Compare the2024 Honda CR-VVS 2024 Hyundai Kona

The Honda CR-V 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 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Kona’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring has a standard Low-Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the CR-V and the Kona 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, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Honda CR-V is safer than the Kona:

There are over 27 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 6 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 43 more horsepower (190 vs. 147) and 47 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 132) than the Kona SE/SEL’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 14 more horsepower (204 vs. 190) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the CR-V Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Kona:

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Kona doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona’s standard fuel tank (14 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Kona doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the CR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Kona:

The CR-V stops much shorter than the Kona:

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Kona (235/60R18 vs. 215/60R17).

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V 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 Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Kona (106.3 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is .9 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Kona.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Kona N Line AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Kona N Line AWD (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CR-V has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the CR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Kona doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V has 4.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona (106 vs. 101.2).

The CR-V has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.8 inches more rear legroom, .2 inches more rear hip room and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 25.5 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 63.7 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The Kona doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The CR-V has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona has no towing capacity.

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Kona doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport 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 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V’s standard front power windows 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’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The CR-V EX-L/Sport L/Sport Touring’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches. With the Kona’s optional power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

On a hot day the CR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Kona’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The CR-V Sport Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CR-V’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kona’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 8 more times in the last 23 years. The Kona has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Kona has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Hyundai Kona by almost five to one during 2023.