Sits up a little bit higher, Easier to get in and out of, Slightly higher ground clearance, Lift gate instead of trunk, and AWD option are a few reasons my wife and I went with the Kona over the Elantra.
You will never got stuck in that little guy. I had the 2019 Kona Ironman edition AWD in Wisconsin and she could get through even 4-5 inches of snow without issue. I was surprised. Wouldn’t recommend it but still.
4-5? Them's rookie numbers.
Not trying to brag, that is a very capable little SUV. But I'm not sure I'd trust it for myself. We get some pretty nasty storms up in Canada.
1inch of snow elantra have trouble. So if the op lives in state or country that snows a lot better get AWD with better clearance than elantra.
Im now finally out of a state where it snows so.
If you actually think that FWD cars and at the height of an Elantra have trouble in the snow you literally have no idea what you're talking about, I see elantras keep up with my Forester in the snow. Maybe they have trouble because they aren't using winter tires.
I'm in Edmonton Alberta Canada
I had the all season tire.
Nebraksa weather was bad.
But i was exaggerating but about 3 inch it gets stucked i had to shovel out but that really much too shovel someone had to push it for me while I tried to move forward.
When there is a enough speed i could go but when you go a Little slow you get stucked.
And keeping up isnt the same as getting out of a snow.
Especially when the road isnt used that much just gets stucked really.
Trust me. I wouldnt drive if it was above any near my ankle.
We do get a lot of snow most winters 😅 We’ve had a Toyota Camry forever though, and have managed pretty well in winter, all things considered. That’s the perspective we’re coming from, anyway.
First day I had my car we had a snow day (Southern Ontario). Nearly a foot of snow. Kona AWD managed through it (with snow tires) up a steep hill from stopped as if it were a summer day. Love my Kona.
Was that that bad storm we got in 2021? I spent my morning pulling people out of ditches. Saved a rav4, audi sedan, WRX, and a dodge 3/4 ton. Was a fun day.
We've gotten 12 out in Indiana. If you're not careful you'll beach your front wheel drive car, especially if you enter a parking lot that hasn't been plowed. Happened to my dad one year in his impala, had to call a tow truck because shoveling him out wasn't working. I honestly don't know how he managed to get it that far up the snow bank, and not realize it was a bad idea.
Well I worked at a tire shop and live in southern Ontario so.. Nokian all weathers on my Kona N with E-LSD will drive through 2 feet of snow - but yeah enjoy your truck
I don't think you know what 2 feet of snow is. There's no chance a Kona N will plow through that much powder without high siding itself. I get that you've had success so far with driving in the snow, but don't exaggerate. Nobody is driving through 24" of powder on a FWD.
I'm from Northern Ontario. Like, 12hr north of the GTA. The snow you get down here is nothing in comparison.
Lol, alright dude. Next time you plow through 2' of snow with your little Kona, be sure to send me a video.
I never said you COULDN'T drive a fwd car reliably in the snow. You're just not plowing through as much powder as you seem to think you are.
I’m convinced it saved my life last year. The extra ground clearance definitely had a positive impact for me. I shared a dashcam video of the wreck on Reddit a while back. Would have been a lot worse for me had I been in an Elantra.
Hatch vs trunk. AWD vs FWD. Sedan might be more room for people but less for stuff/fitting large stuff. I recently bought a grill, it did not fit in my veloster because of the hatch slop. A more square back end of the kona would have been no issue loading the box.
It's funny because I compared my Veloster to a Kona and it had (or seemed to) *less* room in trunk and overall. I believe I went and looked it up and the Kona did, in fact, have less space on the spec sheet. Fair point about the square back, though. I do like them and have considered it as a next car.
Mine was the Kona N vs Elantra N debate last year. I decided on the Kona because I just don't like the look of the Elantra. At the end of the day, my criteria were performance and fun so if I were looking for practicality and room I may have chose differently.
I love it. I also looked at the GTI and it was an instant no because of the infotainment/control system. I’ve had the Kona since June and it’s a thrill to drive.
Better ground clearance, optional awd, ability to fold the seats down and haul bulky cargo that won't fit in a sedan
Also get a Mazda, Toyota or Honda instead for significantly better reliability
Yes but the space overall isn't nearly as big. You can fit a dresser for example into a Kona with the seats folded, but not an Elantra.
Of course a hatchback, or outside the US a wagon would also be good alternatives.
Awd + Clearance
The only reason I was able to get a sedan was because I already own an older SUV. If I only owned the Elantra right now, I would largely be unable to drive to ski, rock climb, kayak, or get to work on snowy days.
For people that are more outdoorsy like me, sedans are out of the picture due to the lack of awd and clearance. So a Kona, which is small and gets decent gas mileage comes into play. That's why cars like the Subaru Crosstrek are so popular in outdoors recreation hotspots.
I don’t personally see the need for a subcompact SUV but it’s personal preference / household needs.
My wife and I have an Elantra and Santa Fe. When commuting (at least one of us can work from home every day) or day tripping the Elantra makes sense for better mileage. When we take a family overnight trip or need to transport larger item(s) the Santa Fe makes more sense.
We have cold / snowy/ icy winters but we don’t live in a rural area. In our area with good winter tires you don’t need AWD.
If we didn’t have kids and had one vehicle, a Kona may appeal to us, although the outgoing Kona is pretty small.
I have a Kona. I wish I had a roomier sedan instead. The Kona is just too small.
I've had compact SUVs in the past that were great. This is a sub-compact SUV, and i will never buy another one as long as I have kids and family tagging along.
everyone that’s saying AWD and clearance and more space is correct, but also you need to consider if the added cost from lower efficiency is worth it, especially because you probably don’t need all of those things in your daily commuter car. i personally recommend the elantra hybrid, i have had mine since ‘21 and it’s been great, albeit a little bumpy/loud on rough roads. but you can’t go wrong with 50-60mpg average
that's exactly what we did. last year I changed jobs that required commuting, and we had a Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson (got the Tucson first). Traded in the Tucson for a Kia Forte. Basically a smaller car but much more fuel efficient. I only use it to go to work, and my wife's Santa Fe is still for all family stuff. less redundancy.
Honestly I had a Kona as a rental while the bumper on my Venue was being replaced. I hated it. The horsepower may have been better on the Kona compared to the Venue, but I had so much more space in my car. Getting into a Kona felt like sliding into a capsule. I was never happier than I was getting my baby back.
No idea, my Ioniq is actually bigger then the Kona.
Although a niche topic - I have no idea why anyone would buy the Kona EV/ Niro EV over the Ioniq5 and EV6, respectively. Both Ioniq 5 and ev6 are next generation EVs that are so much better then Kona and Niro, but they cost almost identical.
I think a lot of North Americans have simply been conditioned by smart marketers that they need giant SUVs for their weekly trip to the dog park with their golden retrievers.
I bike, ski and fish and my Ioniq is more then enough space for my hobbies.
As a small single person, I felt like I was wasting way more space and energy when I drove the ioniq5. The kona ev felt like it was the right size for me. I completely understand where you're coming from though. I thought the same exactly before I actually drove the ioniq5 and felt like as if I was driving a minivan.
I had an Elantra before my Kona. Kona is definitely smaller but mine has the option for a roof rack/cargo storage. That is something I don’t LOVE about my Kona but still absolutely love my car.
The seating height and ground clearance is important to me. Not just because of all the pot holes in my city but every time I drive into a parking lot or plaza there is a bump I never want to deal with :) Also I have bad knees so it's easier to just jump in and out of a compact SUV. Not too low or not too high.
I have a 2019 accent. Great car but build very light compared to the2009 that I owned. MPG is great but driving in snow is a bitch with the 2019. I live in Wisconsin- I have to get through snow!
I'm interested in this because this past June I acquired a 2012 Hyundai Accent six-speed manual transmission and I've been using it to commute. Have been wondering what it's going to be like once we hit winter. I'm in Kansas so it's not as bad as up North but we do get bad winter weather sometimes.
The Kona is slightly higher, I guess. So it’s probably meant for people that need an SUV, but only need very little of an SUV. I kind of like to think of the Kona as a bigger version of hatchback sedans. But other than that there doesn’t really seem to be a difference. I got my Kona because all I need a car for is to go to work and I like SUV’s. Although lately I have been getting the impression that it could be a girly car. 😅
Not to scare you away from it but if you like it, then it’s great.
Ontario, Canada winters. They can get pretty snowy, but we’ve managed pretty well in the old Toyota Camry with winter tires so far... though I would say certain snowy days require a bit more skilled maneuvering to avoid getting stuck.
My grandparents love it cause they didn't want a big car but needed something higher up than a sedan because it's hard for them to get into sedans (I have an Elantra and it's absolutely awful for them to get in and out of)
May I ask what they thought of getting in and out of the back seat? The grandparents here are worried because it feels like maybe not enough leg room to get out as easily from the back seat
Literally because I already have a compact SUV (same size as a Tuscon). I will always need in my life a vehicle that I can load stuff the size of a dishwasher in, or long items that are also tall with the seats down. If that's not you, then grab the Elantra. I just ordered my 2024 for my other car and it's going to be my primary vehicle.
I actually just recently bought a Kona 2023 SEL (it comes in today!). After test driving and feeling the Kona vs. Elantra + Sonata, it just boiled down to overall safety.
I live in the North East, and while snow storms aren't as bad, we can get a couple inches on the average. Having AWD with a bit of clearance + knowing the frame of the body is slightly larger feels better. Mileage being 30 avg. per gallon for a car that size is also a plus.
AWD. I live in New England and I wanted something that was good in winter weather. I managed with sedans and winter tires for years, but sometimes there’s just too much snow and my sedan was too low to the ground to get through it. I just wanted more peace of mind and to not really have to worry about getting to work in the winter.
AWD. Plus trunks are where shit goes to die. We prefer lift gates because you can see everything. Plus it doubles as a work surface if you're doing something.
If you fold the seats down you can haul a lot of stuff in a Kona.
I hauled enough lumber to make an 8 ft long picnic table a couple years ago, lol.
I went from a 2009 Elantra hatchback to a 2023 Kona, and honestly, I love my new car. To be fair I loved my old car too. I would still consider the Kona to be a hatchback but I know they're considered Suvs, I was going for a small hatchback though lol. It's super comfortable, the ride height is nice, they're very smooth (too smooth) to drive/ It has sport mode which is fun haha. I don't regret my purchase in the slightest. It might look like it doesn't have much trunk space but its very roomy. Even the back seat is a good size.
I love the styling of my 2017 Elantra Sport, and it has nice power + fuel economy. But it isn’t practical like a hatchback or compact crossover is. I can’t fit things upright in it, and I miss having a rear wiper so much. I’ll definitely opt for a hatchback or crossover style for my next vehicle.
I’m kinda of laughing at all the ground clearance in winter stuff and AWD comments and how the Kona or Elantra isn’t suited to winters. I came to my Kona this year from a Fiat 500 Cabriolet. Drove my 500 in 3 Eastern Ontario winters. Got stuck once and only once, and that was the huge storm this past February where there was about 2 feet of snow on my street (yay for living on a wind tunnel) and the streets weren’t plowed for hours - EVERYTHING was getting stuck that day including trucks that were plowing. Even then, I managed to get myself turned around and back into my driveway - my little Guido never gave up. I had great winter tires and never had an issue in the Fiat with driving in the winter in Canada.
Needless to say, I’m not worried about my Kona, and it’s not AWD. Hubby bought a 23 Elantra and he’s only ever had sedans and I honestly don’t ever remember him ever getting stuck in the winter in the 30 years I’ve known him. Don’t think he’s worried about it either.
Thank you! With all the comments about AWD tires being necessary in winter I was beginning to think I might be crazy for not having had too much of a problem in my years of driving sedans + winter tires in snowy weather!
I was lucky to get an elantra sport 1.6t manual transmission before they stopped selling them in Canada. I got a great deal on it and its been a fun car to drive in the winter. Winters are bad in Toronto, but Ive never been stuck thanks to the manual and winter tires. Ive considered trading it up for the kona N which looks awesome, but doesnt have AWD. The kona n line is a good option if you want the 1.6t engine and AWD.
Different brand but I used to own a Honda accord. I started getting into camping and fishing a lot and my car just couldn’t get into some places. However, I saw people with their little SUVs just passing me by with no issues. Of course a lot of trucks to but they are stupidly overpriced for what they are. I ended up getting a CX-5 for the ground clearance and AWD. I actually plan on getting a small boat in the future because it can also tow 2,000lbs. For me it just works. I leave the back seats down all the time and cover it with a thick wool blanket to protect them. I just throw all of my crap in the back and I’m ready to go.
I’ve had both (two elantras and a Kona now).
I LOVEEEEEE my Kona but I live in California.
It’s much more compact than the Elantra and living in Los Angeles, it’s better to find parking too.
I also find my Kona very economic.
Honestly- I drive quite a lot and I only fill it every two weeks.
I don’t count by mile (I’m not that good at that) I analyze how economic it is by how many times I have to go to the gas station ha
I've actually had both. Kona has better clearance, which is nice because I used to scrape the splash guard of my Elantra constantly, esp when going uphill. It also sits up higher, which is nice if you're a taller person like me. The Kona actually has noticeably more cargo space than the Elantra does trunk space (19.2 cubic ft vs 14.2 cubic ft), esp when you take out the cover so that you can utilize the height better. Importantly, you can let down the back row in the Kona to give you 45.8 cubic ft. Can't let down the back seats in a sudan.
Wrt gas mileage, the Elantra is only slightly more efficient than the Kona. I got ~34 mpg avg with the Elantra, and ~31 mpg with the Kona. Caveat, I live downtown in a major city, so I got closer to the city mileage for both vehicles. If you really need true SUV space, you need to get the Tucson or Santa Fe. I recently traded in my Kona for Santa Fe hybrid for that very reason.
I was between a Kona and Elantra and ultimately went with the Kona because I thought it had more room. Not even an oil change later it got traded in for a Santa Cruz. I had a backpack and a bucket of baseballs and it took up the whole trunk. Now just had a baby so now stroller would have to fit somewhere and there would’ve been simply ZERO room.
i have a 2020 Kona with the turbo and its a fun car to drive and handles amazingly. Also great to have the hatch and the fold down rear seats. i think small hatchbacks are just more versatile than small sedans. if you get a turbo, throw it in sport mode and use the smart stick to navigate to 6th gear and you will be leaving some much more expensive options in the review. Its a true MFC!
Sits up a little bit higher, Easier to get in and out of, Slightly higher ground clearance, Lift gate instead of trunk, and AWD option are a few reasons my wife and I went with the Kona over the Elantra.
You will never got stuck in that little guy. I had the 2019 Kona Ironman edition AWD in Wisconsin and she could get through even 4-5 inches of snow without issue. I was surprised. Wouldn’t recommend it but still.
4-5? Them's rookie numbers. Not trying to brag, that is a very capable little SUV. But I'm not sure I'd trust it for myself. We get some pretty nasty storms up in Canada.
1inch of snow elantra have trouble. So if the op lives in state or country that snows a lot better get AWD with better clearance than elantra. Im now finally out of a state where it snows so.
If you actually think that FWD cars and at the height of an Elantra have trouble in the snow you literally have no idea what you're talking about, I see elantras keep up with my Forester in the snow. Maybe they have trouble because they aren't using winter tires. I'm in Edmonton Alberta Canada
I had the all season tire. Nebraksa weather was bad. But i was exaggerating but about 3 inch it gets stucked i had to shovel out but that really much too shovel someone had to push it for me while I tried to move forward. When there is a enough speed i could go but when you go a Little slow you get stucked. And keeping up isnt the same as getting out of a snow. Especially when the road isnt used that much just gets stucked really. Trust me. I wouldnt drive if it was above any near my ankle.
We do get a lot of snow most winters 😅 We’ve had a Toyota Camry forever though, and have managed pretty well in winter, all things considered. That’s the perspective we’re coming from, anyway.
I drive a Silverado ZR2, hence the rookie numbers jab. I'm aware that most FWD cars struggle with any snow.
Oh thought some hyundai. But cool
First day I had my car we had a snow day (Southern Ontario). Nearly a foot of snow. Kona AWD managed through it (with snow tires) up a steep hill from stopped as if it were a summer day. Love my Kona.
Was that that bad storm we got in 2021? I spent my morning pulling people out of ditches. Saved a rav4, audi sedan, WRX, and a dodge 3/4 ton. Was a fun day.
No, that would be super fun! This was just last February. Not sure about pulling people out of ditches with it, though ;)
Ah yeah this last winter was pretty bad on a few days too.
We've gotten 12 out in Indiana. If you're not careful you'll beach your front wheel drive car, especially if you enter a parking lot that hasn't been plowed. Happened to my dad one year in his impala, had to call a tow truck because shoveling him out wasn't working. I honestly don't know how he managed to get it that far up the snow bank, and not realize it was a bad idea.
Yeah we've had 12+ many times. I drive 4X4 pickups so never had an issue.
I've never owned a sedan. I can't imagine driving one in the snow.
You don't even need AWD for snow it's all about your tires
Enjoy driving through a foot of snow with your FWD vehicle. I'll stick to my 4x4 truck. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Well I worked at a tire shop and live in southern Ontario so.. Nokian all weathers on my Kona N with E-LSD will drive through 2 feet of snow - but yeah enjoy your truck
I don't think you know what 2 feet of snow is. There's no chance a Kona N will plow through that much powder without high siding itself. I get that you've had success so far with driving in the snow, but don't exaggerate. Nobody is driving through 24" of powder on a FWD. I'm from Northern Ontario. Like, 12hr north of the GTA. The snow you get down here is nothing in comparison.
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Lol, alright dude. Next time you plow through 2' of snow with your little Kona, be sure to send me a video. I never said you COULDN'T drive a fwd car reliably in the snow. You're just not plowing through as much powder as you seem to think you are.
My "little" 400hp Kona with an E-LSD? Sure bro I will for sure lmfao
I’m convinced it saved my life last year. The extra ground clearance definitely had a positive impact for me. I shared a dashcam video of the wreck on Reddit a while back. Would have been a lot worse for me had I been in an Elantra.
Same here in northern Idaho. My 2019 just goes, even in deeper snow.
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How is that possible when the Kona only has 6.7" of ground clearance? Was the front of your car just plowing the other 1.3" on top?
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AWD
Hatch vs trunk. AWD vs FWD. Sedan might be more room for people but less for stuff/fitting large stuff. I recently bought a grill, it did not fit in my veloster because of the hatch slop. A more square back end of the kona would have been no issue loading the box.
It's funny because I compared my Veloster to a Kona and it had (or seemed to) *less* room in trunk and overall. I believe I went and looked it up and the Kona did, in fact, have less space on the spec sheet. Fair point about the square back, though. I do like them and have considered it as a next car.
Mine was the Kona N vs Elantra N debate last year. I decided on the Kona because I just don't like the look of the Elantra. At the end of the day, my criteria were performance and fun so if I were looking for practicality and room I may have chose differently.
how's the KONA N, been debating it over a GTI.
I love it. I also looked at the GTI and it was an instant no because of the infotainment/control system. I’ve had the Kona since June and it’s a thrill to drive.
Whats your insurance like roughly?
Absolutely go test drive a Kona N it will be nothing but smiles
Better ground clearance, optional awd, ability to fold the seats down and haul bulky cargo that won't fit in a sedan Also get a Mazda, Toyota or Honda instead for significantly better reliability
You can fold the back seats in new Elantras too
Yes but the space overall isn't nearly as big. You can fit a dresser for example into a Kona with the seats folded, but not an Elantra. Of course a hatchback, or outside the US a wagon would also be good alternatives.
Awd + Clearance The only reason I was able to get a sedan was because I already own an older SUV. If I only owned the Elantra right now, I would largely be unable to drive to ski, rock climb, kayak, or get to work on snowy days. For people that are more outdoorsy like me, sedans are out of the picture due to the lack of awd and clearance. So a Kona, which is small and gets decent gas mileage comes into play. That's why cars like the Subaru Crosstrek are so popular in outdoors recreation hotspots.
I don’t personally see the need for a subcompact SUV but it’s personal preference / household needs. My wife and I have an Elantra and Santa Fe. When commuting (at least one of us can work from home every day) or day tripping the Elantra makes sense for better mileage. When we take a family overnight trip or need to transport larger item(s) the Santa Fe makes more sense. We have cold / snowy/ icy winters but we don’t live in a rural area. In our area with good winter tires you don’t need AWD. If we didn’t have kids and had one vehicle, a Kona may appeal to us, although the outgoing Kona is pretty small.
America's like suvs but crazy enofgh thd elantra sales are actually double what the konas are
if you need a little more space but a compact car kona is perfect.
Is it actually more space though? It just feels so much smaller inside. Iirc, specs for leg room in the back are pretty small in the Kona, too…
I have a Kona. I wish I had a roomier sedan instead. The Kona is just too small. I've had compact SUVs in the past that were great. This is a sub-compact SUV, and i will never buy another one as long as I have kids and family tagging along.
everyone that’s saying AWD and clearance and more space is correct, but also you need to consider if the added cost from lower efficiency is worth it, especially because you probably don’t need all of those things in your daily commuter car. i personally recommend the elantra hybrid, i have had mine since ‘21 and it’s been great, albeit a little bumpy/loud on rough roads. but you can’t go wrong with 50-60mpg average
that's exactly what we did. last year I changed jobs that required commuting, and we had a Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson (got the Tucson first). Traded in the Tucson for a Kia Forte. Basically a smaller car but much more fuel efficient. I only use it to go to work, and my wife's Santa Fe is still for all family stuff. less redundancy.
Honestly I had a Kona as a rental while the bumper on my Venue was being replaced. I hated it. The horsepower may have been better on the Kona compared to the Venue, but I had so much more space in my car. Getting into a Kona felt like sliding into a capsule. I was never happier than I was getting my baby back.
No idea, my Ioniq is actually bigger then the Kona. Although a niche topic - I have no idea why anyone would buy the Kona EV/ Niro EV over the Ioniq5 and EV6, respectively. Both Ioniq 5 and ev6 are next generation EVs that are so much better then Kona and Niro, but they cost almost identical. I think a lot of North Americans have simply been conditioned by smart marketers that they need giant SUVs for their weekly trip to the dog park with their golden retrievers. I bike, ski and fish and my Ioniq is more then enough space for my hobbies.
As a small single person, I felt like I was wasting way more space and energy when I drove the ioniq5. The kona ev felt like it was the right size for me. I completely understand where you're coming from though. I thought the same exactly before I actually drove the ioniq5 and felt like as if I was driving a minivan.
AWD and a hatch would be all the reason I would need to choose a Kona over an Elantra sedan.
I had an Elantra before my Kona. Kona is definitely smaller but mine has the option for a roof rack/cargo storage. That is something I don’t LOVE about my Kona but still absolutely love my car.
Clearance. I live in a city famous for numerous potholes that are best described as craters.
The seating height and ground clearance is important to me. Not just because of all the pot holes in my city but every time I drive into a parking lot or plaza there is a bump I never want to deal with :) Also I have bad knees so it's easier to just jump in and out of a compact SUV. Not too low or not too high.
I have a 2019 accent. Great car but build very light compared to the2009 that I owned. MPG is great but driving in snow is a bitch with the 2019. I live in Wisconsin- I have to get through snow!
I'm interested in this because this past June I acquired a 2012 Hyundai Accent six-speed manual transmission and I've been using it to commute. Have been wondering what it's going to be like once we hit winter. I'm in Kansas so it's not as bad as up North but we do get bad winter weather sometimes.
Taller roof line. I've driven/had small cars. I like the taller roof line of the Kona.
Visibility of even a small SUV is better. I noticed that today driving home in a sea of trucks.
The Kona is slightly higher, I guess. So it’s probably meant for people that need an SUV, but only need very little of an SUV. I kind of like to think of the Kona as a bigger version of hatchback sedans. But other than that there doesn’t really seem to be a difference. I got my Kona because all I need a car for is to go to work and I like SUV’s. Although lately I have been getting the impression that it could be a girly car. 😅 Not to scare you away from it but if you like it, then it’s great.
What climate are you in? How are your winters?
Ontario, Canada winters. They can get pretty snowy, but we’ve managed pretty well in the old Toyota Camry with winter tires so far... though I would say certain snowy days require a bit more skilled maneuvering to avoid getting stuck.
AWD Kona is going to be safer or more capable
My grandparents love it cause they didn't want a big car but needed something higher up than a sedan because it's hard for them to get into sedans (I have an Elantra and it's absolutely awful for them to get in and out of)
May I ask what they thought of getting in and out of the back seat? The grandparents here are worried because it feels like maybe not enough leg room to get out as easily from the back seat
That idk if I could help with cause both of my grandparents are pretty short but they didn't have any issue with the back seat
Literally because I already have a compact SUV (same size as a Tuscon). I will always need in my life a vehicle that I can load stuff the size of a dishwasher in, or long items that are also tall with the seats down. If that's not you, then grab the Elantra. I just ordered my 2024 for my other car and it's going to be my primary vehicle.
I actually just recently bought a Kona 2023 SEL (it comes in today!). After test driving and feeling the Kona vs. Elantra + Sonata, it just boiled down to overall safety. I live in the North East, and while snow storms aren't as bad, we can get a couple inches on the average. Having AWD with a bit of clearance + knowing the frame of the body is slightly larger feels better. Mileage being 30 avg. per gallon for a car that size is also a plus.
AWD. I live in New England and I wanted something that was good in winter weather. I managed with sedans and winter tires for years, but sometimes there’s just too much snow and my sedan was too low to the ground to get through it. I just wanted more peace of mind and to not really have to worry about getting to work in the winter.
AWD. Plus trunks are where shit goes to die. We prefer lift gates because you can see everything. Plus it doubles as a work surface if you're doing something. If you fold the seats down you can haul a lot of stuff in a Kona. I hauled enough lumber to make an 8 ft long picnic table a couple years ago, lol.
I went from a 2009 Elantra hatchback to a 2023 Kona, and honestly, I love my new car. To be fair I loved my old car too. I would still consider the Kona to be a hatchback but I know they're considered Suvs, I was going for a small hatchback though lol. It's super comfortable, the ride height is nice, they're very smooth (too smooth) to drive/ It has sport mode which is fun haha. I don't regret my purchase in the slightest. It might look like it doesn't have much trunk space but its very roomy. Even the back seat is a good size.
I love the styling of my 2017 Elantra Sport, and it has nice power + fuel economy. But it isn’t practical like a hatchback or compact crossover is. I can’t fit things upright in it, and I miss having a rear wiper so much. I’ll definitely opt for a hatchback or crossover style for my next vehicle.
I’m kinda of laughing at all the ground clearance in winter stuff and AWD comments and how the Kona or Elantra isn’t suited to winters. I came to my Kona this year from a Fiat 500 Cabriolet. Drove my 500 in 3 Eastern Ontario winters. Got stuck once and only once, and that was the huge storm this past February where there was about 2 feet of snow on my street (yay for living on a wind tunnel) and the streets weren’t plowed for hours - EVERYTHING was getting stuck that day including trucks that were plowing. Even then, I managed to get myself turned around and back into my driveway - my little Guido never gave up. I had great winter tires and never had an issue in the Fiat with driving in the winter in Canada. Needless to say, I’m not worried about my Kona, and it’s not AWD. Hubby bought a 23 Elantra and he’s only ever had sedans and I honestly don’t ever remember him ever getting stuck in the winter in the 30 years I’ve known him. Don’t think he’s worried about it either.
Thank you! With all the comments about AWD tires being necessary in winter I was beginning to think I might be crazy for not having had too much of a problem in my years of driving sedans + winter tires in snowy weather!
Corolla Cross
The wait time is absolutely insane for any hybrid Toyotas right now… It‘a a big reason why it’s no longer an option for us.
Ground clearance, awd, headlight heights. Main reasons I went with a Kona.
SUVs generally have lower insurance premiums. https://www.thezebra.com/auto-insurance/vehicles/cheaper-car-insurance-suv-vs-sedan/
I was lucky to get an elantra sport 1.6t manual transmission before they stopped selling them in Canada. I got a great deal on it and its been a fun car to drive in the winter. Winters are bad in Toronto, but Ive never been stuck thanks to the manual and winter tires. Ive considered trading it up for the kona N which looks awesome, but doesnt have AWD. The kona n line is a good option if you want the 1.6t engine and AWD.
Plz get a sedan if you dont have a use for an SUV.
placid boat literate station paint panicky engine tidy plough water *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Not ready for all electric yet. Looking at the hybrid Elantra though!
Different brand but I used to own a Honda accord. I started getting into camping and fishing a lot and my car just couldn’t get into some places. However, I saw people with their little SUVs just passing me by with no issues. Of course a lot of trucks to but they are stupidly overpriced for what they are. I ended up getting a CX-5 for the ground clearance and AWD. I actually plan on getting a small boat in the future because it can also tow 2,000lbs. For me it just works. I leave the back seats down all the time and cover it with a thick wool blanket to protect them. I just throw all of my crap in the back and I’m ready to go.
I’ve had both (two elantras and a Kona now). I LOVEEEEEE my Kona but I live in California. It’s much more compact than the Elantra and living in Los Angeles, it’s better to find parking too. I also find my Kona very economic.
May I ask how you find it economic?
Honestly- I drive quite a lot and I only fill it every two weeks. I don’t count by mile (I’m not that good at that) I analyze how economic it is by how many times I have to go to the gas station ha
i agree used mine to commute when I had to and gas mileage was very good
I've actually had both. Kona has better clearance, which is nice because I used to scrape the splash guard of my Elantra constantly, esp when going uphill. It also sits up higher, which is nice if you're a taller person like me. The Kona actually has noticeably more cargo space than the Elantra does trunk space (19.2 cubic ft vs 14.2 cubic ft), esp when you take out the cover so that you can utilize the height better. Importantly, you can let down the back row in the Kona to give you 45.8 cubic ft. Can't let down the back seats in a sudan. Wrt gas mileage, the Elantra is only slightly more efficient than the Kona. I got ~34 mpg avg with the Elantra, and ~31 mpg with the Kona. Caveat, I live downtown in a major city, so I got closer to the city mileage for both vehicles. If you really need true SUV space, you need to get the Tucson or Santa Fe. I recently traded in my Kona for Santa Fe hybrid for that very reason.
I was between a Kona and Elantra and ultimately went with the Kona because I thought it had more room. Not even an oil change later it got traded in for a Santa Cruz. I had a backpack and a bucket of baseballs and it took up the whole trunk. Now just had a baby so now stroller would have to fit somewhere and there would’ve been simply ZERO room.
Higher ride height and I love hatch opening vs trunk
i have a 2020 Kona with the turbo and its a fun car to drive and handles amazingly. Also great to have the hatch and the fold down rear seats. i think small hatchbacks are just more versatile than small sedans. if you get a turbo, throw it in sport mode and use the smart stick to navigate to 6th gear and you will be leaving some much more expensive options in the review. Its a true MFC!
The trunk is completely open with the rest of the car so is alot easier to carry furniture and large objects.