In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kona are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Corolla Hatchback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
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:
|
Kona |
Corolla Hatchback |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
20% |
27% |
Neck Stress |
207 lbs. |
243 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
29/232 lbs. |
330/310 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
217 |
356 |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Compression |
70 lbs. |
86 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
59/27 lbs. |
301/156 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback:
|
Kona |
Corolla Hatchback |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Movement |
.8 inches |
.9 inches |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
196 |
239 |
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 114 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Corolla Hatchback is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2019.