Compare the2026 Honda CivicVS 2026 Hyundai Sonata

The Honda Civic has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sonata doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Sonata’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Civic Sport Touring Hybrid has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Sonata doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the Civic and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Civic is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Civic is safer than the Hyundai Sonata:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 25 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Civic’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in long-term dependability. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 10th.

The Civic Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 9 more horsepower (200 vs. 191) and 51 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 181) than the Sonata’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Civic Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Sedan gets better mileage than the Sonata:

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Hatchback gets better mileage than the Sonata:

Regenerative brakes improve the Civic Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sonata doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Civic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available Hybrid). Hyundai only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Sonata SE.

The Civic has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sonata doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Civic higher (6 out of 10) than the Hyundai Sonata (4 to 6). This means the Civic produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sonata every 15,000 miles.

The Civic has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sonata doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Civic stops much shorter than the Sonata:

For better traction, the Civic has larger standard tires than the Sonata (215/55R16 vs. 205/65R16).

The Civic LX Sedan’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sonata SE’s standard 65 series tires.

The Civic Sport Touring Hybrid Hatchback handles at .86 G’s, while the Sonata SEL Sport AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Civic Sport Touring Hybrid Sedan executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sonata SEL Sport AWD (27.1 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Honda Civic may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 350 pounds less than the Hyundai Sonata.

The Civic Sedan is 1 foot, 2.3 inches shorter than the Sonata, making the Civic easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Civic Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sonata doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 51% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

The Civic’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sonata’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Sonata SEL/N Line’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

The Civic Sport Hybrid Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sonata’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the Civic’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Sonata’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Honda Civic comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Hyundai Sonata isn’t available as a four door hatchback.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Honda Civic retains 72.11% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 53.78% resale value of the 2025 Hyundai Sonata after five years, which can save the Honda’s owner up to $5672.272808 in depreciation.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Civic, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Hyundai Sonata isn't recommended.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its November 2024 issue and they ranked the Honda Civic Sport Sedan higher than the Hyundai Sonata SEL Sport AWD.

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 10 more times in the last 41 years. The Sonata has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Civic as the 2025 North American Car of the Year. The Sonata has never been chosen.

The Honda Civic outsold the Hyundai Sonata by almost four to one during 2024.