Compare the2023 Hyundai KonaVS 2022 Jeep Compass

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Compass doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kona’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Compass doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kona and the Compass 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

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 Jeep Compass:

	Kona	Compass
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	20%	41%
Neck Stress	207 lbs.	445 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/232 lbs.	326/489 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	193 lbs.	235 lbs.
Neck Compression	70 lbs.	92 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	59/27 lbs.	299/387 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 Jeep Compass:

	Kona	Compass
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	638 lbs.	928 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	196	355
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	39 G’s

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kona, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6.1% to 7% less likely to roll over than the Compass, which received a three-star rating.

Warranty

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 Compass’ 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 Jeep covers the Compass. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Compass ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Reliability

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 22 points higher than the Compass.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. With 14 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Jeep.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 53 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 13 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

Engine

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (195 vs. 177) and 23 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 172) than the Compass’ 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Kona gets better mileage than the Compass:

			MPG
Kona
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/35 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/33 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/32 hwy
Compass
	FWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/30 hwy

Transmission

The Kona has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Compass doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Kona stops much shorter than the Compass:

	Kona	Compass
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	144 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	151 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Kona SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Compass Sport’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Kona is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Compass.

The Kona handles at .85 G’s, while the Compass Trailhawk pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kona executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.7 seconds quicker than the Compass Trailhawk (26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the Compass Trailhawk’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.3 feet). The Kona’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Compass’ (34.8 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

Chassis

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Jeep Compass.

The Kona is 7.8 inches shorter than the Compass, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Kona has .4 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more rear hip room than the Compass.

The front step up height for the Kona is 3.4 inches lower than the Compass (16” vs. 19.4”). The Kona’s rear step up height is 4.6 inches lower than the Compass’ (16.1” vs. 20.7”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kona easier. The Kona’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.5 inches, while the Compass’ liftover is 31.1 inches.

Ergonomics

The Kona has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Compass doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Kona has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Compass has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Kona owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Kona with a number “8” insurance rate while the Compass is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Kona is less expensive to operate than the Compass because typical repairs cost less on the Kona than the Compass, including $52 less for front brake pads, $136 less for a fuel pump, $138 less for front struts and $38 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Kona, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Compass isn't recommended.

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

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Jeep Compass by 7% during the 2021 model year.