Compare the2025 Hyundai KonaVS 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

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

The Kona Limited has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

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. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Kona and the Crosstrek 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 Crosstrek:

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

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

There are over 31 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Kona’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 12th.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (190 vs. 182) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

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

The Kona stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

For better traction, the Kona N Line/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek (235/45R19 vs. 225/60R17).

The Kona N Line/Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s 55 series tires.

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

The Kona has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Kona is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Kona N Line AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kona Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Subaru Crosstrek.

The Kona is 5.1 inches shorter than the Crosstrek, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Kona N Line AWD is quieter than the Crosstrek Limited:

The Kona has .1 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more rear legroom than the Crosstrek.

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

The Kona has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (25.5 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The Kona has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Kona Limited’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Kona’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Kona uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek 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 remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness offers Keyless Access and Start.

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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Kona is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Kona second among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Crosstrek isn’t in the top three.