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Hyundai SONATA vs. Volkswagen Jetta

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Hyundai SONATA and Volkswagen Jetta contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Hyundai SONATA and the Volkswagen Jetta.

In comparing the Hyundai SONATA's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Hyundai SONATA has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. The Volkswagen Jetta has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency, reliability, resale value and overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Hyundai SONATA's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Volkswagen Jetta is a better car than the Hyundai SONATA.

Pricing: A used 2024 Hyundai SONATA ranges from $27,359 to $36,865 while a used 2024 Volkswagen Jetta is priced between $21,495 to $29,945. For a new model, the Hyundai SONATA's price is between $28,439 and $36,660, with the Volkswagen Jetta priced between $23,088 and $30,451.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Hyundai SONATA loses 41.4 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Jetta loses 36 percent of its value. This means the Volkswagen Jetta retains 5.4 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Hyundai SONATA.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Hyundai SONATA is 8.6 out of 10 while the Volkswagen Jetta's quality rating is 8.8 out of 10. This results in the Hyundai SONATA being ranked 6 out of 13 Best Midsize Cars and the Volkswagen Jetta being ranked 13 out of 43 Best Small Cars.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Hyundai SONATA is 7.9 out of 10. For the Volkswagen Jetta the reliability rating is 8.1 out of 10. This gives the Volkswagen Jetta a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Hyundai SONATA.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Hyundai SONATA’s base engine makes 191 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Jetta base engine makes 158 horsepower. The SONATA is rated to deliver an average of 29 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 572 miles. The Jetta is rated to deliver an average of 34 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 554 miles.This gives the Volkswagen Jetta the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Hyundai SONATA the advantage in maximum range. Both models use regular unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: The Hyundai SONATA, a midsize car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, and cargo space. The Volkswagen Jetta, a compact car, has the advantage in the area of rear leg room.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Hyundai SONATA and the Volkswagen Jetta have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.

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Model & Pricing
Hyundai SONATA
Volkswagen Jetta

2024 Hyundai SONATA
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Hyundai SONATA for Sale

2024 Volkswagen Jetta
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Volkswagen Jetta for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$28,439 - $36,660

Starting MSRP:

$27,500

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize Cars)

$26,143

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize Cars)

$24,700 - $27,895

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$23,088 - $30,451

Starting MSRP:

$21,435

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

$26,555

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

$17,795 - $45,665

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$31,688

Price Range:

$27,359 - $36,865

Category Avg Price:
(Midsize Cars)

$29,305

Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize Cars)

$25,951 - $31,688

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

1,037

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

4,502

# Good or Great Deals:

168

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$25,029

Price Range:

$21,495 - $29,945

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

$28,855

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

$19,171 - $47,673

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

773

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

11,953

# Good or Great Deals:

97

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$11,619

Depreciation %:

42.3%

Resale Value $:

$15,881

Residual Value %:

57.7%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Midsize Cars)

37.2%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Midsize Cars)

32.1% - 45.7%

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$7,817

Depreciation %:

36.5%

Resale Value $:

$13,618

Residual Value %:

63.5%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

31.6%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

24.4% - 40.1%

Hyundai SONATA Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.6 / 10

Reliability:

7.9 / 10

Retained Value:

7.9 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Volkswagen Jetta Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.8 / 10

Reliability:

8.1 / 10

Retained Value:

8.3 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Hyundai SONATA

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

9.6

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Midsize Cars)

10.1

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize Cars)

9.5 - 13

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

4.4%

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Jetta

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.3

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

11.2

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

10.1 - 13.6

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

9%



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2.2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)

3.3

Category Range for Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)

1.7 - 15.5

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2 - 18.8

Hyundai SONATA Rankings

Best Midsize Cars for Tall People

2 / 13

Most Comfortable Midsize Cars

2 / 13

Best Family Midsize Cars

3 / 13

Midsize Cars with the Most Horsepower

4 / 13

Best Midsize Cars Under $30k

4 / 6

Midsize Cars with Best Resale Value

5 / 13

Safest Midsize Cars

5 / 13

Best Midsize Cars for the Money

5 / 6

Best Midsize Cars

6 / 13

Most Affordable Midsize Cars

6 / 9

Best Gas Mileage Midsize Cars

7 / 13

Most Reliable Midsize Cars

8 / 13

Midsize Cars with the Most Legroom

13 / 13

Volkswagen Jetta Rankings

Best Family Small Cars

3 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

6 / 43

Most Affordable Small Cars

8 / 24

Best Small Cars Under $25k

8 / 13

Best Small Cars for the Money

9 / 13

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

10 / 43

Safest Small Cars

11 / 43

Most Reliable Small Cars

11 / 43

Best Small Cars

13 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

24 / 43

Best Small Cars for Tall People

30 / 43

Most Comfortable Small Cars

34 / 43

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

37 / 43

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Hyundai SONATA Trim Levels

N Line, SEL

Volkswagen Jetta Trim Levels

SEL, Sport, S, SE

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

10 years / 100000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

5 years

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

4 years / 50000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

4 years / 50000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years / 36000 miles

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

191 hp @ 6100 rpm

Torque:

181 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.060 hp per pound

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

158 hp @ 5500 rpm

Torque:

184 foot-lbs @ 1750 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.055 hp per pound

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2.5 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Automatic

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD / AWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


25 / 36 / 29

Range (city/hwy):

398 / 572 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

1.5 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Manual

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


29 / 42 / 34

Range (city/hwy):

383 / 554 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Heated Seats

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Paddle Shifters:

Standard

Power Lift Gate:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Internet Radio:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Parking Sensors:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

N/A

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Heated Seats

Available

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

N/A

Power Lift Gate:

N/A

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Available

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Internet Radio:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Parking Sensors:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

Standard

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

40 inches

Front Leg Room:

46.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

57.9 inches

Rear Head Room:

38.4 inches

Rear Leg Room:

34.8 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

56.1 inches

Cargo Space:

16 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

104.4 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

38.5 inches

Front Leg Room:

41.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

55.9 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.2 inches

Rear Leg Room:

37.4 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

54 inches

Cargo Space:

14.1 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

94.7 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3192 lbs

Width:

73.2 inches

Height:

56.9 inches

Length:

192.9 inches

Wheelbase:

111.8 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.3 inches

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

2895 lbs

Width:

80.2 inches

Height:

57.7 inches

Length:

186.5 inches

Wheelbase:

105.7 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.5 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

17.0 x 7.0 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P215/55R17

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

16.0 x 6.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy with painted accents

Tire Size:

P205/60R16

Exterior Colors

Black

Onyx Black Pearl

Blue

Carbon Blue Pearl / Transmission Blue Pearl

Gray

Nocturne Gray / Portofino Gray Metallic

Red

Ultimate Red Pearl

Silver

Aero Silver Metallic

White

Serenity White Pearl

Exterior Colors

Black

Deep Black Pearl

Blue

Rising Blue Metallic

Gray

Platinum Gray Metallic

Red

Not available

Silver

Pyrite Silver Metallic

White

Pure White

Interior Colors

Black

Black

Gray

Dark Gray

Interior Colors

Black

Titan Black

Gray

Storm Gray

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