2020 Volkswagen Passat vs 2021 Hyundai Elantra

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat bore a familiar resemblance to its predecessors from 2012 to 2019, as well as the redesigned VW Jetta. It adopted Jetta's styling cues, giving it a recognizable yet refreshed exterior. Inside, the Passat's dashboard retained the architectural design of the previous model, featuring a modest 6.3-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. The interior was dominated by cheap, glossy plastic, which, while easy to clean, detracted from a premium feel. However, the car was designed to be user-friendly, with easy access, straightforward controls, and a comfortable driving experience.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra stood out with its Sensuous Sportiness design language and Parametric surfacing, resulting in a distinctive and appealing look. The Z-shaped dent in the car’s doors, a controversial design cue, added to its unique character. The Elantra came in various trims, including SE, SEL, N Line, and Limited, with a hybrid powertrain option available for the SEL and Limited. The interior of the Elantra, especially in the Limited or Hybrid Limited trims, offered a modern and upscale look with light gray seats and contrasting black cabin elements, providing a stark contrast to the Passat's simpler interior.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. It featured a 6-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. The Passat's powertrain was simple, with a Sport transmission setting and paddle shifters but no additional driving modes. The car's torque allowed for decent acceleration, though the transmission's eagerness to upshift sometimes made the engine feel like it was stumbling. The Passat averaged 26 mpg, just shy of the EPA's 27-mpg rating. The steering was light yet precise, and the brakes were effective, though the suspension tuning was a mixed bag, being too stiff over sharp bumps and too soft over undulations.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra offered a variety of powertrain options. The standard 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine produced 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The Elantra Hybrid combined a 1.6-liter engine with an electric motor, producing 139 horsepower and achieving up to 54 mpg in combined driving. The sporty N Line featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 201 horsepower, while the high-performance Elantra N boasted a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 276 horsepower. The Elantra's various trims provided different driving experiences, from the fuel-efficient Hybrid to the exhilarating Elantra N, which offered impressive handling and performance.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat was designed with American consumers in mind, offering a spacious interior with wide, comfortable seats and ample room for five passengers. The car featured plenty of storage options and excellent outward visibility. Cloth upholstery was standard, with V-Tex leatherette seats available in higher trims. The trunk offered 15.9 cubic feet of space, easily accommodating full-size suitcases and compact folding strollers. The Passat's size and utility made it a practical choice, with the only reasons to opt for an SUV being all-wheel drive, big-box cargo capability, or a third-row seat.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra, classified as a midsize car by the EPA, provided a roomy interior with a height-adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt/telescopic steering wheel. The Elantra offered best-in-class rear-seat legroom, though the backrest shape and angle could be improved. The trunk measured 14.2 cubic feet, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat for added utility. Some versions included a hands-free trunk lid release. However, the Elantra lacked air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for rear-seat passengers, and the manual passenger’s seat height adjuster was no longer available.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat lacked Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system and Digital Cockpit instrumentation technologies, featuring a 6.3-inch touchscreen display instead. Despite this, the Passat offered App Connect with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD and SiriusXM satellite radio, a CD player, and Bluetooth. The SEL trim included navigation and a Fender premium sound system. The infotainment system was simple and user-friendly, with physical buttons and knobs for easy operation. The Passat also offered an optional remote engine start system and parking steering-assist system in the SEL trim.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the SE, SEL, and N Line trims. The Limited trim boasted a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system paired with a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation screen, offering a significant upgrade in technology. This system included navigation, a dynamic natural voice recognition system, and a Sounds of Nature function. The Elantra also offered a new Bose premium sound system and Hyundai Digital Key, which allowed for remote access and control of the vehicle using an Android-based smartphone.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning. An automatic post-collision braking system was also standard. The Passat SE added adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, while the SEL trim included parking assist sensors and adaptive headlights. The Passat earned the top rating of Good in crash-test assessments conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra was built on a new platform designed to absorb and disperse collision energy. Every Elantra came with Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver attention warning system. Additional safety features included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, Rear Occupant Alert, and Safe Exit Warning. Higher trims offered cyclist detection, junction turning assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear automatic braking, and Highway Drive Assist, Hyundai’s Level 2 ADAS.