The Kona offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Soul doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.
The Kona’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Soul and is only available on Soul X-Line/S/EX/GT-Line/Turbo.
Compared to metal, the Kona’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Kia Soul has a metal gas tank.
Both the Kona and the Soul 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 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 Kia Soul:
|
Kona |
Soul |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
205 |
253 |
Neck Injury Risk |
20% |
26% |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
29/232 lbs. |
49/286 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
217 |
324 |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
2 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
37% |
39% |
Neck Compression |
70 lbs. |
86 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
59/27 lbs. |
237/154 lbs. |
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 Kia Soul:
|
Kona |
Soul |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
109 |
142 |
Chest Movement |
.8 inches |
1 inches |
Abdominal Force |
246 G’s |
259 G’s |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
326 |
422 |
Spine Acceleration |
66 G’s |
73 G’s |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
3 Stars |
HIC |
196 |
322 |
Spine Acceleration |
34 G’s |
46 G’s |
Hip Force |
744 lbs. |
1090 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.