Compare the2022 Honda HR-VVS 2022 Hyundai Kona

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the HR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The HR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Kona’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the HR-V and the Kona 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes and lane departure warning systems.

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 Honda HR-V is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

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

There are over 28 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the HR-V’s warranty.

The engine in the HR-V has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the Kona have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Kona:

The HR-V stops shorter than the Kona:

For better traction, the HR-V has larger standard tires than the Kona (215/55R17 vs. 205/60R16).

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the HR-V has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Kona SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the HR-V Sport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona (6.9 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the HR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The HR-V Sport/EX/EX-L uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Kona doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona (100.1 vs. 94.1).

The HR-V has 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 4.1 inches more rear legroom than the Kona.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the HR-V’s rear seats recline. The Kona’s rear seats don’t recline.

The HR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (24.3 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The HR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (58.8 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

The HR-V’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kona has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The HR-V’s driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Kona’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The HR-V’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kona’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Consumer Reports rated the HR-V’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Kona’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The HR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the HR-V will retain 52.22% to 53.55% of its original price after five years, while the Kona only retains 44.01% to 46.2%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the HR-V is less expensive to operate than the Kona because it costs $55 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the HR-V than the Kona, including $115 less for a water pump, $245 less for a muffler, $9 less for front struts and $22 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $2318 to $3264 less than for the Hyundai Kona.