When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Kona’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.
The Kona’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
The Kona SEL/N Line/Limited has standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.
Both the Kona and the Outlander Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Kona |
Outlander Sport |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
205 |
208 |
Neck Injury Risk |
20% |
29% |
Neck Stress |
207 lbs. |
412 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
57 lbs. |
90 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
29/232 lbs. |
334/511 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
217 |
251 |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
37% |
43% |
Neck Stress |
193 lbs. |
221 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
70 lbs. |
91 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
59/27 lbs. |
394/494 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Outlander Sport:
|
Kona |
Outlander Sport |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
28 cm |
28 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
1%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Tibia index R/L |
.46/.55 |
.68/.36 |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Kona |
Outlander Sport |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
109 |
163 |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
326 |
349 |
Hip Force |
638 lbs. |
794 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
13 inches |
17 inches |
HIC |
196 |
365 |
Spine Acceleration |
34 G’s |
41 G’s |
Hip Force |
744 lbs. |
807 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kona is 2.8% to 5.5% less likely to roll over than the Outlander Sport.
For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 110 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander Sport is not a “Top Pick.”