Compare the2025 Ford EscapeVS 2023 Hyundai Kona N

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Kona N doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Ford Escape has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Kona N doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Escape has standard Post-Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Kona N 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 Escape Select/Elite/Platinum offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona N doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Escape offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kona N doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Escape Select/Elite/Platinum offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona N only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Escape and the Kona N have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Escape is safer than the Hyundai Kona N:

	Escape	Kona N
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	191 lbs.	246 lbs.
Hip Force	240 lbs.	611 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	326
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	66 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	34 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	744 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 3 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Kona N doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape gets better mileage than the Kona N:

			MPG
Escape
	FWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	27 city/34 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
Kona N
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escape 1.5 Turbo’s fuel efficiency. The Kona N doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Escape’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Kona N doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The Kona N requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona N (14.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona N (15.7 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Escape 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 N doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Kona N (3). This means the Escape produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Kona N every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Escape stops shorter than the Kona N:

	Escape	Kona N
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	168 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The Escape offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Kona N; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Kona N (106.7 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Escape’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (58% to 42%) than the Kona N’s (63.9% to 36.1%). This gives the Escape more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Escape’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Kona N’s (37.2 feet vs. 38.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Escape has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona N (7.3 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Escape to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Escape uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Kona N doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Escape ST-Line Elite AWD is quieter than the Kona N (71 vs. 73 dB).

Passenger Space

The Escape has 9.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona N (104 vs. 94.1).

The Escape has .4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 5.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona N.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona N with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona N with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

The Escape’s cargo area is larger than the Kona N’s in every dimension:

	Escape	Kona N
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.8”/68.5”	28.6”/61”
Max Width	57.3”	48”
Min Width	41.4”	40”
Height	34.8”	30”

An optional locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Escape. The Kona N doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Escape offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Kona N doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Escape has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona N has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Kona N doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Escape, the optional 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 N doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Escape’s optional Easy Entry and Exit 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 N doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Escape Elite/Platinum offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 N doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Escape’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kona N has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Escape Select/Elite/Platinum’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 N’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Kona N doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Escape’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 N’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Escape Elite/Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

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

The Escape’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 N doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Escape and the Kona N offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Escape offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kona N doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Escape offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Kona N doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The Escape Elite/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Kona N doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Escape owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escape will cost $405 to $1015 less than the Kona N over a five-year period.

Recommendations

The Ford Escape outsold the Hyundai Kona by 78% during 2023.

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