2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line

The 2021 Toyota Camry and the 2021 Hyundai Sonata might just be our picks of the segment when it comes to adding a dash of sporty to the regular econoboxes, but do they really deserve the TRD and N-Line badges or are they just a cosmetic façade? Let’s find out which one is a better pick.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line: Which has the better Engine, Hp, and Drivetrain?

Both Toyota and Hyundai have come out all guns blazing with their sporty sedans and have equipped both of them with their top-spec powertrains. The Toyota Camry TRD comes shod with a potent 3.5 L Turbocharged V6 engine that produces 301 hp and 267 lb-ft. of torque. The Camry TRD has just the right amount of oomph under the hood to separate it from its regular variants but the torque output could do with a bit of a kick.

This engine is coupled to an 8 Speed Automatic Transmission and needs more fine-tuning as it is sluggish to respond sometimes when driving with a heavy right foot. The TRD can come off as hesitant to downshift sometimes while it can sometimes be overly sensitive with the downshifts which doo sour the experience a bit.

The 5.8 seconds 0-60 time of the 2021 Camry TRD is definitely worthy of at least an eyebrow raise and should put a smile while hauling back the groceries. The Hyundai Sonata N-Line has a much more humble 2.5 L Turbocharged 4 Pot powering its front wheels.

The engine is rated at 290 hp, more than the Camry TRD but has a lower 310 lb-ft. of torque. The smaller engine somehow manages to feel peppier than the V6 in the Camry while also smoking its front tires when you mess with the traction control settings. The on-board launch control coupled with the lightning-quick 8-Speed DCT gearbox makes the Sonata powertrain superior in our opinion.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line: Which has better driving dynamics?

Toyota has equipped the 2021 Camry TRD with a so-called TRD track-tuned suspension that seems to make it respond that bit quicker to driver inputs. From a driving perspective, the Camry TRD does appear to be significantly more rigid than its non-TRD counterpart while the overall ride quality somehow remains unaffected.

The Camry TRD manages to be sharp on the turn-ins and offers minimal body roll while staying surprisingly flat on the exits. Most buyers wouldn’t be as aggressive with their Camry’s, but we are glad to see that Toyota has worked under the skin to make a difference.

Much like Toyota, Hyundai has not shied away from tuning the Sonata N-Line’s suspension to seem on the sporty front. As impressed as we are with the Camry, the Sonata doesn’t seem to be far behind when it comes to good driving dynamics. The Sonata N-Line has a noticeably faster steering rack that is coupled with a more composed suspension that helps keep the Sonata taut around the sweeping bends.

The suspension on the Sonata is just as well optimized as it is on the Camry and it is genuinely a tough call to determine the superior setup amongst the two. The Hyundai can suffer from a bit of torque steer if you are too flamboyant off the line but it is very easy to correct. Both the vehicles are a significant step up from their non-sporty counterparts and we would love to see these amazing suspension setups even in their normal avatars.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line: Which looks better on the outside?

Many people seem to love the new quirky exterior design that Hyundai has started to opt for in their newer products and the cat-fish-inspired front end isn’t far off from the same philosophy. From my own eyes, I do believe that the side profile is the best angle on the Sonata N-Line especially due to the beautiful 20 spoke alloy design on offer, but as a whole, the gaudy exhaust tips, full-length taillights, and cat-fish Esque DRL’s are a bit too tacky for my eyes. This could come off as a controversial opinion but for what it’s worth the overall design of the Sonata could do with a more sophisticated outlook.

The Camry on the other hand has always looked well-proportioned and pleasing to the eyes even in its lower trims. Yes, the wing plonked on the back only gets a pass due to it being a factory addition, but other than that the blacked-out elements such as the grille and headlights alongside the 19-inch matte black alloys and piano black aero kit do look very purposeful.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line: How good are the interiors?

When stepping inside the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD, one is greeted with a well-laid-out cabin that has its fair share of red stitching and red upholstery. The red seatbelts, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a shift knob with an embossed TRD logo, and unique floor mats do make it obvious that you are not inside a regular Camry which is a plus one in our books. The distinctive Y-shaped console design that was made a part of the interiors in the 2020 MY has been carried forward for the TRD trim which is an added bonus. The seats on offer in the Camry are well-bolstered but could have done with better lateral support in our humble opinion.

The overall design of the cabin is just what we would have expected from Toyota which isn’t a bad thing per se but a certain level of effort to improve the look and feel of Toyota interiors would still be appreciated. The infotainment, much like many other Toyotas, is the sore spot of the interior as it appears to be a generation old. Although it does come loaded with all of the expected features, it still is clumsy to operate and the UI just doesn’t sit well with the interior of the car. The 8 Inch system does have great audio quality thanks to the 9 speaker JBL Audio System but the amazon Alexa capability is more of a gimmick inside a vehicle.

When pitched against the Sonata N-Line, the Sonata comes out as the clear winner out of the two as not only is the interior on offer in the Sonata more premium in terms of look and feel, it also is the more comfortable of the two. The N-Line inserts on the seats, steering wheel, gear shifter, and gauge cluster make it abundantly clear that you are inside a special Sonata.

The full digital gauge cluster on offer in the Sonata gives it a distinctive edge over the Toyota while the 10.25-inch Infotainment System on offer blows the Camry out of the park. The touch response offered by this system is arguably the best in the segment and the overall UI and navigation feel extremely polished. The 12-Speaker Bose Sound System is a treat for audiophiles and is worthy of all the praise that it gets. Additional small features such as Qi Wireless charging, smartphone digital keys, and a heads-up display do make the Sonata N-Line our choice when it comes to the interiors.

Which one to go for?

Both the Sporty Sedans offered by Toyota and Hyundai are stonking buys in our opinion. It all definitely comes down to personal preference in the case of these two. If you are looking for a fun to drive, reliable(read Toyota level reliable), and mature-looking sedan to bring home then the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD might just be the vehicle for you. But if quirky, feature-loaded, deceptively quick, and upmarket on the inside is what you are after, then the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line is the one you should put your money on!