Not too long ago, the Hyundai Sonata was just another boring midsize sedan. In 2021, the Hyundai Sonata is stylish, spacious, and loaded with all the popular tech. Its unorthodox exterior design will definitely get your attention. Let’s take a closer look at the exterior and interior design of the latest Hyundai Sonata. We’ll also cover all the technology it comes with and how it matches up with the competition.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata

Gone is the dowdy average sedan. In its place is the 2021 Hyundai Sonata, and it’s eye-catching. As the team at MotorTrend points out, the Sonata’s innovative new exterior design definitely grabs your attention.

The LED light strips are a cool addition, situated around the metal hood accents. While the front end is visually appealing, not everyone is a fan of the “signature cascading grille.” One of MT’s editors found it downright cringe-inducing.

The Hyundai Sonata’s dramatic design flair was applied to the interior as well. Opinions varied on the interior’s styling within the MT team. They did appreciate the fact that the cabin was less a collection of assorted parts and pieces and more harmonious and well-connected.

There’s also the new Digital Key that lets you use the Hyundai app on your phone to unlock the car and conduct other convenient functions remotely. As long as you have your phone, you don’t need a key fob.

Everyone agreed that the tech featured in the latest Hyundai Sonata is a winner. The team found the big touchscreen offered a dynamic display and was user-friendly. The digital display of the instrument cluster is sharp-looking and other tech touches flesh out a thoughtful presentation and package.

How the Hyundai Sonata matches up against rivals

The MT team compared the 2021 Hyundai Sonata to the 2021 Subaru Legacy and 2021 Honda Accord in terms of design. While the team didn’t unanimously find the Sonata’s new exterior and interior design stunning, they did favor it above that of its two rivals.

That’s not to say that the team ultimately found the Legacy to be an unattractive vehicle. They just didn’t feel that it stood out in any way. They described it as a “modern Oldsmobile” with a higher front end and an overall disorganized design flow. 

The latest Accord stayed in the middle lane. While its style wasn’t underwhelming or bland, it wasn’t as avant-garde as that of the Hyundai Sonata. 

The Legacy’s cabin didn’t wow the team either. While it fits nicely into the Subaru lineup, the huge 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen wasn’t a favorite of the team. They did, however, find that technology-wise, the Legacy had a lot of good features for its price. It offers two USB ports and heated seats for passengers in the back.

The Accord’s cabin was also well-equipped, but the team found it to be tame. With its textured plastic and black leather, it didn’t stand out in any way from the rest of the class. It was good enough but not ground-breaking.

When it came to infotainment systems, Honda was at the bottom of the three in this comparison. The entire interface felt older and dated with a smaller screen. The incorporation of Apple CarPlay helped a little. Overall, the system wasn’t straightforward or easy to use. There’s no digital instrument cluster here either.

But the winner is . . .

Looking at all three sedans, the clear winner has to be the 2021 Honda Accord. With its style, upscale interior, and driving dynamics, it easily defeats both the Legacy and the Hyundai Sonata. 

That being said, when you look at all three quality sedans in the evaluation, you really can’t go wrong with any of them. In picking one, it all really comes down to what’s a priority for you. 

If you want a car that visually gets attention the 2021 Hyundai Sonata is the right choice with its bold new look. If you want solid drive quality paired with all-wheel drive, then take a closer look at the 2021 Subaru Legacy.

Otherwise, the 2021 Honda Accord is setting the standard for the class and would be a great choice for your next new car.