2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata, redesigned for the 2020 model year, presented a bold and distinctive look that was immediately recognizable. The N Line treatment further enhanced its appeal 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 Sonata a stealthy yet performance-oriented appearance. Inside, the Sonata N Line boasted sport front seats with premium Nappa leather bolsters and Dinamica suede inserts, red stitching, aluminum pedal covers, and dark chrome accents, all complemented by a standard panoramic sunroof.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received a mild makeover with subtle exterior updates that included a redesigned front fascia, bumper, and grille with more chrome accents. The rear bumper was less squatty and more square, with full-length chrome features. New wheel designs and metallic colors like Kings Red, Oryx White, and Rising Blue were added to the paint palette. The Jetta's interior updates were equally subtle but appealing, with a new rhombus pattern on the standard cloth seats and contrast stitching on all upholstery types. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and seat controls conveniently located next to the shifter.

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. It featured an eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters, rev-matching, and a launch control system. Drivers could choose between Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Custom driving modes, and the car included an Active Sound Design engine note enhancement system. The Sonata N Line also had significant improvements in engine and transmission mount stiffness, faster rack-mounted electric steering, larger front and rear brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. It rode on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. The car delivered a thrilling driving experience, with responsive steering, firm underpinnings, and stout brakes. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 27 mpg combined, but real-world driving yielded 23.7 mpg.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Transmission options included a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic. The Jetta's fuel economy was impressive, with the manual version rated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Automatic models had slightly different ratings, with S and Sport trims achieving 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined, while SE and SEL trims were rated at 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. On a long road trip, the Jetta averaged 46.9 highway mpg. However, the Jetta's powertrain had some drawbacks, including a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The car offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, but only Sport mode provided a hint of excitement.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line's interior featured heated front sport seats with Dinamica suede inserts for 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 slightly less legroom and thigh support compared to the Elantra N Line, but the Sonata offered rear air conditioning vents and a USB port. The panoramic sunroof helped alleviate any sense of claustrophobia. Interior storage was generous, with a practical center console design, though the transmission control pod and wrap-around storage bin were 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 meant getting your hands dirty when closing the trunk.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact size, provided ample passenger space for four adults and could accommodate five if needed. The front seats had a slightly inclined bottom cushion for thigh support, which might not be ideal for shorter passengers. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and seat controls conveniently located next to the shifter. Storage space was practical, with door pockets, a center console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The center storage bin, though not large, was usable, but the lack of a latch on the compartment cover was unusual.

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 adjusting the radio stations less convenient. The infotainment system's touch-sensing functions near the volume knob could be inadvertently activated, and the voice recognition technology was not always accurate. The Sonata N Line also offered Sounds of Nature, an ambient noise feature, and Hyundai Digital Key, which worked only with Android devices.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received an upgrade in technology, with all models equipped with the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster. S, Sport, and SE trims had an 8-inch display, while the SEL trim featured a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro. The Jetta SEL also had an 8-inch MIB3 infotainment system with navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless device charging, multi-phone pairing, and enhanced voice recognition. Standard infotainment for lower trims included a 6.5-inch MIB2 system with capacitive-touch sensors, App-Connect, Bluetooth, USB-C ports, and an SD card multimedia interface. The Jetta SEL also offered premium Beats Audio sound and a remote start system. However, the voice activation and navigation commands were not intuitive, often requiring manual input for accuracy.

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 Sonata N Line's ADAS performed smoothly and accurately, reducing driver stress. While the standard Sonata had high safety ratings, the N Line had not been specifically rated by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with IQ.Drive, Volkswagen's suite of driver-assistance technologies. The Jetta S and Sport included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian recognition. The Driver Assistance package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, while Emergency Assist brought the vehicle to a stop if the driver was unresponsive. The full IQ.DRIVE safety list was standard on Jetta SE and SEL trims. The 2022 Jetta had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS, but the 2021 model received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly "Good" grades from the IIHS, with some shortcomings in headlight tests and LATCH use.