Hyundai Kona vs. Subaru Crosstrek: Here’s The Difference
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Anyone looking for a subcompact SUV with plenty of tech and safety features will likely include the Hyundai Kona and Subaru Crosstrek on their shortlist. Both the Kona and Crosstrek are popular subcompact SUVs, and they come from brands known for reliable and affordable vehicles.
Hyundai Kona vs. Subaru Crosstrek, which subcompact SUV deserves a space in your garage?
We know the choice between the Hyundai Kona vs. Subaru Crosstrek isn’t easy. So today, we have the unenviable task of comparing these two popular subcompact SUVs, the 2021 Kona and 2021 Crosstrek, and seeing how they stack up against each other.
Exterior Features
The 2021 Hyundai Kona features a bold exterior design, as demonstrated by its slit-eyed busy front. The alien-like front end can be somewhat polarizing, but the Kona does offer several clever styling tricks. From the stacked headlights to floating-roof cues, Kona’s exterior design does make an impression, although we wish it were more coherent.
The 2021 Kona’s front end houses LED daytime running lights across all models, but only the top two models get LED headlights. Opting for the Night Edition ups the styling ante by adding gloss black trims and covers.
In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek wears a more muted exterior style, almost bland. However, that’s expected with a budget-friendly subcompact SUV like the Crosstrek. For the 2021 model, the new Crosstrek features a new grille and front fascia. Plus, it wears its black cladding and 8.7 inches of ground clearance like a badge of honor.
The base model comes standard with 17-inch black alloy wheels, while upper trims are equipped with 18-inch alloys. In addition, the standard trim gets black roof rails, roof spoiler, and multi-reflector halogen headlights. The Sport trim offers added flair with gunmetal accents on the grille, mirror caps, and badging.
WINNER: Tie. It depends on your personal preference. Do you want bold design cues or something less conspicuous?
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Performance and Fuel Economy
The Subaru Crosstrek SUV isn’t exactly known for blistering performance, but the 2021 model year looks to change that. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder Boxer capable of 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or the optional CVT. Unfortunately, the base engine won’t cut it if you’re looking for performance.
However, the 2.5-liter Boxer engine, available in the Sport and Limited trims, produces an energetic 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque. This engine can only be paired with a CVT transmission, to our dismay. It can achieve 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds, compared to 9.7 seconds with the base engine. The additional power is well worth the extra cost.
On the other hand, the base 2021 Kona adopts a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine with 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque of output. It’s mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheel. If it looks like an economy car performance, it’s because it is.
But the Kona’s ace-up-its-sleeve is the 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine, available in Limited and Ultimate trims. It’s paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Although the 7-speed is better than the 6-speed, the transmission feels hesitant and clumsy at lower speeds.
The most efficient Crosstrek configuration is the 2.0-liter CVT with EPA-estimated ratings of 28/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined. Meanwhile, the Kona with the 2.0-liter engine and FWD configuration has an EPA-estimated rating of 27/33/30 mpg.
WINNER: The Crosstrek overtakes the Kona in performance. But the Kona outperforms the Crosstrek in overall fuel economy.
Interior and Cargo Space
The Kona’s exterior reads like a familiar book compared to its radical exterior. The controls and vents have a thoughtful layout, and the central touchscreen is an excellent focal point that lightens up the mood. Even at the base trim, Hyundai designed an appealing and logical interior despite the predictable use of low-cost materials like hard plastics.
The Kona wants to seat five people, but four adults would be more comfortable. The front seats have 41.5 inches of legroom and 39.6 inches of headroom. Meanwhile, back passengers enjoy 34.6 inches of legroom and 37.8 inches of headroom.
The 2021 Kona offers 19.2 cu-ft of room for trunk space, which can be boosted to 45.8 cu-ft with folded seats. While the Kona’s cargo offerings are manageable, it lags behind its competitors, including the Crosstrek.
On the flip side, the 2021 Crosstrek features a sensible, gimmick-free interior. With the upper trims, the monotony of the interior is broken up by bright accents and stitching, along with extra goodies like the larger display and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. You have the usual cloth seats, soft dash materials, and a multifunction center display.
The front legroom and headroom have 41.5 inches and 39.8 inches, respectively. Then, you have 36.5 inches of legroom and 38.0 inches of headroom at the back. Thanks to its larger seating capacity, the Crosstrek may fare better when seating five passengers.
The trunk and cargo situation is also better in the Crosstrek with its 20.8 cu-ft of space. However, the space balloons to a cavernous 55.3 cubes using the 60⁄40 split-folding configuration.
WINNER: The interior design can be a toss-up between the two. However, the Crosstrek edges out the Kona in seating and cargo space.
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Infotainment and Safety Features
Subaru isn’t known for cutting-edge tech, and the 2021 Crosstrek isn’t going to change minds. The base infotainment system is rather spartan with a 6.5-inch screen, while a larger 8-inch screen is available for Sport and standard on the Limited trim. All infotainment features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth support.
Safety-wise, the Crosstrek is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and has a 5-star NHTSA safety rating. Standard safety features include brake assist, rearview camera, vehicle dynamics control, etc. CVT models get the best safety package because of Subaru’s EyeSight suite, which adds advanced driver assistance features like pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, etc.
On the other hand, the 2021 Kona packs an impressive infotainment system. The entry-level infotainment includes a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Upper trims get a larger touchscreen with navigation features, and a HUD feature is standard on the Ultimate trim.
Like the Crosstrek, the Kona has top safety ratings with a 5-star NHTSA safety score and a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS. Aside from its excellent crash test scores, the Kona comes with standard safety features like emergency braking, rearview camera, traction control, and more. Advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind-spot monitoring are also available.
WINNER: The Kona wins in the infotainment department, but the Crosstrek squeaks in a win for its more advanced safety tech.
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Hyundai Kona vs. Subaru Crosstrek: The Verdict
Let’s wrap up this Hyundai Kona vs. Subaru Crosstrek comparison with their starting prices. The 2021 Kona’s MSRP is $20,500, while the 2021 Crosstrek’s MSRP is $22,245.
Overall, the Subaru Crosstrek gets our vote as the overall winner, edging out the Kona in terms of performance and cargo capacity. However, the Kona can definitely contend with the Crosstrek, thanks to its more advanced features and lower sticker price.
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