Compare the2023 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2023 Chevrolet Bolt

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Kona Electric are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Kona Electric has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Bolt doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Kona Electric has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Bolt’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona Electric has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Bolt.

The Kona Electric’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 Bolt doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kona Electric and the Bolt have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona Electric the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 220 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Bolt has not been fully tested, yet.

The Kona Electric comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Bolt’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Bolt. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Bolt ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona Electric’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Bolt’s (7/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona Electric for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Bolt.

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 Electric’s reliability 16 points higher than the Bolt.

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 Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 11 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Kona Electric’s electric motor produces 1 more horsepower (201 vs. 200) and 25 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 266) than the Bolt’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Kona Electric is faster than the Chevrolet Bolt:

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

The Kona Electric stops shorter than the Bolt:

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Kona Electric 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 Chevrolet Bolt has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

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

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Kona Electric is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Bolt.

The Kona Electric’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54% to 46%) than the Bolt’s (56.3% to 43.7%). This gives the Kona Electric more stable handling and braking.

The Kona Electric Limited handles at .83 G’s, while the Bolt LT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The design of the Hyundai Kona Electric amounts to more than styling. The Kona Electric has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is lower than the Bolt (.31) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Kona Electric get better fuel mileage.

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

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Kona Electric Limited is quieter than the Bolt LT:

The Kona Electric has 2 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bolt.

The Kona Electric has a much larger cargo volume than the Bolt with its rear seat up (19.2 vs. 16.6 cubic feet).

The Kona Electric’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Bolt’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Kona Electric Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Bolt doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Kona Electric will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Kona Electric will retain 42.54% to 43.52% of its original price after five years, while the Bolt only retains 37.26% to 37.29%.

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

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its March 2019 issue and the Hyundai Kona Electric Limited won out over the Chevrolet Bolt.

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

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Chevrolet Bolt by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.