2024 Subaru Impreza vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The 2024 Subaru Impreza, in its sixth generation, showcased a more aggressive and sporty style compared to its predecessor. The larger, angular grille and narrower LED headlights gave it a serious, focused look. Unlike other Subaru models, the Impreza maintained body-colored wheel arches, and the RS trim added side skirts for a low-slung appearance. The rear haunches featured flared fenders, suggesting a wider and more athletic stance than competitors like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3 hatchback. Inside, the Impreza boasted a modern look with an 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen standard on the Sport and RS trims, while the Base model had two 7-inch displays. The RS trim added racy red stitching and upholstery accents, and materials quality was commendable, with soft-touch materials in areas frequently touched by passengers.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid received significant styling updates, particularly in the front fascia, which featured a slim lightbar called the “seamless horizon lamp.” The badge moved above the grille, and the headlights were positioned independently below it. The rear end, with its lightbar forming a wide “H” shape, resembled the new Hyundai Santa Fe. The Sonata's side profile remained similar to the 2023 model, with 17-inch wheels on the Limited trim. The interior saw changes with vents flowing across the dash and a redesigned T-shaped steering wheel. The gear shifter moved to the steering column, and the interior offered three color schemes. The Limited trim featured a basic black interior, with options for light gray and a tan and charcoal combo.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza offered two engine choices. The Base and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. The RS model upgraded to a 2.5-liter engine with 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and the Sport and RS trims included steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. All-wheel-drive (AWD) was standard across all Impreza models. The RS model, the sportiest in the lineup, provided responsive acceleration, though the smaller engine felt underpowered. Handling was sporty, aided by AWD and a sport-tuned suspension, offering confident cornering and a comfortable ride over rough surfaces.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid featured a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor, delivering a total system output of 192 horsepower. Unlike most hybrids, it used a six-speed automatic transmission, providing more control and an EPA rating of 47 mpg combined. The steering-wheel-mounted paddles managed regenerative braking levels in Eco mode and allowed gear shifting in Sport mode. The Sonata Hybrid's steering feel and handling were appropriate, and the configurable driver-information display allowed simultaneous viewing of the tachometer and hybrid system's power flow. The novelty of accelerating at 0 RPM remained appealing throughout the test period.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza offered a spacious cabin with logically placed controls and excellent outward visibility. The rear seats were accommodating, with ample headroom and legroom for six-footers. The cargo area provided 20.4 cubic feet of space, expandable to 56 cubic feet with the seatbacks folded down. The Impreza accepted various roof racks for outdoor gear, though it wasn't rated for heavier overlanding tent platforms.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid provided competitive space and flexibility. The Limited trim's panoramic moonroof offered 37.8 inches of front-seat headroom, slightly above competitors like the Honda Accord Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. Rear-seat headroom was also competitive, with 37.4 inches with the moonroof. The front row prioritized legroom with 46.1 inches, while rear passengers had 34.8 inches. The Limited trim featured heated and ventilated seats, a slimmer steering wheel rim, and a trunk close button for added convenience.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen with large, easy-to-use on-screen buttons and physical knobs for volume, tuning, and temperature controls. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless connectivity on the Sport and RS trims. The Starlink system, available on the Sport and RS trims, included a Wi-Fi hotspot and smartphone app integration for monitoring and control.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid impressed with its selectable functionality of the driver’s side front USB-C port, allowing it to switch between data-transmitting and charging-only modes. 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 included navigation, natural language voice-recognition, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, while a six-speaker sound system was standard.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza came with the EyeSight driver assist suite, including frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and lane-centering. The Sport model added Starlink communications features, and the RS trim included a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. These features performed well, with no false alarms or intrusive actions.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid included blind-spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, safe exit warning and assist, lane-following and lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and rear occupant alert. The Limited trim added a blind-spot-view monitor, surround-view monitor, Highway Driving Assist, and Remote Smart Parking Assist. Hyundai's infotainment system made safety features easy to find and use, with clear graphics explaining each function.