Compare the2023 Hyundai Kona NVS 2023 Porsche Macan

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

The Kona N 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Macan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona N’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Kona N’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Macan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kona N and the Macan 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona N the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 231 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Macan has not been tested, yet.

The Kona N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Macan’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona N for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Macan (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 4 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona N’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 Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is ranked 7th.

The Kona N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (276 vs. 261) than the Macan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Kona N is faster than the Porsche Macan turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Kona N gets better mileage than the Macan:

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Hyundai Kona N, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

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

The Kona N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Macan’s standard 55 series front and 50 series rear tires.

The Kona N handles at .95 G’s, while the Macan pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kona N’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Macan’s (38.3 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Hyundai Kona N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 1050 pounds less than the Porsche Macan.

The Kona N is 1 foot, 8.2 inches shorter than the Macan, making the Kona N easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona N is 5.2 inches narrower than the Macan, making the Kona N easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Kona N has a much larger cargo volume than the Macan with its rear seat up (19.2 vs. 17.2 cubic feet).

The Kona N has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona N has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Macan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Kona N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Macan.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Porsche Macan by over four to one during 2022.