Compare the2023 Hyundai KonaVS 2022 Toyota C-HR

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 C-HR 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 C-HR doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Kona and the C-HR 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, driver alert monitors and available 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 Toyota C-HR:

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 C-HR:

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

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

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the C-HR (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Kona has a standard 640-amp battery. The C-HR’s 520-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

The Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (147 vs. 144) than the C-HR’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 51 more horsepower (195 vs. 144) and 56 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 139) than the C-HR’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota C-HR:

On the EPA test cycle the Kona gets better mileage than the C-HR:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Kona’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The C-HR doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Kona uses regular unleaded gasoline. The C-HR requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Kona higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Toyota C-HR (3). This means the Kona produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the C-HR every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Kona AWD/1.6T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the C-HR:

The Kona stops much shorter than the C-HR:

For better traction, the Kona N Line/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the C-HR (235/45R18 vs. 225/50R18).

The Kona N Line/Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the C-HR’s 50 series tires.

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

The Kona has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The C-HR doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Kona is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the C-HR.

The Kona SEL AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the C-HR Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kona executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the C-HR XLE (26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 400 pounds less than the Toyota C-HR.

The Kona is 7 inches shorter than the C-HR, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona has 8.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the C-HR (94.1 vs. 86).

The Kona has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front hip room, 6.5 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear legroom, 4.2 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the C-HR.

The Kona has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the C-HR with its rear seat folded (45.8 vs. 37 cubic feet).

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 C-HR’s liftover is 31 inches.

The Kona has a higher standard payload capacity than the C-HR (915 vs. 835 lbs.).

The Kona has a higher maximum payload capacity than the C-HR (930 vs. 835 lbs.).

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Kona to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Toyota doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the C-HR.

The Kona SEL/N-Line/Limited has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The C-HR doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The C-HR’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Kona’s standard doors lock when the transmission is engaged. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

The Kona Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The C-HR’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Kona has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The C-HR doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Kona (except SE) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The C-HR doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Kona owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Kona will cost $635 to $1875 less than the C-HR over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Kona will be $5833 to $20640 less than for the Toyota C-HR.

The Kona was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2019. The C-HR has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue, and the C-HR has only been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Kona as the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The C-HR has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Toyota C-HR by over five to one during 2022.