2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Lexus ES

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 design 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 performance-oriented appearance. Inside, the Sonata N Line boasted sport front seats with premium Nappa leather bolsters, Dinamica suede inserts, red stitching, aluminum pedal covers, and dark chrome accents, along with a standard panoramic sunroof.

The 2022 Lexus ES, a mainstay in the Lexus lineup since its debut in 1990, continued to evolve over seven generations. The latest generation, launched in 2018, featured the Global Architecture-K (GA-K) platform, supporting a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout with an option for all-wheel drive. The ES had elegant proportions, a sleek roofline, and the prominent Lexus "spindle" grille. The interior, while nice, had an oddly asymmetrical dashboard and bold two-tone leather seating in the F Sport model. The ES also included a small analog chronometer in the touchscreen housing, adding to the car's heritage but cluttering the dash.

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. 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 sat on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. The car proved to be a treat to drive, with responsive steering, firm underpinnings, and stout brakes. The EPA rated its fuel economy at 27 mpg combined, but real-world driving yielded 23.7 mpg.

The 2022 Lexus ES came in three models: ES 250 AWD, ES 350, and ES 300h. The ES 250 AWD had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, achieving 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/28 mpg combined. The ES 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 307 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, achieving 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. The ES 300h hybrid combined a 176-hp four-cylinder engine with a 39-hp electric motor for a net 215 hp, achieving 43 mpg city/44 mpg highway/44 mpg combined. The ES 250 AWD had a 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds, while the ES 350 did it in 6.6 seconds, and the ES 300h in 8.1 seconds. The ES 250 AWD handled well and drove smoothly but felt slow compared to its siblings.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line featured heated front sport seats with Dinamica suede inserts, offering a balance between comfort and lateral support. The front passenger had a manual seat height adjuster, and rear-seat passengers enjoyed air conditioning vents and a USB port. The Sonata had generous interior storage space, though the center console design was inelegant. Trunk volume measured 16 cubic feet, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat and Hyundai’s Smart Trunk hands-free release feature.

The 2022 Lexus ES had 13.9 cubic feet of trunk space, with a pass-through behind the center armrest and flat-folding second-row seats in the ES 250 and ES 350. The ES had a lower center of gravity and better handling than its SUV counterpart, the Lexus RX. Inside, the ES offered ample storage and convenience features, including big bottle pockets, cupholders, and a large glove compartment. The dash layout was functional, with a prominent volume knob for the audio system.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line came 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 the user experience less convenient. The infotainment system offered Sounds of Nature for stress relief, and Hyundai Digital Key was standard for Android devices.

The 2022 Lexus ES featured an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa+Lexus compatibility. The base model had a 10-speaker Pioneer sound system, while upper trims got a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio, and navigation. The ES used a center console touchpad interface, which was better than the previous fixed mouse setup but still challenging to use. Upper trims had a 10-inch head-up display and a Panoramic View Monitor with Intuitive Parking Assist. Lexus Enform connected services included Safety Connect, Service Connect, Remote, WiFi, Dynamic Navigation, and Destination Assist.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was equipped with Hyundai’s SmartSense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, 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. It also had Rear Occupant Alert, Safe Exit Warning, and Highway Drive Assist. The standard Sonata rated high for occupant protection, but the N Line had not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

The 2022 Lexus ES received the highest safety ratings from both the IIHS (Top Safety Pick+) and NHTSA (five-star rating). Standard safety features included the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, with a pre-collision system, lane-departure warning, road-sign assist, Enhanced Lane-Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and Intelligent High Beam Control. The ES also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 10 airbags, and three years of Lexus Enform Safety Connect service.