2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata, redesigned for the 2020 model year, presented a bold and distinctive look that was immediately recognizable. The N Line version further enhanced this with functional and stylistic changes, such as a restyled front fascia with larger air intakes, gloss black side mirrors, and bold 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The rear featured a subtle gloss black lip spoiler and a reworked bumper with a four-outlet exhaust system, giving the car a stealthy yet appealing appearance. Inside, the Sonata N Line boasted sport front seats with premium Nappa leather bolsters, red stitching, aluminum pedal covers, and dark chrome accents, along with a standard panoramic sunroof that added to the car's spacious feel.

In contrast, the 2022 Toyota Corolla, which had been around since the 2019 model year in hatchback form and 2020 as a sedan, aimed to shed Toyota's reputation for boring designs with extroverted styling. The SE and XSE models featured an aggressive front fascia, while the Nightshade Editions added blacked-out trim, and the Apex Editions included a subtle body kit with bronze accents and model-specific 18-inch wheels. Despite these efforts, the Corolla's design was not as cohesive as the Honda Civic's. Inside, the Corolla's interior was simple and less imaginative, with fit and finish up to Toyota's standards but marred by piano black plastic trim that attracted dust and smudges. The SE Apex Edition's interior was essentially the same as the standard SE, with light gray upholstery that seemed prone to stains.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque from 1,650 rpm to 4,000 rpm. This engine was paired with an eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters, rev-matching, and a launch control system. The car offered Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Custom driving modes, and featured an Active Sound Design (ASD) engine note enhancement system. The Sonata N Line also had significant improvements in engine and transmission mount stiffness, faster rack-mounted electric steering, larger brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. It rode on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. The car's handling was impressive, with minimal understeer and excellent suspension tuning that provided a comfortable ride. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 27 mpg combined, but real-world driving yielded 23.7 mpg.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla sedan offered two engine options: a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque for the L, LE, and XLE models, and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque for the SE and XSE models. The Apex Edition versions of the SE and XSE had the same engine with a sport exhaust system. The smaller engine came with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the 2.0-liter engine was available with a six-speed manual gearbox on the SE and SE Apex Edition models. The Apex Edition featured a sportier suspension with unique coil springs, solid stabilizer bars, and an increased spring rate, making it more nimble but also stiffer. The Apex Edition lacked tire, brake, or engine upgrades, and while it was fun in corners, it was not particularly exciting in straight-line acceleration.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line featured heated front sport seats with Dinamica suede inserts that provided a good balance of comfort and lateral support. The front passenger seat had a manual height adjuster, making it comfortable for both front-seat occupants. Rear-seat passengers had decent legroom and thigh support, with the added benefit of rear air conditioning vents and a USB port. The Sonata's interior storage was generous, though the center console design was somewhat inelegant. The trunk offered 16 cubic feet of space, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat for added utility. The Smart Trunk hands-free release feature was convenient, though the lack of an interior handle for closing the trunk was a minor inconvenience.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's interior felt decently roomy, with a low beltline aiding outward visibility. However, the steeply raked windshield and deep dashboard made forward visibility challenging. The driver's seat was positioned optimally, but long-legged drivers might find knee space lacking. The front and rear seat cushions were squishy and not very supportive. The Corolla sedan's 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space was less than competitors like the Honda Civic and Nissan Sentra. The 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat was standard, and a power trunk release was available on certain trims. The sleek interior design limited storage space for smaller items, with a thin center console and shallow cupholders.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Standard features included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, a Bose premium sound system, HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a three-year subscription to Blue Link connected services. However, it lacked a WiFi hotspot and a tuning knob, which made changing radio stations cumbersome. The infotainment system's voice recognition technology was mostly accurate, and the Sounds of Nature feature provided ambient noise tracks for relaxation. The Hyundai Digital Key allowed Android users to unlock and start the car with their smartphone.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's infotainment system was starting to show its age. A 7-inch touchscreen was standard on the base model, while other trims got an 8-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, WiFi connectivity, Amazon Alexa integration, and SiriusXM satellite radio, along with a six-speaker audio system. A nine-speaker, 800-watt JBL audio system was available on higher trims. The interface was user-friendly, but some tasks, like selecting a radio station, were not as easy as in other systems. The graphics looked dated, and there were no wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Corolla also lacked novel features like Hyundai's Digital Key.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was equipped with Hyundai’s SmartSense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, driver-attention warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features included Rear Occupant Alert, Safe Exit Warning, and Highway Drive Assist. The standard Sonata had high safety ratings, but the N Line had not been separately rated by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla received an IIHS “Top Safety Pick+” award and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features under the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 banner included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, Lane Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available but not standard on all trims.