Honda Accord (North America Eighth Generation) vs Hyundai Sonata, Mid-Size Rivals on the Same Lot

The Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata were rivals in the mid-size sedan market for much of the late 2000s. The eighth-generation Accord arrived in August 2007 for the 2008 model year, and it fought in a crowded segment against a Sonata that had grown from a Korean-only sedan into a serious North American car. The Accord was roomier on paper and had a cylinder-switching V6, while the Sonata had a longer and more uneven road to the North American market.

How did the Sonata get to the United States?

The Sonata began in 1985 as a facelifted Hyundai Stellar, sold only in South Korea. It was withdrawn after two years because customers did not respond to it, and it was designed as a more luxurious version of a car that did not change much. The second generation, which arrived in 1988, was the first to be widely exported, and it was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign.

The Sonata's American story picked up pace with the 1989 model year. Sonatas were built in Ulsan, Korea, and at Bromont, Quebec, and the Bromont plant closed in September 1993, and the car was built in Korea until the Beijing plant opened in December 2002. The Sonata was later made in Montgomery, Alabama from 2005 and was phased out of American production in 2022.

A cylinder-switching V6 Accord against a Sonata that went from a Korean-only sedan to a serious American contender.

Which generation reached the Accord's buyers?

The fourth generation, which arrived in 1998 on the Hyundai-Kia Y4 platform, was the first Sonata with double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear. It shared its underpinnings with the Trajet and the first-generation Santa Fe, and it was the basis for the first Kia Optima. The 2001 facelift for the 2002 model year restyled the face and strengthened the body shell.

The fifth generation, the NF, went on sale in South Korea in August 2004 and reached the United States in May 2005. It used the company's first all-aluminum four-cylinder, called Theta, and it was the car that brought the Sonata into direct contact with the mid-size class. Honda's eighth generation arrived in 2007, and the two cars were fighting for the same buyers.

The Sonata spent 1995 to 1998 in Korea as the Hyundai Marcia, a restyled version sold alongside it. The third generation was also given a 1996 facelift that lifted the four-cylinder to 125 hp (92 kW), and the Ulsan-built car was the last Sonata made there.

How did the two cars compare in the magazine tests?

In its March 2008 issue, Car and Driver put the 2008 Accord EX first in a test of four-cylinder mid-size sedans. The Sonata was in that group, alongside the Toyota Camry, the Nissan Altima, the Chevrolet Malibu and the Dodge Avenger, with the Ford Fusion as well.

Edmunds InsideLine also rated the Accord highly, praising its all-round performance, high build quality, handling and fuel economy. MotorTrend was less enthusiastic about the Accord's weight and its handling, and it argued that the car felt less nimble than the model it replaced.

Which trims did each car offer?

The Accord's Canadian trims for 2008 to 2010 ran from the LX through the EX, EX-L and V6 versions. The LX had anti-lock brakes with brake assist, stability control, air conditioning and cruise control. The United States added the LX-P sedan, with an eight-way power driver seat and 16-inch alloy wheels, and the LX-S coupe, which swapped to the 190 hp engine. The 2011 update slotted a new SE trim between the LX-P and the EX.

The Sonata's early North American trims were GL and GLS. The GL of 1989 to 1991 used the 2.4 single-cam engine, and by 1992 to 1993 it had the 2.0 DOHC. The GLS carried the 142 hp V6. By the 2009 redesign the line was GLS, SE and Limited, with the Limited collecting the upscale features such as the touchscreen navigation and the 10-spoke wheels.

What engines did the Accord and Sonata offer?

The Accord's entry engine was a 2.4 L i-VTEC inline-four rated at 177 hp in the LX, and the EX used a stronger version making 190 hp. The V6 was a 3.5 L i-VTEC with 268 hp and Variable Cylinder Management, which shuts off two or three cylinders depending on driving. Without that system the car loses 4 MPG on the highway, and the V6 engines were re-rated for the 2009 model year.

The 2009 Sonata used a 2.4 L G4KE Theta II four rated at 175 hp at 6,000 rpm, a 2.0 L G4KD Theta II at 163 hp, and a 3.3 L Lambda V6 at 235 hp (175 kW) with 229 lb-ft (310 N m) of torque. The Accord's V6 was the more powerful of the two at 268 hp, against 235 hp for the Sonata's Lambda, and it also used cylinder deactivation to save fuel.

The Sonata's NF launch engines were a 2.4 L I4 at 164 hp (122 kW) at 5,800 rpm and a 3.3 L V6 at 237 hp (177 kW). Diesel versions were sold in Europe, New Zealand and Singapore, and a 2.0 L petrol engine was popular in South Korea, where its tax and insurance savings made it attractive.

How big were the two sedans?

The Accord was enlarged for 2008. It grew 4 inches (102 mm) in length and 3 inches (76 mm) in width, and its sedan interior was rated at 120 cubic feet (3.4 m3), which made it nearly executive by EPA standards. The coupe was classed as mid-size, with 105 cubic feet (3.0 m3).

The Sonata NF was also larger than its predecessor. The EPA classed it as a mid-size car, and it was 2 inches (51 mm) longer and taller and 1 inch (25 mm) wider than the earlier car. The EF generation of the Sonata had a 2,700 mm (106.3 in) wheelbase and double wishbone front suspension.

How did the two cars score on safety?

The Accord was the stronger performer on the IIHS charts. It earned Good in 13 of 14 measured categories and an Acceptable rating for its side-impact structure, which was enough for a Top Safety Pick. The award was lost because of an Acceptable roof strength score, and 2012 models regained it with a Good roof rating.

The 2006 Sonata earned Good for frontal impact and rear crash protection, with an Acceptable score for side impact. Roof strength was rated Marginal on the 2009 and 2010 models. Hyundai also had to deal with a seat problem flagged in the IIHS moderate overlap test in June 2005, when the seat belt caught on the recline lever. The company put a plastic tag on the seat trim, and it recalled nearly 36,000 cars to do so.

The Accord had its own problems. A brake class action in September 2009 claimed that rear pads wore out every 15,000 to 20,000 miles, and Honda settled in April 2010. The more serious case was the passenger-side curtain airbags, which deployed unexpectedly, and Honda recalled 300,000 Accords in October 2015 over a software fault in the airbag control unit.

What did the 2009 Sonata add inside?

The 2009 redesign was unveiled at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, and its styling was done largely at Hyundai's American technical centre in Michigan. The new car had a chrome three-bar grille, jewel-style projector headlights and an extensively revised instrument panel made with a technique called slush molding, which gave the surface a finer texture.

The Limited trim had 10-spoke alloys, chrome interior door handles and a touchscreen navigation system with satellite radio, while Bluetooth was a separate option. Every model had a USB port and an auxiliary jack. A manually shiftable five-speed automatic, marketed as Shiftronic, came on the GLS, SE and Limited, and the V6 was dropped from the GLS for 2010.

How did the Accord sell beyond North America?

The Accord was a success well beyond America. In South Korea, the North American car helped Honda overtake BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus as the country's number one import brand, and Honda sales there surged 95 percent in the first seven months of that year. Guangzhou Honda built a China version from 2007, and the car was assembled in Thailand for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Honda also worked with Proton of Malaysia, which launched the Proton Perdana in December 2013 as a rebadged eighth-generation Accord for the Malaysian government and its civil servants. The Accord also reached the Middle East in November 2007, when Honda launched it for the GCC market at a Dubai event.

Specifications side by side

Which buyer suits which?

The Accord suits a buyer who wants the IIHS Top Safety Pick of the two, the nearly executive interior of its sedan body and a V6 that switches off cylinders to save fuel on the highway. Buyers who remember the airbag recall should check the service history on any used car they are considering.

The Sonata suits a buyer who wants a mid-size sedan with a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, a full set of USB and Bluetooth connections in the Limited, and the Shiftronic automatic. Its safety story is more mixed, with a Marginal roof rating on the 2009 and 2010 models.

On the evidence here, the Accord holds the clearer advantage on safety and on the magazine comparisons of its era, while the Sonata offers a wider engine range in its 2009 line-up. Neither takes a clean sweep, so the buyer's own priorities should settle the choice.