Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Hyundai Kona

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

Safety

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The Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Equinox and the Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

	Equinox	Kona
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	159	205
Neck Injury Risk	17%	20%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	207 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	57 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	26%	37%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	193 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	70 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 Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

	Equinox	Kona
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	195 lbs.	246 lbs.
Hip Force	357 lbs.	611 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	288	326
Spine Acceleration	55 G’s	66 G’s
Hip Force	630 lbs.	638 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Hip Force	730 lbs.	744 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Equinox has a standard 700-amp battery. The Kona’s 640-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Kona isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

Engine

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (175 vs. 147) and 71 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona (14.9 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona (15.6 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Kona doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Kona (5 to 7). This means the Equinox produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Kona every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Equinox	Kona
Front Rotors	11.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.3 inches	10.3 inches

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Kona:

	Equinox	Kona
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Equinox has larger standard tires than the Kona (225/65R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox LS/LT has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE. The Equinox’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Kona N Line/Limited.

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Kona doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Chevrolet Equinox 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 Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Kona (107.3 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Kona’s (59.4% to 40.6%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier handles at .83 G’s, while the Kona SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona (7.9 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

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

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Kona doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Equinox has 9.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona (103.2 vs. 94.1).

The Equinox has .4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 4.7 inches more rear legroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Equinox’s rear seats recline. The Kona’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

The Equinox’s cargo area is larger than the Kona’s in every dimension:

	Equinox	Kona
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34.9”/67.4”	28.6”/61”
Max Width	53.7”	48”
Min Width	40.7”	40”
Height	31”	30”

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Kona doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Equinox (except LS) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Equinox Premier, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Kona doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Equinox has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona has no towing capacity.

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Kona can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Kona doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Equinox Premier, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Kona doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Equinox Premier’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Kona doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Kona does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Equinox’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kona has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Kona SEL/N Line/Limted’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Kona doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Equinox’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kona’s passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Equinox’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kona’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Equinox’s headlight performance “Good” to “Very Good” (depending on model and options), a higher rating than the Kona’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

When the Equinox Premier is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Kona’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Kona offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Equinox and the Kona offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kona.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Kona doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Equinox’s optional (except LS) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Kona doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Equinox (except LS)’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Kona doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Equinox and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Equinox has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kona doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Kona doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Kona doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Kona because typical repairs cost less on the Equinox than the Kona, including $59 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Equinox and the Hyundai Kona, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Hyundai Kona by over two to one during the 2021 model year.