2014 Honda Accord vs. 2015 Hyundai Sonata

Posted: 23 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT

The Sonata is Refreshed and Ready for Battle

2014 Honda Accord vs. 2015 Hyundai Sonata

Mike Schlee Sep. 24, 2014 Photos by Adam Wood and Chris Blanchette. Video by Adam Wood and Chris Blanchette.

Fifteen years ago the thought of putting a Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata in the same comparison test was almost laughable. But when the sixth generation, 2009 Sonata appeared, people took notice that Hyundai was serious about building vehicles that consumers wanted.

Fast forward six years and it's time for a new generation Sonata to emerge. More of a heavy refresh than a ground-up redesign, Hyundai has worked hard to address the previous Sonata's weaknesses. To see if the manufacturer succeeded, we brought along the recently redesigned 2014 Honda Accord for comparison. A perennial best-seller in the mid-size sedan market, the Accord is one of the key players in the family sedan segment in which all other cars are measured.

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Separated at Birth?

It's obvious a specific formula is emerging for how to build the perfect family car. Just look at the specs between these two cars. They both are powered by 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines making 185 HP, both ride on the same size 215/55R17 tires, the two car's curb weights are separated by 6 lbs. and the overall vehicle lengths are separate by a quarter inch.

The one area that differs is with the transmission. Whereas Hyundai continues to soldier on with a six-speed automatic for all Sonata models, Honda has ditched a multi-gear transmission on four-cylinder Accords and replaced it with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

For those who disparage the thought of the Accord gaining a CVT, rest assured, this may well be the best CVT on the market. It's smooth, flawless and never lets the engine drone. In daily, regular use it mimics a conventional automatic so well that you probably won't ever notice the difference.

CVT's Efficiency Shines Through

The six-speed in the Sonata is equally flawless in its operation. It fades into the background and never disrupts daily driving, but the downside is fuel economy. The Sonata 2.4-liter is officially rated at 24 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway compared the Accord four-cylinder's ratings of 27 MPG city and 36 MPG highway. During our evaluation period, both cars lived up to the published ratings with the Accord edging out the Sonata by achieving an average of 31.6 MPG compared to 30.2 MPG.

To manage these frugal levels of fuel economy, neither car is very powerful. Like the transmissions, the engines fade away from conscious thought when driving; exactly what is expected in this segment. The Sonata holds the edge when it comes to quietness inside the cabin, better isolating occupants from outside intrusions.

Quieter vs Easier to Operate

On the other hand, the Accord is easier to drive. It's predictable, manageable and requires little effort to maneuver behind the wheel. The Sonata's ride quality and suspension behavior are much improved over last year's model, but still feels too rough for daily driving. It's like Hyundai is trying too hard to make the Sonata feel upscale, at the expense of ride comfort.

Like the vehicle's specifications, styling of the Accord and Sonata are a lot closer now. Gone is the overly curvy, heavily detailed look of the fifth generation Sonata. Replacing it is far more conservative sheet metal that resembles the new 2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan and should age better over time.

Styling vs. Space

The Sonata's new sheet metal is also functional to aide in ingress and egress for rear seat passengers. Legroom in the pack is up over an inch for the 2015 Sonata, but it still falls short by nearly three inches to the 38.5 inches offered in the Accord. Even with a bit less headroom, the rear seat of the Accord is by far the more comfortable place to be for adult passengers.

While on the topic of comfort, the Accord also trumps the Sonata when it comes to the front seats. They are much more comfortable and real world headroom is ample in the Accord whereas it's a bit tight inside the Sonata. As well, some of our staff found their right knee rubs against a hard plastic corner in the Sonata.

Stylish and Modern

Like the exterior, the Hyundai's interior has gone the conservative route for 2015. Modern and elegant, we like how well laid out and contemporary the new Sonata's interior has become. All controls are simple to use. The Sonata also comes with a few features missing in the Accord like heated and cooled front buckets, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof and a larger trunk.

On the downside, we did find that there are too many hard plastics for our liking inside the Sonata though and there's a glaringly obvious trim piece on the center stack that doesn't line up properly.

Compare Specs

		vs
Vehicle	2014 Honda Accord	Advantage	2015 Hyundai Sonata
Engine	2.4 L Four-Cylinder	-	2.4 L Four-Cylinder
Horsepower	185 hp	-	185 hp
Max. Torque	181 lb-ft	Accord	178 lb-ft
Fuel Economy	27 MPG city / 36 MPG hwy	Accord	24 MPG city / 35 MPG hwy
Observed MPG	31.6 mpg	Accord	30.2 mpg
Weight	3,365 lbs.	-	3,371 lbs.
Front Legroom	42.5"	Sonata	45.5"
Rear Legroom	38.5"	Accord	35.6"
Rear Cargo Capacity	15.8 cu. ft.	Sonata	16.3 cu. ft.
Starting Price	$22,745	Sonata	$21,960
As Tested Price	$30,835	Accord	$32,385

Simple and Easy to Use

The Accord isn't exactly a pillar of class-busting style, but like the Sonata, it's ergonomically laid out and we appreciate the dual display screens that let us see both audio information and the navigation map at the same time. Inoffensive and dull, the Accord may be boring inside, but it's user friendly and comfortable for all passengers.

The two biggest complaints when operating the Accord have to do with the steering wheel blocking the view of the upper speedometer and the audio display screen not displaying all the information we would like when motoring down the road.

Although the Sonata begins at a base price of $21,960 after destination charges and the Accord has an entry fee of $22,745, our test vehicles arrived very well optioned. The Honda Accord EX-L with Navi tipped the scales at $30,835 while the Hyundai Sonata Limited we had on hand came in at $32,385.

The Verdict

More expensive, less efficient and not as comfortable to be in, the Sonata still falls short of the Honda Accord. But the gap between them is so small now, purchasing one or another will ultimately come down personal choice, taste and priorities. For our money, the choice is still the Honda Accord, but as the saying goes, individual results may vary.

2015 Ford Fiesta SFE vs 2014 Toyota Prius c

Posted: 22 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Mike Schlee Sep. 23, 2014 Photos by Sami Haj-Assaad

The future is frugal. That's the adage we've been hearing for quite some time now. Highly efficient motoring appliances will take over the automotive landscape one day and we'll all be better for it.

There's just one problem: cutting edge technology is too expensive for a big chunk of people buying cars. Vehicles like the Tesla Model S, Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid and Cadillac ELR are all state-of-the-art wonders, but they're expensive.

So what about the rest of us? Well, for decades the way to be frugal on a budget has been to drive a sub-compact car. With small engines and small curb weights, these diminutive vehicles offer efficiency at a low price. And over the past 10-15 years an incredible amount of civility and efficiency has been baked into these little cars.

Small Displacement vs. Hybrid Technology

Ford and Toyota are leading the eco charge with a pair of hatchbacks. Re-introduced to America in 2011, the Ford Fiesta has always been a relatively frugal offering, but for 2015 a new engine has joined the sedan and hatchback lineup. Displacing just one liter, the new three-cylinder turbocharged engine promises to be more efficient than the base 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine without diminishing the Fiesta's driving experience. With 123 hp and 148 lb-ft. of torque, the new turbo three is actually more powerful than that 1.6-liter unit.

Toyota has taken a different approach to subcompact efficiency, relying on the company's vast experience with hybrid powertrains. Dubbed the Toyota Prius c, the five-door hatchback uses a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired up to an electric motor. The gasoline engine and electric motor generates a combined 99 hp.

Manual vs. eCVT

Like most other Toyota Hybrids, the Prius c uses an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) to send power to the front wheels. Weighing in at 2,500 lbs., the Prius c's 99-hp drivetrain has its work cut out. Drive the car the way it's meant to be driven, slow and efficiently, and the moderate levels of power seem adequate. But drive with any haste or attempt a passing maneuver on the highway and the lack of forward thrust is painfully obvious.

While the Prius c is easy to drive efficiently and keeping up with the flow of city traffic can be a chore, the Fiesta SFE is the complete opposite. With lots of low-end torque, the little Ford has no problem getting up to speed and keeping up with traffic. It takes a conscious effort to eek maximum efficiency out of the Fiesta as too much throttle application builds up boost in the turbo and propels the car down the road.

The 1.0-liter turbo behaves a lot like a diesel engine. With gobs of initial torque, as the RPM builds, power tapers off. It's noticeably quieter when under load compared to the buzzy four-cylinder in the Prius c which is a good thing as the tractor-like noise the Ford engine produces is anything but pleasant.

Uber Efficient vs. Liveable

The Fiesta SFE is only available with a five-speed manual transmission that is similar in operation to other manuals offered in the Fiesta. Throws are long but engagement precise. With total control over gear selection, we found that the way to achieve the most efficient results is to shift according the up and down shift indicators in the Fiesta's gauge cluster. By driving in this ultra-conservative manner, we were able to achieve a mixed city-highway fuel economy average of 42.8 MPG. That almost ties the SFE's highway rating of 43 MPG and trumps the city rating of 31 MPG.

That's quite impressive, until they're compared to the Prius c. Officially rated at 53 MPG city and 46 MPG highway, we absolutely trounced those figures by averaging 60.3 MPG during the same mixed driving loop as the Fiesta. A lot of that can be attributed to the city driving segments where we found the Prius c can drive on pure battery power for a good distance if careful with throttle input. During our time with the Toyota, we spent 12 to 15 percent of our drive time on just battery power.

		vs
Vehicle	2014 Toyota Prius c	Advantage	2015 Ford Fiesta SFE

Engine	1.5 L Four-Cylinder + Electric Motor	-	1.0 L Turbocharged Three-Cylinder
Horsepower	99 HP total	Fiesta	123 HP
Fuel Economy	53 MPG City / 46 MPG Hwy	Prius c	31 MPG City / 43 MPG Hwy
Observed Fuel Economy	60.3 MPG	Prius c	42.8 MPG
Weight	2,500 lbs.	-	2,537 lbs.
Rear Legroom	35.0-inches	Prius c	31.2 inches
Rear Cargo	17.1 cu. Ft.	Prius c	14.9 cu. Ft.
Starting Price	$19,905	Fiesta	$15,190
As Tested Price	$25,335	Fiesta	$17,705

Practical vs. Premium(ish)

We know so because the Prius c is full of technology and mileage screens that let efficiency fans geek out over things like best efficiency runs, gas money saved, miles driven on electricity, etc. Being a fully loaded "Four" model, our test Prius c came equipped with lots of features like faux leather seats and navigation, but a rear back-up camera is strangely missing. None of these features are offered in the Fiesta SFE as it comes in one trim level only.

Materials inside the Fiesta are nicer despite the lower content level as the Prius c is full of cheap, unattractive plastics. The rear window of the Prius is hard to see out of for taller drivers as the rear roof slopes down just above the window cutting off the view. Beltlines in both cars are low allowing for great side sightlines.

SEE ALSO: 2014 Toyota Prius c Review

Up front the Prius trumps the Fiesta with more nooks, bins and shelves to stash stuff. Trunk space also favors the Prius c on paper offering 17.1 cubic feet of space compared to the Fiesta's 14.9 cubic feet, but in the real world, the deeper Fiesta cargo hold is much more usable. Maybe Toyota is including the space wasted under the trunk's floor that is taken up by massive chunks of Styrofoam?

Rear seat space is equally optimistic in the Toyota as the Prius c is claimed to 35 inches of legroom compared the Fiesta's 31.2 inches. But with the front seats set to proper comfort distances, we found it was a wash between the two vehicles as both are cramped but liveable. The actual seat cushions in the Prius did win in comfort slightly though.

A Question of Value

As mentioned, the Fiesta SFE only comes in one trim. This means mandatory wheel covers and no colour display screen. The only two options available for the SFE hatch and sedan are a sunroof and the comfort package. Starting at $15,190 after destination charges for a basic hatchback, the as tested price of $17,705 for our Fiesta SFE 1.0-liter isn't that hard to swallow.

The Prius c in contrast can be had in four different trim levels. Starting at $19,905 after destination charges, the car escalates up through four trim levels that are simply called, one, two, three and four. Our fully loaded Prius c Four lists at $25,335 including the sunroof and 16-inch alloy wheel additions. That is nearly $8,000 more than the Fiesta which is quite a step up in this market segment.

The Verdict

The Ford Fiesta SFE harkens back to efficient commuters of old, with low content, an efficient engine, a low price and a somewhat engaging driving experience. Being available in one trim and exclusively with a manual transmission, it's not going to be for everyone. Plus, unless driven ultra-conservatively, mileage numbers at not all that spectacular. It is more fun to drive than the Prius c though and power delivery is livable. Then again, a Fiesta ST starts in the low $20,000 range, is better optioned, a ton of fun and is quite efficient in its own-right.

The Toyota Prius c is a compelling vehicle for those more focused on pure efficiency, but is far too expensive in loaded up "Four" trim. Our pick would be a less optioned Toyota Prius c Two that lists closer to the $20,000 mark and ditches the 16-inch wheels that balloons the Prius' turning radius from a usable 31.4 foot circumference to a battleship-like 37.4 feet. Cheaper, just as efficient and more maneuverable, that is the Prius c to get.

Toyota Prius c

LOVE IT

Incredibly efficient
Various trims available
Good ergonomics
Cheapest Prius

LEAVE IT

Expensive
Slow
Interior quality

Ford Fiesta SFE

LOVE IT

Powerful
Inexpensive
Interior

LEAVE IT

Single trim only
Not as efficient

Car Reviews

Thursday, 25 September 2014