Compare the2022 Hyundai KonaVS 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

The Kona offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Corolla Hatchback doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Kona and the Corolla Hatchback 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 97 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Corolla Hatchback is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2019.

The Kona comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Corolla Hatchback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Corolla Hatchback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Corolla Hatchback ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Corolla Hatchback’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Corolla Hatchback (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Kona’s reliability 29 points higher than the Corolla Hatchback.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 more horsepower (195 vs. 168) and 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 151) than the Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The Hyundai Kona comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Corolla Hatchback.

The Kona offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Corolla Hatchback doesn’t offer an SMG.

For better stopping power the Kona AWD/1.6T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Corolla Hatchback:

The Kona stops much shorter than the Corolla Hatchback:

For better traction, the Kona N Line/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corolla Hatchback (235/45R18 vs. 225/40R18).

The Kona has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Corolla Hatchback’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Kona is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Corolla Hatchback.

The Kona SEL AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Corolla Hatchback XSE pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Corolla Hatchback’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kona is 6.4 inches shorter than the Corolla Hatchback, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Hatchback (94.1 vs. 84.6).

The Kona has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 5.3 inches more rear legroom and 6.7 inches more rear hip room than the Corolla Hatchback.

The Kona SEL, N-Line and Limited has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Corolla Hatchback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Kona Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Corolla Hatchback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Kona’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Corolla Hatchback’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

The Kona’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Corolla Hatchback doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Insurance will cost less for the Kona owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Kona will cost $890 to $2360 less than the Corolla Hatchback over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Kona is less expensive to operate than the Corolla Hatchback because typical repairs cost less on the Kona than the Corolla Hatchback, including $24 less for front brake pads, $101 less for a starter, $169 less for fuel injection, $122 less for a fuel pump, $105 less for front struts and $181 less for a timing belt/chain.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Kona third among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Corolla Hatchback isn’t in the top three.

The Kona was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The Corolla Hatchback has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.