Compare the2023 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2023 BMW i4

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 BMW i4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Electric are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The i4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 i4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Kona Electric and the i4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

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 221 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The i4 has not been 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 i4’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the i4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the i4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona Electric’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 BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 6 places higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the i4:

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is 6.2 feet tighter than the i4’s (34.8 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Hyundai Kona Electric may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1200 pounds less than the BMW i4.

The Kona Electric is 1 foot, 10.9 inches shorter than the i4, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona Electric has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the i4 (92.4 vs. 90).

The Kona Electric has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the i4.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona Electric has a standard rear wiper. The i4 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Kona Electric has standard extendable sun visors. The i4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Kona Electric owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Kona Electric will cost $3720 to $7260 less than the i4 over a five-year period.

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 i4 only retains 42.03% to 42.04%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Kona Electric will be $21750 to $25312 less than for the BMW i4.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Kona Electric, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kona was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The i4 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.