Compare the2025 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

The Kona Electric Limited has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla Cross Hybrid only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Kona Electric 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. Only the Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona Electric has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE offers Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

Both the Kona Electric and the Corolla Cross Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Kona Electric is safer than the Corolla Cross Hybrid:

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid:

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

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

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona Electric for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Corolla Cross Hybrid (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th.

The Kona Electric SEL/Limited/N-Line’s standard electric motor produces 5 more horsepower (201 vs. 196) than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the Corolla Cross Hybrid:

The Kona Electric can travel with zero emissions for 200 to 261 miles (dependent on model). The Corolla Cross Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Kona Electric, as a pure battery electric vehicle, has no need to “idle” its motors in traffic: they only burn power when moving. The Kona Electric’s climate control systems still work completely when the vehicle is stopped. The Corolla Cross Hybrid still runs its internal combustion engine whenever it’s stopped, burning excess fuel.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Kona Electric higher (10 out of 10) than the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (7). This means the Kona Electric produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Corolla Cross Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

For better traction, the Kona Electric N-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corolla Cross Hybrid (235/45R19 vs. 225/55R18).

The Kona Electric’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires. The Kona Electric N-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE/Nightshade’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kona Electric N-Line has standard 19-inch wheels. The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Kona Electric has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kona Electric has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Corolla Cross Hybrid’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 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Corolla Cross Hybrid.

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The Kona Electric is 5.3 inches shorter than the Corolla Cross Hybrid, 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona Electric has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Cross Hybrid (99 vs. 94.9).

The Kona Electric has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 3.8 inches more front shoulder room, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, 8.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross Hybrid.

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

The Kona Electric has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corolla Cross Hybrid with its rear seat up (25.5 vs. 21.5 cubic feet). The Kona Electric has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Corolla Cross Hybrid with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 61.8 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Kona Electric’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Kona Electric’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross Hybrid S’ standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Kona Electric has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Corolla Cross Hybrid has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XSE.

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Kona Electric Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Kona Electric 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE.

Compared to the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Hyundai Kona Electric eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

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 Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Toyota Corolla Cross by 11% during 2023.