Compare the2023 Kia Sportage PHEVVS 2023 Hyundai Kona

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

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige has standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Sportage PHEV. But it costs extra on the Kona.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor 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 Sportage PHEV and the Kona 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 Kia Sportage PHEV weighs 884 to 1312 pounds more than the Hyundai Kona. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sportage PHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 177 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kona has not been fully tested, yet.

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 Sportage PHEV’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 Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 114 more horsepower (261 vs. 147) and 126 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 66 more horsepower (261 vs. 195) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia Sportage PHEV is faster than the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Sportage PHEV	Kona
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.5 sec	19.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.1 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	15.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	90 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Sportage PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 34 miles. The Kona can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Sportage PHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Kona doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sportage PHEV	Kona	Kona AWD/1.6T
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 inches

The Sportage PHEV stops shorter than the Kona:

	Sportage PHEV	Kona
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage PHEV has larger tires than the Kona (235/55R19 vs. 205/60R16).

The Sportage PHEV’s 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.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage PHEV has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE. The Kona’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Sportage PHEV 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 Sportage PHEV has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sportage PHEV 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 Sportage PHEV’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Kona (108.5 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage PHEV is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Kona.

Chassis

The front grille of the Sportage PHEV uses 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.

Passenger Space

The Sportage PHEV has 1.5 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 6.1 inches more rear legroom, 1.2 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (34.5 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sportage PHEV’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sportage PHEV’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Kona doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Sportage PHEV has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage PHEV uses the Electronic Stability Control 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 Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige, 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 Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige’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 Sportage PHEV’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 Sportage PHEV’s front power windows 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. The Kona SEL/N Line/Limted’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

On a hot day the Sportage PHEV’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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Kona doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Sportage PHEV’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.

When the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige 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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige 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 Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige’s standard 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 Sportage PHEV’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 Sportage PHEV’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 Sportage PHEV and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sportage PHEV 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sportage PHEV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Kona and isn’t available on the Kona SE.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Kona doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Kia Sportage outsold the Hyundai Kona by almost two to one during 2022.

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