Compare the2024 Kia SoulVS 2024 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/12/21

Both the Soul 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, 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.

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 Soul the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 231 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kona has not been tested, yet.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Soul second among small suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Kona isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 above average in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

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.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Soul gets better mileage than the Kona:

			MPG
Soul
	FWD	EX 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
		2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/33 hwy
Kona
	FWD	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/34 hwy
		SEL 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/35 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
	AWD	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/29 hwy
		SEL 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/29 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy

The Soul has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Soul has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Chassis

The Soul is 6.1 inches shorter than the Kona, making the Soul easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Soul has 1.2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Kona.

Ergonomics

The Soul Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Kona doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Soul, based on reliability, safety and performance.

See Available Inventory