Honda Accord vs Hyundai Sonata: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Sonata burns about $1,200 of fuel annually against $1,300 for the Honda Accord. That $100 yearly gap compounds to roughly $500 over five years and $800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Honda Accord is the stronger commuter at 51 mpg city, while the Hyundai Sonata pulls ahead on the interstate at 56 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Honda Accord is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid, Hybrid), the Hyundai Sonata with 4 (SIDI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; with Stop-Start). Across 64 recorded Honda Accord configurations and 81 for the Hyundai Sonata, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Honda Accord is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Hyundai Sonata with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Large Cars and Large Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Hyundai Sonata emits 100 g/mile of CO2 versus 183 g/mile for the Honda Accord. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.