonata stops shorter than the TLX:

	Sonata	TLX
100 to 0 MPH	358 feet	362 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Sonata’s turning circle is 4.3 feet tighter than the TLX’s (35.9 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

Chassis

The Hyundai Sonata may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 700 pounds less than the Acura TLX.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Sonata a Large car, while the TLX is rated a Compact.

The Sonata has 11 cubic feet more passenger volume than the TLX (104.4 vs. 93.4).

The Sonata has 2.8 inches more front headroom, 3.6 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the TLX.

Cargo Capacity

The Sonata has a much larger trunk than the TLX (15.6 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sonata’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The TLX doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Sonata and the TLX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sonata is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The TLX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sonata second among midsize cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The TLX isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Hyundai Sonata outsold the Acura TLX by almost 8 to one during 2024.

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