Compare the2025 Honda AccordVS 2025 Hyundai Sonata

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

Safety

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The Honda Accord 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Accord Touring has a standard Low Speed Braking Control 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.

Both the Accord and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Honda Accord 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 an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Sonata has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

There are over 27 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 10th.

Engine

The Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (192 vs. 191) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (192 vs. 181) than the Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Accord Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl.:

	Accord	Sonata
Zero to 60 MPH	6.6 sec	7.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.1 MPH	87.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Accord
	FWD	EX-L 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/44 hwy
		Sport/Touring 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/41 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy
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

Regenerative brakes improve the Accord Hybrid’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 Accord’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 (1.5T only). Hyundai only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Sonata SE.

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sonata doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sonata doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Accord stops much shorter than the Sonata:

	Accord	Sonata
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Sonata (225/50R17 vs. 205/65R16).

The Accord LX/SE/EX-L’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 SE’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord LX/SE/EX-L has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata SE.

Suspension and Handling

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .87 G’s, while the Sonata SEL AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Touring Hybrid executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sonata SEL AWD (27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Accord uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sonata doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sonata doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Accord has .8 inches more front hip room, 6 inches more rear legroom, 1 inch more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sonata.

Cargo Capacity

The Accord has a much larger trunk than the Sonata (16.7 vs. 15.6 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord 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 Accord SE/Sport/EX-L/Touring. The Sonata doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 51% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

Ergonomics

The Accord 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 Accord Sport-L/EX-L/Touring, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each keyless remote 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 Accord Sport-L/EX-L/Touring’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 Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information 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 Accord’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 Sonata’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Sonata SEL/N Line’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

The Accord Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sonata’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the Accord’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Sonata’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

When the Accord Touring 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.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Accord Touring 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 Accord Touring’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.

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

Recommendations

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

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 25 more times in the last 26 years. The Sonata has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the Hyundai Sonata by over two to one during 2024.

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