Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2023 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Kona doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Kona doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Kona doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Kona 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

	Corolla Hatchback	Kona
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	187	205
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	57 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	37%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	193 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

	Corolla Hatchback	Kona
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	109
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	246 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	611 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	326
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	66 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	638 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	34 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	744 lbs.

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 Corolla Hatchback is 3.1% to 3.6% less likely to roll over than the Kona.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hatchback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kona has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 49 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hatchback’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Corolla Hatchback’s reliability 12 points higher than the Kona.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (169 vs. 147) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (151 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Kona:

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	FWD	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Kona
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/35 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/33 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/32 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Corolla Hatchback	Kona
Front Rotors	11.5 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.5 inches	10.3 inches

The Corolla Hatchback stops shorter than the Kona:

	Corolla Hatchback	Kona
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires. The Corolla Hatchback’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Kona N Line/Limited’s 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corolla Hatchback’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the Kona (103.9 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Kona SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has .5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front hip room than the Kona.

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’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 Corolla Hatchback’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, 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. With the Kona SEL/N Line/Limted’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Hatchback’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.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE’s standard 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.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Kona SE doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE 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.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Hyundai Kona isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Corolla Hatchback is less expensive to operate than the Kona because it costs $291 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Corolla Hatchback than the Kona, including $175 less for a water pump, $254 less for a muffler and $176 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Hyundai Kona by over four to one during 2022.