Compare the2027 Dodge Charger VS 2026 Hyundai Sonata

Both the Charger and Sonata have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Charger has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Sonata’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Dodge Charger 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Charger has standard Rear Park Assist with Stop 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Charger. But it costs extra on the Sonata.

The Charger offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sonata only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Charger and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Dodge Charger weighs 1207 to 2596 pounds more than the Hyundai Sonata. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are almost 3 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Charger’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Charger has a standard 230-amp alternator. The Sonata’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The Charger has more powerful engines than the Sonata:

	Horsepower	Torque
Charger R/T 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	420 HP	468 lbs.-ft.
Charger Scat Pack 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	550 HP	531 lbs.-ft.
Charger Super Bee 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	600 HP	531 lbs.-ft.
Charger Daytona Scat Pack electric motors	670 HP	627 lbs.-ft.
Sonata 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	191 HP	181 lbs.-ft.
Sonata N Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder	290 HP	311 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Car and Driver the Dodge Charger is faster than the Sonata N Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Charger R/T	Charger Scat Pack	Sonata
Zero to 60 MPH	4.7 sec	3.7 sec	5.4 sec

On the EPA test cycle the Charger running on electricity gets better mileage than the Sonata:

			MPGe
Charger
	AWD	Scat Pack 305 Tires Electric Motors	93 city/79 hwy
		Scat Pack All Season 325 Tires Electric Motors	82 city/73 hwy
		Scat Pack Performance 325 Tires Electric Motors	80 city/70 hwy
Sonata
			MPG
	FWD	SE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/38 hwy
		SEL Sport 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/36 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy

The Charger can travel with zero emissions for 223 to 267 miles (dependent on model). The Sonata can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

The Charger Six Pack has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sonata (17.5 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Charger 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 Dodge Charger higher (6 to 10 out of 10) than the Hyundai Sonata (4 to 6). This means the Charger produces up to 25 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sonata every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Charger’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sonata:

	Charger R/T	Charger Super Bee	Sonata SEL Sport	Sonata N Line
Front Rotors	13.9 inches	16 inches	12 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	16 inches	11.2 inches	12.8 inches

The Charger’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sonata are solid, not vented.

The Charger stops much shorter than the Sonata:

	Charger	Sonata
100 to 0 MPH	297 feet	358 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Charger has larger standard tires than the Sonata (245/55R18 vs. 205/65R16). The Charger’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sonata (F:305/35R20 & R:325/35R20 vs. 245/40R19).

The Charger R/T’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 Charger’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Sonata N Line’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Charger R/T has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Sonata SE. The Charger Scat Pack’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Sonata N Line.

The Charger has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Sonata doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Charger offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Sonata’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Charger’s wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the Sonata (121 inches vs. 111.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Charger is 4.3 inches wider in the front and 4.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Sonata.

The Charger’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55.4% to 44.6%) than the Sonata’s (60% to 40%). This gives the Charger more stable handling and braking.

The Charger Daytona Scat Pack Four-Door handles at .97 G’s, while the Sonata SEL Sport AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Charger Daytona Scat Pack Four-Door executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.1 seconds quicker than the Sonata SEL Sport AWD (24.6 seconds @ .84 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The front grille of the Charger Daytona uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sonata doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Charger Six Pack offers available 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.

The Charger Four-Door has 1.7 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sonata.

The Charger Four-Door has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Sonata (22.7 vs. 15.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Charger. The Sonata doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Charger offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Sonata doesn’t offer a power trunk.

When two different drivers share the Charger, the optional memory system makes it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and radio stations. The Sonata doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Charger’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Sonata doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Charger’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Sonata does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Charger offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sonata doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Charger’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 Charger’s optional 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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Charger to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Sonata doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Charger’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Sonata SEL Sport/N Line.

When the Charger with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Sonata’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Charger and the Sonata offer available heated front seats. The Charger also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sonata.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Charger keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sonata doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Charger’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Sonata doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Charger has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Sonata SEL Sport/N Line.

Both the Charger and the Sonata offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Charger has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Sonata doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Dodge Charger comes in coupe and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Hyundai Sonata isn’t available as a coupe.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Charger as the 2026 North American Car of the Year. The Sonata has never been chosen.