Compare the2024 Hyundai KonaVS 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

The Kona Limited has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla Cross only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Kona 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. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

Both the Kona and the Corolla Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 and available all wheel drive.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Kona is safer than the Corolla Cross:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Corolla Cross:

The Hyundai Kona has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Corolla Cross was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

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 Corolla Cross’ 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 Toyota covers the Corolla Cross. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Corolla Cross ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Corolla Cross’ (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Corolla Cross (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota 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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (190 vs. 169) and 45 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 150) than the Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Corolla Cross:

The Kona stops shorter than the Corolla Cross:

For better traction, the Kona N Line/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corolla Cross (235/45R19 vs. 225/55R18).

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 Corolla Cross L/LE’s standard 65 series tires. The Kona N Line/Limited’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Corolla Cross XLE’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kona N Line/Limited has standard 19-inch wheels. The Corolla Cross’ largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Kona has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Corolla Cross’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Kona Limited AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Corolla Cross XLE AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kona Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Corolla Cross LE (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Corolla Cross’ (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Kona N Line has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Corolla Cross (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Kona to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Kona is 4.3 inches shorter than the Corolla Cross, 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona has 12.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Cross (101.2 vs. 88.4).

The Kona has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 4.1 inches more front shoulder room, 6.2 inches more rear legroom, 8.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross.

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

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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Kona uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Corolla Cross uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Kona has a standard Proximity Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers a Smart Key System.

The Kona’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Kona has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Corolla Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XLE.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Kona Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Kona Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Kona (except SE)’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Corolla Cross’ available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Toyota Corolla Cross by 11% during 2023.