Compare the2023 Hyundai KonaVS 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Tiguan.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kona and the Tiguan 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, 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 side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

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 is 2.7% to 3.2% less likely to roll over than the Tiguan.

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 Tiguan’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Tiguan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Tiguan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Kona’s 7 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Tiguan runs out after 100,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Tiguan (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

There are over 29 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Kona’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Kona has a standard 640-amp battery. The Tiguan’s 360-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 31 points higher than the Tiguan.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. With 45 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Volkswagen.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 18 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (195 vs. 184) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

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

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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Kona stops much shorter than the Tiguan:

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 Tiguan S’ standard 65 series tires.

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

The Kona SEL AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Tiguan 4Motion® pulls only .82 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 Tiguan 4Motion® (26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.7 feet).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 850 pounds less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The Kona is 1 foot, 8.5 inches shorter than the Tiguan, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Hyundai Kona amounts to more than styling. The Kona has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Tiguan (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Kona get better fuel mileage.

The front step up height for the Kona is 1.4 inches lower than the Tiguan (16” vs. 17.4”). The Kona’s rear step up height is 1.4 inches lower than the Tiguan’s (16.1” vs. 17.5”).

The Kona has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (19.2 vs. 12 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 Tiguan’s liftover is 29.4 inches.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Tiguan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan because it costs $255 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Kona than the Tiguan, including $263 less for a water pump, $118 less for a muffler, $40 less for front brake pads, $310 less for a starter, $275 less for fuel injection, $245 less for a fuel pump, $202 less for front struts, $149 less for a timing belt/chain and $29 less for a power steering pump.

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

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