Compare the2024 Lexus UXVS 2024 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Lexus UX 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 UX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The UX’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.

The UX has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Kona doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The UX 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 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 UX offers an optional 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 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the UX 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

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 Lexus UX is safer than the Kona:

	UX	Kona
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	166	251
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.1 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.02 in	1.57 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	150	282
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.69 in	2.09 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.46 in	1.61 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	10 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Reliability

The battery on the UX is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the UX’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Kona’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium 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 Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus first in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 11th.

Engine

The UX’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 34 more horsepower (181 vs. 147) than the Kona SE/SEL’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

	UX	Kona
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.3 MPH	85.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
UX
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/41 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/38 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

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	UX	Kona
Front Rotors	12 inches	11 inches

The UX stops shorter than the Kona:

	UX	Kona
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the UX has larger tires than the Kona (225/50R18 vs. 215/60R17).

The UX’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 SE’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the UX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Kona doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Lexus UX 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 UX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the UX flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The UX 250h F Sport Handling AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Kona N Line AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the UX’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Kona’s (34.2 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

Cargo Capacity

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

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 66% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the UX F Sport Handling, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Kona doesn’t offer a memory system.

The UX’s optional 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 UX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts 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.

The UX’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’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Kona’s optional power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the UX 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 Lexus service department.) The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The UX Premium/F Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Kona’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 UX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kona’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The UX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Kona doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the UX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Kona doesn’t offer cornering lights. The UX F Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The UX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited.

When the UX F Sport Handling 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The UX’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Kona offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The UX has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited.

Both the UX and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the UX 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus UX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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