2018 by the numbers: Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry vs. Hyundai Sonata

Combing through spreadsheets is a great way to learn, but it's also a great way to fall
asleep. However, since I'm getting paid to do this and you aren't, I went through the numbers of the three new midsize sedans coming for the 2018 model year to give you a better idea of how they stack up.

This list will examine the currently available specifications for the 2018 Honda Accord, 2018 Toyota Camry and 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The cars were only recently announced, so not every car on this list will have, for example, fuel economy figures. That said, size and engine specifications are already available for all three, so there's plenty to work with.

In order to put every car in even standing, I picked base or near-base trims. Both the Accord and Camry lack a moonroof, but even though the Sonata has one, it still manages to win on headroom. With the sheer variety of trims and options available, these numbers may not apply to all buyers, but this is a good, if rough approximation.

 

2018 Honda Accord offers adaptive dampers and safety systems for all

Big on the outside...

The Accord should feel the most planted of the three, thanks to having the longest wheelbase, although the Camry is only 0.2 inch behind it. The Accord and Camry are also the longest overall vehicles by a hair, both measuring just 1 inch longer than the Sonata. The Sonata is also the tallest vehicle, as well as the widest. 

Honda didn't have ground clearance information available, and both Honda and Toyota lacked a drag coefficient. The Sonata is 0.4 inch closer to the ground than the Camry, though.

...And big on the inside, too

When it comes to physical dimensions, bigger isn't necessarily better. That said, if you're breaking out the ruler to measure bang for your buck, the Sonata and Accord offer the largest proportions of the three.

The Sonata tops the list for front and rear headroom, front legroom, rear shoulder room, rear hip room and passenger volume. The Accord has the best rear legroom, front shoulder room, rear shoulder room and trunk volume. The Camry wins in rear headroom and front hip room. 

The Sonata has the worst rear legroom. The Camry has the lowest passenger volume, the smallest trunk and the smallest front headroom. The Accord has the worst front headroom, but is otherwise pretty competitive.

 

Finally, a Camry designed with emotion

Ace of base (engines)

Before I discuss the engines, I'll shove the gas-tank capacity in here. The Sonata has the largest fuel tank by a country mile, at 18.5 gallons compared to the Camry (16.0 gal) and Accord (14.8 gal).

All three base engines are gasoline I4s. The Camry wins on horsepower (203), but the Accord wins on torque (192). All three engines use regular unleaded gas, and since Honda hasn't yet released fuel economy estimates, the Camry is the tentative winner at 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.

The Accord features the most variety in how the shifts are handled, offering a continuously variable transmission or a six-speed manual. The Camry's standard slushbox is an eight-speed, which has two more gears than the Sonata.

Higher-performance offerings

If you're after a bit more pep in your step, all three automakers offer more powerful engines. The Sonata and Accord make do with four-bangers, while Toyota moves up to its tried-and-true 3.5-liter V6.

The Camry is once again the horsepower king, at 301 hp against the Accord's 252 and the Sonata's 245. The Accord stays on top for torque, though, at a meaty 273. Again, no fuel economy estimates from Honda, but the Camry wins by 1 mpg on the highway (33), and the Sonata wins by 1 mpg in the city (23).

As with the base engine, Honda offers two different transmissions -- in this case, it's a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic. Both the Camry and Sonata have standard eight-speed automatics. 

Eco/hybrid powertrains

All three cars offer eco-friendlier powertrains, as well. Honda and Toyota have already announced their hybrid variants, but the Sonata Hybrid has not yet been unveiled, so all we have to work with is the Sonata Eco, which relies on a thrifty gas engine.

We know next to nothing about the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid. It'll have a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, and it'll come with a continuously variable transmission, and that's all we've got. Honda has not yet announced power and torque output, nor has it mentioned fuel economy.

The 2018 Camry Hybrid mates a 2.5-liter I4 up to an electric motor to produce 176 net horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. With all that power heading through a CVT, it should return 51 mpg city and 53 mpg highway, otherwise known as "plenty."

Last on the list, we have the Sonata Eco. This wields a unique 1.6-liter I4, good for 178 hp and 195 torques, and it comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It's lighter on gas, but it's still somehow worse than the base Camry engine, achieving just 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

 

This article originally published at https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2018-by-the-numbers-honda-accord-vs-toyota-camry-vs-hyundai-sonata/?ref=yfp  by Andrew Krok