Compare the2023 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Kona Electric has a standard blind spot warning system that 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. Only the Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona Electric has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE offers Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

Both the Kona Electric and the Corolla Cross Hybrid 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid’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 Toyota covers the Corolla Cross Hybrid. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Corolla Cross Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona Electric’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona Electric for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Corolla Cross Hybrid (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

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

The Kona Electric’s standard electric motor produces 5 more horsepower (201 vs. 196) than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the Corolla Cross Hybrid (134 city/106 hwy MPGe vs. 45 city/28 hwy).

The Kona Electric can travel with zero emissions for 258 miles. The Corolla Cross Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Kona Electric, as a pure battery electric vehicle, has no need to “idle” its motors in traffic: they only burn power when moving. The Kona Electric’s climate control systems still work completely when the vehicle is stopped. The Corolla Cross Hybrid still runs its internal combustion engine whenever it’s stopped, burning excess fuel.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Kona Electric higher (10 out of 10) than the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (7). This means the Kona Electric produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Corolla Cross Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

The Kona Electric’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires.

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

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The Kona Electric is 11.2 inches shorter than the Corolla Cross Hybrid, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona Electric has 1 inch more front headroom, .7 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 8.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross Hybrid.

The Kona Electric’s standard variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross Hybrid S’ standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Kona Electric has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Corolla Cross Hybrid has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XSE.

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Kona Electric Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Kona Electric SEL/Limited’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

The Kona was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2019. The Corolla Cross Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.