Compare the2023 Hyundai KonaVS 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kona are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CR-V Hybrid doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kona SEL/N Line/Limited has standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The CR-V Hybrid doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Kona and the CR-V Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Honda CR-V Hybrid:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Honda CR-V Hybrid:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kona is 2.3% to 2.8% less likely to roll over than the CR-V Hybrid.

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 CR-V Hybrid’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 Honda covers the CR-V 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 CR-V Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CR-V Hybrid’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, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CR-V Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 82 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 24th.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Honda CR-V Hybrid:

The Kona stops shorter than the CR-V Hybrid:

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 CR-V Hybrid Touring’s 55 series tires.

The Kona has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CR-V Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

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

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 CR-V Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kona SEL AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the CR-V Hybrid Touring pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kona executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the CR-V Hybrid Touring (26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the CR-V Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 800 pounds less than the Honda CR-V Hybrid.

The Kona is 1 foot, 4.5 inches shorter than the CR-V Hybrid, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom and 2.7 inches more rear hip room than the CR-V Hybrid.

The front step up height for the Kona is 3 inches lower than the CR-V Hybrid (16” vs. 19”). The Kona’s rear step up height is 1.9 inches lower than the CR-V Hybrid’s (16.1” vs. 18”).

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

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

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Kona and the Honda CR-V Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kona was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The CR-V hasn’t been picked since 2017.