Compare the2022 Ford EcoSportVS 2022 Hyundai Kona

The Ford EcoSport has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Kona doesn’t offer knee airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the EcoSport. But it costs extra on the Kona.

Both the EcoSport and the Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 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 Ford EcoSport is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EcoSport’s warranty.

The EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 19 more horsepower (166 vs. 147) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (149 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Both the EcoSport and the Kona have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All EcoSport’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The EcoSport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Kona doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

The EcoSport stops shorter than the Kona:

For superior ride and handling, the Ford EcoSport has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The EcoSport has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the EcoSport flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The EcoSport is 4.3 inches shorter than the Kona, making the EcoSport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the EcoSport uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Kona doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The EcoSport has 1.4 inches more front legroom and 1.5 inches more rear legroom than the Kona.

The EcoSport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (20.9 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The EcoSport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (50 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

The EcoSport has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the EcoSport uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Kona doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The EcoSport’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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the EcoSport’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Kona doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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

The EcoSport’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Kona’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

On extremely cold winter days, the EcoSport SES/Titanium’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Kona doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The EcoSport (except S) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Kona doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the EcoSport is less expensive to operate than the Kona because it costs $45 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the EcoSport than the Kona, including $235 less for a water pump, $147 less for a muffler and $54 less for a starter.