Compare the2025 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2024 Nissan Leaf

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Kona Electric and Leaf have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Kona Electric has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Leaf’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Kona Electric and the Leaf 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 Electric is safer than the Leaf:

	Kona Electric	Leaf
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	-112 lbs.	67 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	1.14 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	245 lbs.
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	915 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	67 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	937 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Hyundai Kona Electric 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 Leaf is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

The Kona Electric comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Leaf’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Leaf. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Leaf ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona Electric for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Leaf.

Reliability

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 6th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Nissan.

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

Engine

The Kona Electric SEL/Limited/N-Line’s standard electric motor produces 54 more horsepower (201 vs. 147) than the Leaf’s standard electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the Leaf:

		MPGe
Kona Electric
	SEL/Limited Electric Motor	129 city/103 hwy
	SE Electric Motor	131 city/105 hwy
Leaf
	Electric Motor	123 city/99 hwy
	SV PLUS Electric Motor	121 city/98 hwy

The Kona Electric can travel longer on a full charge than the Leaf on a full charge:

		Miles
Kona Electric
	SEL/Limited Electric Motor	261 miles
	N-Line Electric Motor	230 miles
	SE Electric Motor	200 miles
Leaf
	SV PLUS Electric Motor	212 miles
	Electric Motor	149 miles

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Kona Electric	Leaf
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.5 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Kona Electric has larger standard tires than the Leaf (215/60R17 vs. 205/55R16). The Kona Electric N-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Leaf (235/45R19 vs. 215/50R17).

The Kona Electric N-Line’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Leaf SV PLUS’ 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kona Electric has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S. The Kona Electric N-Line’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Leaf SV PLUS.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Kona Electric 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 Nissan Leaf has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Kona Electric is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

Chassis

The Kona Electric is 4.9 inches shorter than the Leaf, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

Passenger Space

The Kona Electric has 6.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Leaf (99 vs. 92.4).

The Kona Electric has 2.6 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 2.9 inches more rear legroom, 2.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

Ergonomics

The Kona Electric’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Leaf’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Kona Electric and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Kona Electric is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Leaf prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Kona Electric N-Line/Limited’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Leaf’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Kona Electric’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Leaf S’ standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Kona Electric’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Leaf SV PLUS.

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

The Kona Electric has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Leaf doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Kona Electric’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 Leaf doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Kona Electric has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Leaf doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Kona Electric N-Line/Limited has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Leaf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Kona Electric 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 Leaf doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Nissan Leaf by over 11 to one during 2023.

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