2020 Honda Accord vs. 2020 Hyundai Sonata: Battle of the midsize sedans

Howdy folks today on roadshow versus we're gonna look at two dance. Yep, it's the unstoppable horse of a Honda Accord versus the immovable character of the Hyundai Sonata. We'll compare them based on engine options and fuel economy, size, features and price but remember, there can be only one Now both are offered over multiple trims but we're going to keep it simple here and take not the top of the line but the next to the top of the line trims. The pen ultimate, if you will. The accord XL and the Sonata l plus. The Honda Accord can be had with a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine in the ESL trip. Made it to a continuously variable transmission, this engine put out 192 horsepower and 192 pound feet of torque. Or you can move up and get a larger 2 liter turbo charged engine. And this little guy ups the ante to 252 horsepower and 273 pound feet of torque. And that works in conjunction with a 10 speed automatic. Meanwhile, the Sonata SEO plus can only be had with a 1.6 liter turbo engine made it to an eight speed automatic transmission. That pushes out 180 horsepower and 195 pound feet of torque. Now both vehicles can also be had in a hybrid but that's a whole different opera. So let's just stick to these engines for now. Looks like this is point Honda, y'all Options are always good and when one of them pushes out over 200 horsepower, it's even better. When it comes to gas mileage. The Honda gets respectable 30 miles per gallon in the city, 38 miles per gallon highway and 33 miles per gallon combined out of the 1.5 liter turbo. However, those numbers go down significantly if you opt for that bigger two liter turbo gun. 23 miles per gallon city. 34 miles per gallon highway and 27 miles per gallon combined, the Hyundai splits the different tier with its 1.6 liter turbo. EPA fuel estimates are 27 miles per gallon city 36 miles per gallon highway and 31 miles per gallon combined. While your range may vary according to the EPA the accords 14.8 fuel tank gives it a range of about 488 miles with that 1.5 liter turbo and almost 400 miles with the 2 liter turbo. The Sonata, however, can go a bit further thanks to its larger 15.9 gallon fuel tank, you'll go over 490 miles between Phillips Final score, I'm gonna give it a tie. The 1.5 liter in the Honda certainly is pretty good, but that two liters efficiency is a drag. It's not as 1.6 liter is baby bear middle ground. Sure I can go a bit further between Philips and the Sonata. But four and a half miles really isn't enough to push it over the top here. Next, let's look at the overall dimensions of each car. The Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata both have a wheelbase of about nine feet three inches, and the accordance about his length is pretty much the same as well right around 16 feet. And it's pretty much the same with height. Both are about four feet nine inches, and Hey, what do you know? Both are the same in width as well just over six feet wide. Okay, so essentially the two are the same size. So you would think that the interior space would be the same as well right eeh wrong. Headroom in the Accord XML is 37.5 inches in the front and 37.2 inches in the rear. The Sonata does it better here with 40 inches of headroom in the front and 38.4 inches in the rear. Now leg room gets a little wonky here. The accord has 42.3 inches of legroom in the front and a 40.4 inches in the rear. Now none of that is really surprising. The Hyundai however has 46.1 inches in front leg room. Only 34.8 inches in the rear. As for the trunk of the boat as the Brit say the cord has 16.7 cubic feet of space and that's enough to fit 7312 packs of Diet Dr. Pepper, the Sonata is just a little bit smaller, it's 16 cubes. I'm going to give it to the Accord here as it's just better all around when it comes to space for people and things. However, if you're a taller driver with maybe short kids You might need that extra head and leg room that's offered in the sonatas, front seats. So what about technology and features? The accord Excel trim offers the Honda Sensing suite of ad as features standard and that includes adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams and blind spot monitoring Meanwhile, the Hyundai smart sense suite is more robust even though not all features are standard on the FCL plus trim. So on this trim, you get adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist, automatic emergency braking, high beam assist driver attention morning and rear occupant alert. You also get blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. Once more than SEO plus can be optioned with a technology package that includes a highway drive assist that can keep drivers centered in the lane on the highway and a constant distance from a lead car. Sorry folks, but Smart Pak is only available on the top trim Senado. for comfort and convenience features they accorded this XML trim gets Honda's infotainment system on an eight inch touchscreen With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and I can't forget my favorite feature heated front seats standard here as well. This also gets an eight inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but goes a bit further with wireless charging and a digital key so you can use your smartphone to lock unlock and start your car. That aforementioned tech package can also give you a 10.25-inch screen if that's your jam and a fully digital gauge cluster. And with all these features, you know heated front seats are standard. Yeah buddy game set and match here to the Hyundai Sonata. When it comes to price, yeah, we've got a big difference here. In the XL trim. The accord starts at $30,420 plus $955 for destination. However, the Sonata Sal plus undercuts the Accord significantly, starting at $27,650 plus $955 for destination Yowza Hyundai you win the price war. So far, at least purely by the numbers. We've got Honda winning and the engine and space categories and the Sonata taking the cake in the tech and features as well as the price podium and we've got a tie for efficiency. So I'm going to get subjective folks. I'm going to talk about looks. The Acord passes muster just fine, but it's not what I would call striking. The blunt nose showcases skinny LED headlamps There's a crease all along the body to the rear quarter panel highlighting a coupe like roof even though this is a four door sedan, and I've always liked the C shape taillights but overall the car just doesn't really turn my head. The Sonata however, is a looker in that it looks like nothing else on the road today. I love the design risk of the LED running lights kind of morphing into that chrome trim that runs all along the side of the car. The rear light signature is super unique and I appreciate the dual exhaust outlets on the right side only. It's about it's just a much more striking car visual and drumroll please. Yes, of course. It's gonna win our tiebreaker here. I mean, have you seen it? It's gorgeous. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] Now does that mean that you'll be unhappy with a 2020 Honda Accord? Absolutely not. With that tuner engine, you should have a pretty fun time even if you lose some efficiency and spend a bit more coin. However, the Sonata has got it going on with great value, a ton of tech and features and pretty good fuel economy even without going for that hybrid. And if you can wait until the fall, you can snag yourself a sonata end line with 290 horsepower and 310 pound feet of torque. Now that sounds like a perfect Sonata. [MUSIC] Well, even.