Compare 2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Hyundai Elantra

2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Hyundai Elantra | What’s the Difference?

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is a full-size sedan with excellent specs and features that allow it to compete with more expensive, luxury vehicles. The 2020 Hyundai Elantra is the compact sedan in Hyundai’s lineup, being their chart-topper in terms of fuel efficiency and tight-space-handling. The Elantra’s small size also contributes to its slightly superior fuel economy, offering 33 mpg in the city, and 41 on the highway. The Sonata is less fuel-efficient, offering 27 mpg in the city, and 36 on the highway, but these specs are still very impressive for the full-size sedan category. Both of these models have received excellent reviews and awards for current and past years, with the 2020 Hyundai Sonata being named Best Sedan of the Year by Hispanic Motor press, and the 2019 Hyundai Elantra is an IIHS Top Safety Pick +, indicating it’s received best-in-class safety scores.

Sonata vs Elantra Size Differences

Compared to the Hyundai Elantra, the Sonata interior offers a bit more space for passengers, which adds significant value for a lot of car-buyers. While the Elantra doesn’t lose much space for its smaller stature, the Sonata offers four more inches of leg space in the front seat than the Elantra does, as well as an extra two inches of shoulder room in the front and rear. The total passenger space in the Sonata is 120.4 cubic-feet, a significant increase from the Elantra’s 95.8 cubic-feet of passenger space. In terms of exterior dimensions, you won’t notice much when it comes to fitting either of these cars in your home garage. The Sonata is 11-inches longer than the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, and 2.3-inches wider. The Elantra is classified as a compact sedan however, which means you have the opportunity to park in compact parking spaces without worry.

Hyundai Sonata and Hyundai Elantra Features

When it comes to features, the 2020 Sonata is a breakaway winner. Much of the value of this vehicle is invested into user experience, which should feel a little more premium than the Elantra overall. One of the most impressive features on the Sonata is Remote Smart Parking Assist, which allows the Sonata to be remotely parked for fitting into extra tight spaces where squeezing out of the car would be a hassle. Remote Smart Parking Assist also enables the car to drive out of that same tight space autonomously, so you don’t have to worry about door-dinging your neighbor. The Sonata has an all-new redesign in 2020, featuring an elegant fastback design, and integrated headlamps that give this car a head-turning front end— easily the best looking Hyundai in the lineup so far. Another feature that makes the Sonata stand out from its competitors is Digital Key, which allows you to use a compatible smartphone to unlock the doors and start the engine.

Elantra Pros and Cons

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra offers what you’d expect from a compact sedan, but with additional features that increase the value of it’s easy-to-access price-point. Hyundai has recently added an abundance of features that come standard on every single Elantra. This year’s model sports a new continuously variable transmission, along with updated suspension, and several advanced safety features which include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. These features have added a significant bang-for-your-buck on the Elantra, especially for those shopping for a base model trim. Something you’ll have to consider when shopping for Elantra’s is that you won’t have access to the brand-new, top of the line Hyundai technology that the Sonata is becoming well known for. Size is also a factor with this car— it contributes to the Elantra’s excellent handling and fuel economy, but can be a bit of a struggle for very tall passengers.

Sonata Pros and Cons

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata is a car that should fit almost every sedan driver. With competitive fuel economy and handling, this sedan is currently leading the pack of the mid-size class. This year’s dashboard has been entirely redesigned, which allows this sedan to be one of the most feature-packed cars in its class, without being difficult to pilot. The interior of the Sonata is full of intuitive controls that maximize your driving functionality, without disrupting the clean aesthetic of this car’s interior. The Limited trim offers variable interior lighting, as well as a leatherette-wrapped dashboard, premium features that make this car an unbeatable value for daily commuters. One of the Sonata’s shortcomings is its lack of powertrain options. While this car’s base variant is highly capable when it comes to reaching highway speed, the Elantra has the edge when it comes to acceleration and torque.

Which Hyundai Sedan Has the Best Engine?

When it comes to available power on these sedans, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata offers better stats on its standard model, which sports a 4-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The base Elantra only offers 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque in comparison but offers the best powertrain upgrade overall. The 1.6L turbocharged inline 4-cylinder available on the Sport trim of the Elantra offers 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

Which is the Better, the Sonata or the Elantra?

The main difference between these vehicles is their size and available power, which will be the deciding factors for drivers looking to test drive a Hyundai Sedan. The 2020 Hyundai Elantra offers better fuel efficiency at a significantly lower price point, however, and powertrain customizability that is a nice surprise for compact sedan enthusiasts. If you’re looking for maximum price efficiency, the Elantra is your best bet.

How Much Does the Hyundai Elantra Cost?

As is usually the case, the smaller car of this pair has a lower starting price. The MSRP of the Hyundai Elantra starts at $18,150 for its standard variant, the SE. The Hyundai Sonata starts at $23,600 for the SE, and tops out at $33,500 for the Limited trim option.

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