Hyundai started out as a small Korean automaker, but it’s swiftly joining the big leagues. From making luxury cars that are so affordable that it’s shocking and focusing on making safety features to protect families standard, Hyundai is more focused on putting the consumer first than their bottom line. And it’s paying off in big ways.

Kelley Blue Book ranked the Hyundai Sonata as number two on their Best Midsize Cars for 2020 list. This humble sedan tied for second with the legendary Toyota Camry, and almost beat out the Honda Accord for the number one position.

The 2020 Honda Accord is number one

The 2020 Honda Accord is officially the best midsize car of 2020 according to Kelley Blue Book. There are doubtless some bitter feelings over this decision. That being said, Honda went all out on the 2020 Accord.

Honda may not be known as a luxury brand, but the Accord is being compared to luxury cars like the Acura TLX. It’s roomy, has great resale value, and is one of the few sedans on the market that offers a manual transmission. 

Kelley Blue Book is a huge supporter of the Honda Accord, and has been for years. The review site stated,

“From its standard Honda Sensing suite of driver assists to its potent turbocharged engines and available manual transmission, the Accord gives every competitor a run for its money.”

There’s only one area that the Honda Accord can improve on, and might give the competition an edge when it comes to the 2021 Best Midsize Car list. Honda has yet to offer AWD on the Accord.

If Honda were to change that, then they might pull even further ahead of the pack. Otherwise, it’s an opening the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry might be able to take advantage of.

The 2020 Toyota Camry came so close to victory

The fact that the Toyota Camry came in second to the Honda Accord and tied with the Hyundai Sonata probably took the Japanese automaker by surprise. For years, the Camry and Corolla have dominated the lists. That’s why many may be wondering what exactly happened.

Toyota is still putting out some incredible cars, so it’s not like it’s sitting on its laurels. Other automakers are simply not satisfied with coming in second anymore, and they’re stepping up their game.

Either way, the Camry still beat out eight other cars. Part of the reason for this is that Toyota focuses on making the Camry great as a whole. Rather than focusing on its speed or off-road ability, Toyota makes the entire car worth driving.

In fact, Kelley Blue Book has 13 features that it really loves about the 2020 Toyota Camry. And while you may be thinking that 13 is an unlucky number, in this case, it worked in Toyota’s favor.

According to KBB, the Camry has a roomy cabin, a pleasurable driving experience, a cavernous trunk, hybrid drivetrain, a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine, a wonderful V6 engine, optional all-wheel drive, performance-oriented TRD version, Toyota Safety Sense P, a solid reputation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa, standard Wi-fi, and a perfect crash test rating. 

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is a rising star

While automakers are well known for bragging about their vehicles, Hyundai doesn’t seem to be exaggerating about the 2020 Sonata. In fact, when compared to some of the other lackluster sedans on the market, the Sonata might be downright scandalous.

There are so many standard features that it’s hard to list them all. A few of the most enticing ones include forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-follow assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, integrated garage door opener, port installed remote control lift gate/trunk release, and Bluetooth.

These features are available at the base trim level. Combine this with a fuel economy of 32 MPG, a 4-Cyl, 2.5 Liter engine that is both quiet and smooth, and a starting price of $23,600, and you have a real gem. So why exactly did the Sonata come in second?

It all boiled down to some very minor differences that kept it from outshining the Honda Accord. Kelley Blue Book stated,

“If we’re splitting hairs, we’d say its personality is in the middle of those two — slightly less sporty than an Accord and the slightest bit less comfortable than a Camry. We see this as more of an asset than a fault, similar to the way Audi splits the difference between BMW and Mercedes among luxury cars.”

This isn’t the end, however. Hyundai has had a taste of greatness, and they’re coming for the midsize car throne. The only thing standing in the way is the Honda Accord, and if things continue the way they are, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata might just dethrone the Honda Accord yet.