Compare the2024 Subaru SolterraVS 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Hyundai Kona Electric doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Subaru Solterra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Solterra has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Solterra has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Solterra has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard 360-degree Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona Electric 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 Solterra and the Kona Electric 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Solterra weighs 518 to 771 pounds more than the Hyundai Kona Electric. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Subaru Solterra achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Kona Electric has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

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 Solterra’s reliability 42 points higher than the Kona Electric.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 5 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Solterra’s electric motors produces 14 more horsepower (215 vs. 201) than the Kona Electric’s electric motor.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Subaru Solterra is faster than the Hyundai Kona Electric:

	Solterra	Kona Electric
Zero to 30 MPH	2.4 sec	2.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.2 sec

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Solterra	Kona Electric
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	11.8 inches

The Solterra’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Kona Electric are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the Kona Electric (235/60R18 vs. 215/55R17).

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kona Electric’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Kona Electric. The Solterra Limited/Touring has standard 20-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 9.8 inches longer than on the Kona Electric (112.2 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Kona Electric.

Passenger Space

The Solterra has 3.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona Electric (95.7 vs. 92.4).

The Solterra has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona Electric.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Solterra has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona Electric with its rear seat up (23.8 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Solterra has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona Electric with its rear seat folded (63.5 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Solterra Limited/Touring, 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 Electric doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’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 Electric doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Solterra’s front and rear power windows all 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 Electric’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Solterra the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Subaru service department.) The driver of the Kona Electric can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Solterra’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kona Electric SE/SEL’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Solterra’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Kona Electric’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Solterra Limited/Touring has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Solterra Limited/Touring 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 Electric’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Solterra and the Kona Electric have standard heated front seats. The Solterra Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kona Electric.

The Solterra’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 Electric doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Solterra and the Kona Electric offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Solterra has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer an automated parking system.