2021 Hyundai Kona

While even the base SE trim gets a healthy equipment list, it is the Limited trim that offers the most bang for your buck. It adds many premium features such as sunroof, leather seating surfaces, power-adjustable driver's seat, full LED Headlamps, and much more. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine that powers this trim also takes the overall performance up a notch.

The Kona is a feature-rich vehicle, with lots of standard and available technology features that work well- Edmunds

The 2021 Hyundai Kona is offered in six different trim configurations, including the newly added Night trim. All the trims are well-specced for the asking price. The 2021 Hyundai Kona SE offers decent safety features like forward collision avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, rear view monitor with parking guidance and desirable features like 16-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The SEL adds other features like rear-cross traffic alert, proximity keyless entry with remote start, heated front seats and 17-inch alloy wheels. 

The SEL Plus offers power tilt and slide sunroof, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, Infinity premium audio with 8-speakers and wireless device charging. The new 2021 Kona Night offers LED headlights and taillights, gloss black styling elements, gloss blak interior accents, 18-inch black alloy wheels and aluminum alloy sport pedals. The Kona Limited brings leather seating surfaces, automatic temperature control, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Ultimate trim adds full HUD, 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, smart cruise control. 

Hyundai also offers multiple options like an AWD drivetrain with every model. Also, a contrasting roof color option is offered with SEL trim. There are no additional packages available with the trim line-up, as the price difference between most trims is not more than $1400. Overall, all the trims in the line-up have been priced competitively when compared to all its rivals. 

In this class of fuel-sipping mini SUVs, the Kona's EPA ratings are good but only average among its rivals- Car and Driver

The 2021 Hyundai Kona fuel economy is at par with its rivals. The EPA-estimated gas mileage of the Kona 2022 with the standard engine is 27 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. With the more powerful engine, the mileage remains almost the same at 28/32/30 mpg in the city/highway/combined driving conditions. With the optional AWD drivetrain, the 2021 Hyundai Kona mpg will drop by 2-3 mpg. With a gas tank size 13.2 gallons, the combined driving range is 392 miles.

Due to its light curb weight, the Nissan Kicks offers the best-in-class fuel economy numbers. It is followed by the Mazda CX-3 that offers the best range with its fuel tank capacity of 12.7 gallons. The Honda HR-V offers the lowest fuel economy figures but gets the biggest fuel tank capacity to level up the range.However, the best combined range is offered by Mazda CX-3, followed by Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks. 

Hyundai's designers managed the tough task of bringing the charm of the Kona's exterior design to the cabin while maintaining comfort and convenience- Car and Driver

The 2021 Hyundai Kona interior is quite a comfortable and upscale place to be in. While it does not feel as spacious as some of its rivals on the inside, the Kona uses high-quality materials. Every knob and button is within an arm’s reach meaning that the ergonomics are also sorted. The dashboard is cleverly designed and looks quite contemporary. The center console houses a large storage area with infotainment and air conditioning controls. Thus, the overtly digitized theme has not made it to the cabin of the Kona as it exudes a certain sense of familiarity. The comfortable seats provide good bolstering and overall support at the front. The front row also feels quite spacious and gives good room to stretch out

At the rear, things are a bit cramped and the narrow cabin makes it difficult to squeeze three people on the rear bench. The high seating provides for good all-around visibility. The compact leather-wrapped steering wheel feels premium to touch and features contrast stitching with cruise and audio controls. The 2021 Hyundai Kona SE/SEL/SEL Plus/Night interior gets black cloth upholstery. The Limited and Ultimate trims have a choice of black or gray leather upholstery. The 2021 Hyundai Kona trunk volume of 19.2 cubic feet can be extended to 45.8 cubic feet by folding the rear seats. The cargo capacity of the Hyundai Kona is on the lower side and is enough to fit in about 12 to 13 carry-on suitcases.

The Nissan Kicks offers the biggest boot but its interior feels a tad bit boring. It is followed by Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-3. The Honda HR-V leads with best rear seat legroom and the Mazda CX-3 closely follows it. The rear seat legroom of Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Kona are closely matched with Kona having 1.4 inches of more space. The front seat occupants will be the most happy in the Nissan Kicks, followed by Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Kona and Honda HR-V. 

Hyundai has been manufacturing user-friendly infotainment systems for quite some time now. The Kona is now another testament to that fact as it gets an easy-to-use 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard. The higher trims get a larger 8-inch unit that features in-built navigation with real-time traffic updates. Both units also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability as standard. The Ultimate trim features a head-up display that makes it easy to follow navigation instructions. 

Some of the key interior features of the 2021 Hyundai Kona are: 

• Two-zone Climate Control
• Push Button Start
• Remote Keyless Entry
• Head-Up Display
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• 7-inch infotainment touchscreen 
• The available 8-inch infotainment touchscreen 
• In-built navigation
• Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Wireless device charging
• Optional Infinity Premium Audio with Clari-Fi Music Restoration Technology

The Hyundai Kona is a five-seat subcompact SUV, though from the outside, its proportions are more wagonlike in terms of height and size- Cars.com

With its cheeky and youthful design, the Hyundai Kona will certainly attract young buyers. Even with its compact exterior dimensions, Hyundai has tried to incorporate many rugged design elements. The plastic cladding all around the body makes the Kona look more like a lifestyle vehicle. However, the design is not very cohesive as the features like the two-tier headlights and fake vents look a bit mismatched.

The Kona stands out with its sleek DRLs at the front and smart LED taillamps at the rear. But the addition of too many different elements makes up for a busy design. The wheel designs and sizes vary from 16-inches to 18-inches depending on the trim configuration. Some exterior colors like Galactic Gray, Ultra Black, Thunder Gray, Chalk White, Sonic Silver, Pulse Red, and Surg Blue compliment the snazzy exterior design quite well. 

In comparison, the Honda HR-V offers the best road presence with its tall height and 170-inches of length. The Kona on the other hand is the widest car here. While looks are subjective, the design of the Mazda CX-3 strikes a good balance between maturity and simplicity. With a ground clearance of 6.7-inches, the Kona 2021 offers 0.6- and 0.3-inches of less clearance than the Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks.

Some of the key exterior features of the Hyundai Kona 2022 are: 

• Projector headlamps upgradeable to LED headlights with DRLs
• Light Tinted Glass
• Fixed rear window w/ defroster
• Shark-fin antenna
• LED Brakelights
• Cornering Lights

The Hyundai Kona comes with plenty of active and passive safety features. Standard safety equipment such as automatic emergency braking makes sure you get advanced safety features even with the base trim. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2021 model an overall rating of five out of five. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named it a Top Safety Pick+ as well.

Some of the key safety features of the 2021 Kona are: 

• Forward collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking
• Rearview camera
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control
• Rear parking sensors
• Adaptive headlights

2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V offers a spacious cabin along with a large cargo area. It is quite a practical subcompact SUV that is aimed at fulfilling everyday family needs. With its sporty handling and great fuel economy estimates, it is not only fun to drive but also quite pocket-friendly. However, even with its underwhelming engine and a shortlist of standard features, it costs a bit more than the Kona. Thus the Kona is a more value for money proposition here.

2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Nissan Kicks

With plenty of standard features and excellent cargo space, the Nissan Kicks scores high on practicality. It also costs cheaper to own in comparison to the Hyundai Kona. Along with that, its excellent fuel economy makes it quite a desirable city crawler. However, its worst predicted reliability score in the class and poor performance make the Kona a clear winner here.

2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Mazda CX-3

The Mazda CX-3 feels like the most premium car in this comparison. Its competitive price tag and upscale interior make it one of the highest-ranking subcompact SUVs. Mazda has also added a long list of standard safety features to the package with athletic handling and punchy performance. The cramped rear-seat space and a small cargo area are common between the two cars. Thus, the CX-3 feels like a bit more polished product in comparison to the Kona.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona manages to get most things right and can be called a very practical and upscale subcompact SUV. Its over-designed looks might not be to everyone’s taste but the interior is certainly a nice place to be in. With a competitive price tag, a broad range of trims, and excellent fuel economy, the Kona is certainly a value for money product. Thus, if you do not mind the cramped rear seats and below-average cargo space, the Kona will satisfy most of your needs.