2019 Hyundai Kona Goes Head-to-Head with the Competition in Alcoa, TN

It may be all-new to the compact SUV segment, but it's already catching on among enthusiasts of five-passenger crossovers here in eastern Tennessee. You can see how well the new Hyundai Kona is already doing, in fact, in how it stands up to challenges from longer-lived rivals from Honda and Nissan to Toyota and Mazda -- the experts here at Twin City Hyundai in Alcoa have made it easy. Then, be sure to stop by and see us in-person here at 3024 Alcoa Highway for a test drive that's sure to make an impression!

2019 Hyundai Kona vs Honda HR-V

• Kona offers two engines: a spirited 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter I4 at base, and a turbocharged 175-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four in higher trims. HR-V builds in only a 1.8 in-line four-cylinder, and it's less energetic, putting out only 141 horsepower.
• A seven-speed EcoShift® dual-clutch transmission comes standard in top trims. That means no clutch fumble, no torque converter clunk, and gear shifts you'll find exceptionally smooth. HR-V pairs its engine with a CVT only.
• Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision warnings and lane change assist come standard in Kona SEL and later, with driver-assistance features like lane keeping and forward collision-avoidance assist, pedestrian detection, and driver attention and parking distance warnings a mix of standard and optional depending on trim. HR-V incorporates the Honda Sensing suite, with forward collision and lane departure warnings, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and collision and road departure mitigation systems, but it's only standard in the midrange and later.
• For managing your entertainment and connectivity, you can find 7- and 8-inch infotainment touchscreen options, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard for extending smartphone functionality to the dash. HR-V features only 5- and 7-inch systems, and Apple and Android phone support are only standard in the middle trim tier and up.
• A new Kona comes with America's Best Warranty -- new vehicle coverage for 5 years or 60,000 miles, 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage, a 7-year, unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty, and 24-hour roadside assistance for 5 years and unlimited miles. A new HR-V offers nowhere near that.

2019 Hyundai Kona vs Nissan Kicks

• The base 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter I4 and higher-trim turbocharged 175-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four engine options in the new Kona make it the far better performer. Kicks offers only one engine, a 125-horsepower, 1.6-liter model.
• Choose an available seven-speed EcoShift® dual-clutch transmission, standard in top Kona trims, if you prefer ease of use and some of the smoothest shifting around. Kicks builds in only a continuously variable transmission.
• In Kona SEL and higher trims, blind-spot collision warning, lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic collision warning come standard. Standard and optional depending on trim, you can also find lane keeping and forward collision-avoidance assistance features, pedestrian detection, and warnings for both driver attention and parking distance. Kicks offers a rearview monitor standard, but its options are limited to automatic emergency brakes, a blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, and an intelligent around view monitor.
• Kona is roomier, with 94.1 cubic feet of passenger space and up to 45.8 cubic feet for cargo. The Kicks interior is only 93.9 cubic feet, and its cargo area can only expand up to 32.3.
• Your choice of 7- and 8-inch infotainment touchscreen options appears, ready to put you in control of your ride's amusements, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard so that your smartphone can come along for the ride. Kicks, on the other hand, features only a 7-inch display, and Apple and Android compatibility comes only at the midrange and in later trims.
• America's Best Warranty surpasses that of a new Nissan Kicks. Kona provides new vehicle coverage for up to 5 years or 60,000 miles, offers 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage, and includes a 7-year, unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty, not to mention 24-hour roadside assistance for 5 years and unlimited mileage.

2019 Hyundai Kona vs Toyota C-HR

• Kona is more powerful than C-HR, offering 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter I4 and turbocharged 175-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four engine options, compared to the latter's 144-horsepower, 2.0-liter model.
• A seven-speed EcoShift® dual-clutch transmission comes standard in top Kona trims, abolishing both a manual clutch and the use of a torque converter to deliver gearshifts you can barely sense. C-HR offers only a less-seamless CVT.
• Count on up to an EPA-estimated 27 city mpg, 33 highway, and 30 combined mpg in Kona SE and SEL trims, with Limited and Ultimate trims making possible up to 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. C-HR is less efficient, reaching only 27 mpg, 31 mpg, and 29 mpg respectively.
• Both models offer comparable safety and driver-assist features. Kona standardizes lane change assist and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision warnings in SEL and later, with pedestrian detection, driver attention and parking distance warnings, and lane keeping and forward collision-avoidance assist coming either standard or optional depending on trim. C-HR incorporates the Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) system.
• Kona offers more room for both riders and luggage, up to 94.1 cubic feet for the former and up to 45.8 cubic feet for the latter. C-HR only provides 83.8 and 36.4 cubic feet respectively.
• Choose from either a 7- or 8-inch touch-screen equipped infotainment system for entertainment control, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard to enable connecting your smartphone. C-HR offers a selection of three 8.0-inch Entune systems, but they feature Apple CarPlay compatibility only.
• Go with a new Kona, and you get America's Best Warranty, 5 years or 60,000 miles of new vehicle coverage, 10 years or 100,000 miles of coverage for its powertrain, 7 years and unlimited miles of anti-perforation coverage, and 24-hour roadside assistance, should you need it, for 5 years and unlimited miles. Toyota's warranty is not as comprehensive.

2019 Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-3

• The 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter I4 engine in the Kona base trim is comparable to the 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter model in CX-3's base, Sport. However, upgrade to the optional turbocharged 175-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four at a higher trim, and Kona gains the clear edge.
• Kona incorporates a seven-speed EcoShift® transmission standard in its top-most trims. It's a dual-clutch design, so there's neither a manual clutch nor a torque converter in use, and that means a nearly seamless shift quality you won't find many places elsewhere. CX-3, on the other hand, only builds in a six-speed auto transmission.
• Driver-assistance features abound in Kona. Standards in the SEL trim and later include blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision warning systems and a lane change assist feature. Further options like lane keeping assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, a pedestrian detector, driver attention warning, and a parking distance warning system come as a mix of standard and optional depending on your trim choice. CX-3, however, standardizes a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and Smart City Brake Support, offering options like Advanced Smart City Brake Support, pedestrian detection, a collision warning feature, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go, and lane departure warning only later in the line.
• With 94.1 cubic feet for passengers and up to 45.8 cubic feet designated for cargo, Kona is the roomier option. CX-3 is just behind, offering up to 44.5 cubic feet for cargo.
• 7- and 8-inch infotainment touchscreen systems are your entertainment options, and each features standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for connecting your smartphone and controlling it from the dash. CX-3 offers only a 7-inch system, and neither Apple nor Android compatibility factors in.
• America's Best Warranty comes standard in a new Hyundai Kona. You get new vehicle coverage for up to 5 years or 60,000 miles, powertrain coverage for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles, an anti-perforation warranty good for 7 years and unlimited miles, and 5 years and unlimited miles worth of 24-hour roadside assistance. CX-3 doesn't offer as much coverage.