Compare the2023 Hyundai Kona NVS 2023 Mazda CX-50

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 N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Kona N’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Kona N and the CX-50 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Kona N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-50’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona N 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-50. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-50 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona N’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CX-50’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona N for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-50.

There are over 52 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona N’s warranty.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

The Kona N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 89 more horsepower (276 vs. 187) and 103 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 186) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Kona N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (276 vs. 256) than the CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Kona N is faster than the Mazda CX-50 turbo 4 cyl.:

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Hyundai Kona N, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

The Kona N offers a standard 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Kona N’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CX-50 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Kona N’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-50:

The Kona N’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CX-50 are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Kona N has larger tires than the CX-50 (235/40R19 vs. 225/65R17).

The Kona N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires. The Kona N’s tires are lower profile than the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kona N has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-50.

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Kona N 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 Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Kona N has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Kona N flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Kona N has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Kona N handles at .95 G’s, while the CX-50 2.5 Turbo pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hyundai Kona N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The Kona N is 1 foot, 7.9 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Kona N easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Kona N is quieter than the CX-50 2.5 Turbo (79 vs. 80 dB).

The Kona N has .5 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

The Kona N 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Kona N and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Kona N is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Kona N’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Kona N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the CX-50.

The Kona N was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The CX-50 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.