2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs 2023 Dodge Charger

The 2023 Dodge Charger retained much of its design from its 2015 update, featuring a sleek nose and sharp LED taillights. Despite its age, the Charger stood out with its vibrant color options and distinct appearance, especially when compared to more frequently redesigned competitors like the Accord, Altima, and Camry. The R/T Scatpack Swinger model, with its widebody kit and aggressive styling, showcased flared fenders, large hood scoop, and deep-dish bronze wheels, giving it a bold and modern look. The interior, however, felt dated with its small touchscreen and plasticky knobs, though it offered a basic yet adequate space with unique touches like green stitching and Swinger badges.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid received significant styling updates, particularly with its streamlined front fascia and the "seamless horizon lamp" lightbar, giving it a modern flair. The rear end featured a new wide "H" shape with the taillights, resembling the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe. While the side profile remained similar to the 2023 model, the Limited-trim test car's fashionable "Transmission Blue" color added a touch of elegance. Inside, the Sonata Hybrid's dash was updated with vents flowing across and a redesigned steering wheel, offering three interior color schemes. The gear shifter moved to the steering column, enhancing the interior's modern feel.

The 2023 Dodge Charger offered a range of engine options, starting with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine producing 292 to 300 horsepower, paired with an all-wheel-drive system that was not particularly effective in adverse conditions. The standout feature was the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, known for its smoothness and quick shifts, contributing to an impressive highway fuel economy of up to 30 mpg. The Charger also offered several V8 options, including the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 370 hp and the 6.4-liter V8 in the Scatpack models, delivering 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. The Hellcat models, with their supercharged 6.2-liter engines, boasted up to 807 hp, offering exhilarating performance but with limited traction and range.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, on the other hand, featured a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor, producing a total of 192 horsepower. Unlike most hybrids, it used a six-speed automatic transmission, providing better control and an EPA rating of 47 mpg combined. The Sonata Hybrid's steering and handling were commendable, with a configurable driver-information display allowing simultaneous viewing of the tachometer and hybrid system's power flow. The regenerative braking system, adjustable via steering wheel paddles, offered additional control, although the brakes were somewhat touchy.

The 2023 Dodge Charger, despite its large size, felt cramped inside, with limited footwell space and rear headroom. The trunk, however, was spacious at 16.5 cubic feet. The Charger's controls were straightforward and user-friendly, with large buttons and switches for climate control, lighting, and audio systems, making it easy to operate without distractions.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid offered competitive interior space, with front-seat headroom of 37.8 inches with the panoramic moonroof and 40 inches without it. Rear-seat headroom was also competitive, and the front row was prioritized with 46.1 inches of legroom. The Limited-trim test car featured heated and ventilated seats, a slimmer steering wheel rim, and a convenient trunk close button, adding to its overall comfort and functionality.

The 2023 Dodge Charger lacked the latest Uconnect infotainment system and advanced driver-assistance features. It featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM. The Charger SRT Dashboard app allowed customization of various performance settings, including throttle, steering, and transmission, with additional features like launch control and line lock for performance enthusiasts.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid impressed with its selectable USB-C port functionality, allowing seamless use of wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The curved display combined the infotainment touchscreen and driver-information display into a single panel, with logical and intuitive haptic buttons for climate control and media functions. The Limited trim offered navigation, natural language voice recognition, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, enhancing the overall tech experience.

The 2023 Dodge Charger performed well in NHTSA crash tests, receiving four out of five stars overall. However, it lacked standard advanced safety features, with options like forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control available only on certain trims. Blind-spot monitoring was also optional on select models.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid came standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including blind-spot collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-following and lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Limited trim added advanced features like Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist. Hyundai's infotainment system made it easy to access and understand these safety features, enhancing overall safety and convenience.