2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 MINI Cooper

The 2021 MINI Cooper carried an iconic styling that was immediately recognizable, much like the Jeep Wrangler. Its rounded shape, compact dimensions, and a wide variety of color choices set it apart in the subcompact car market. MINI offered several customization options for the exterior, including graphics for the roof and hidden Easter eggs like Union Jack taillights. Despite its small size, the MINI Cooper was larger than the original Mini, with available wheel and trim upgrades depending on the model. Inside, the MINI Cooper continued its unique design language with plenty of circles and rounded shapes, including a funky infotainment touchscreen mounted inside a circular light ring. The cabin was generally high quality but lacked space, making the back seats more suitable for packages than passengers.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata, redesigned for the 2020 model year, presented a daringly distinctive look from its broad grille to its tapered tail. The N Line treatment enhanced the Sonata’s appeal with functional and stylistic changes, such as 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. 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. A standard panoramic sunroof added to the car’s roominess and two-tone appearance.

The 2021 MINI Cooper offered four powertrain options. The base model featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower. The Cooper S had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 189 hp, the John Cooper Works (JCW) had a 228-hp turbo-four, and the John Cooper Works GP boasted a 301-hp turbo-four. All models came with front-wheel drive (FWD). The Cooper and Cooper S had a standard six-speed manual transmission, with a seven-speed automatic available as an option. The JCW GP featured an eight-speed automatic transmission. The MINI felt spritely and energetic due to its small size, with the turbocharged four-cylinder engines providing noticeably stronger performance, especially at highway speeds. The JCW GP model offered the best acceleration, feeling like a proper rocket ship. However, all Cooper models had a somewhat stiff ride, making long drives tiresome. The most efficient MINI Cooper was the Convertible, delivering 28/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined, while the Cooper S Convertible returned 23/32/26 mpg.

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 (DCT) with paddle shifters, rev-matching, and a launch control system. Drivers could choose between Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Custom driving modes. The Sonata N Line also had an Active Sound Design (ASD) engine note enhancement system and a sport-tuned exhaust. The car boasted significant improvements in engine and transmission mount stiffness, faster rack-mounted electric steering, larger brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. It sat on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. The Sonata N Line proved to be a treat to drive, with added stiffness, responsive steering, firmer underpinnings, and sticky tires. The suspension expertly attenuated body roll and excess motion, making the car feel glued to the ground. The EPA estimated the Sonata N Line's fuel economy at 27 mpg combined, but real-world driving averaged 23.7 mpg.

The 2021 MINI Cooper’s interior continued its commitment to heritage, with the rear seat more usable for cargo storage than for passengers. The front seats were comfortable, offering decent head and legroom for average adults, though taller drivers might struggle with knee placement due to the dash shape. Interior storage was tight, with a small center console and limited door pockets. The Cooper Hatchbacks offered decent cargo space, with back seats that folded down for more storage. Convertible models had a small cargo hold under the folding top compartment, with very little usable space in the back.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line 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. The rear seat was not much more accommodating than the Elantra N Line, with similar legroom and thigh support. However, the Sonata offered rear air conditioning vents and a USB port, along with a standard panoramic sunroof to alleviate claustrophobia. Interior storage was generous and practical, though the center console design was inelegant. The trunk volume measured a roomy 16 cubic feet, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat for expanded utility. The Sonata N Line included Hyundai’s Smart Trunk hands-free release feature.

The 2021 MINI Cooper was not the most generous with standard features. The base screen was a 6.5-inch unit, with an optional 8.8-inch unit that included SiriusXM satellite radio and Apple CarPlay. Optional features included a Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate controls, and LED headlights. MINI included more physical controls than some automakers, improving the technology experience. However, Android Auto was not available, leaving many users to rely on Bluetooth. The infotainment system used BMW’s software, with a physical iDrive controller that was difficult to reach due to the tight space between the front seats.

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, and a Bose premium sound system. The infotainment system also included HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a free three-year subscription to Blue Link connected services. However, it did not offer a WiFi hotspot. The system had a power/volume knob but no tuning knob, requiring the use of virtual buttons or steering wheel controls. The infotainment panel’s curvature and volume control placement could inadvertently activate touch functions. The Sonata N Line also offered Sounds of Nature for ambient noise tracks and Hyundai Digital Key for Android devices.

The 2021 MINI Cooper missed out on a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It scored top "Good" ratings in crash tests but had "Acceptable" or "Poor" ratings for headlights. The standard front crash prevention systems earned "Advanced" scores, and the LATCH system received a "Marginal" rating for ease of use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not yet rated the 2021 MINI Cooper. Standard driver-assistance features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included front parking sensors, a parking assistance system, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was equipped with Hyundai’s SmartSense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). This included 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 rated high for occupant protection in a collision, but the N Line had not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review. The safety rating was based on ADAS comprehensiveness and the standard Sonata’s crash-test performance.