Compare the2024 Hyundai KonaVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Kona have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Mazda CX-50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear 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 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Kona is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Mazda CX-50, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Kona’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the Kona and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Kona comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-50’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-50. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-50 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CX-50’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-50.

There are over 55 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Kona has a standard 150-amp alternator. The CX-50’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (190 vs. 187) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 186) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Kona gets better mileage than the CX-50:

Regardless of its engine, the Kona’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. Mazda only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the CX-50 Turbo.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Kona uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-50 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Hyundai Kona N Line/Limited, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

The Kona SE/SEL has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Kona SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Kona AWD 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 Mazda CX-50 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Kona AWD has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Kona AWD flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Kona Limited AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the CX-50 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kona Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-50 (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the CX-50’s (34.8 feet vs. 36 feet).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 700 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The Kona is 1 foot, 2.5 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Kona uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona has .8 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Kona’s rear seats recline. The CX-50’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Kona has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Kona’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Kona 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Kona and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Kona is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Kona Limited’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 CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Kona is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Mazda CX-50 by 77% during 2023.