2020 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2020 Hyundai Kona was a standout in its segment, boasting a sleek, sporty, and dramatic exterior that set it apart from its competitors. Despite being several inches shorter than other small SUVs like the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR, the Kona's design cleverly masked its stubbiness with tiered lighting, a tall grille, and chunky matte plastic trim. The slim LED running lamps, headlights spaced to the car's edges, and optional fog lights created an illusion of a taller and wider vehicle. The fender creases, black trim, and two-tone wheels added to its premium vibe, making it visually stimulating from every angle. However, the interior did not match the exterior's excitement, with hard, dull plastics and lackluster finishes dominating the cabin. While the buttons and screens were high-res and the layout acceptable, the overall tactile quality and expression fell short compared to rivals like the Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V.

In contrast, the 2021 Buick Enclave exuded a sense of luxury and comfort, reminiscent of Buick's glorious past. The Enclave was the largest of Buick's four SUVs, offering a spacious and upscale interior. The Avenir trim, in particular, added extra presence with a unique grille pattern, brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave Avenir featured organic forms, a minimalist approach to instrumentation, and tasteful polished accents. The soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather seats, along with the wood-and-leather steering wheel, provided a sense of luxury. The Enclave's simplicity extended to its controls, with the only fussy element being the electronic transmission shifter. Overall, the Enclave's design and interior comfort made it a strong contender in the premium SUV segment.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona surprised many with its impressive powertrain and chassis. The 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine produced 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, outperforming most competitors in its segment. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) provided quick and responsive shifts, making the Kona feel lively and confident in various driving conditions. The turbo engine, available only on the Limited and Ultimate trims, delivered strong acceleration and a satisfying turbo whoosh. The standard 2.0-liter inline-four engine, with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, was paired with a traditional 6-speed automatic transmission, offering a more responsive driving experience than competitors with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). The Kona's handling was impressive, with fast and direct steering, a tight suspension, and minimal body roll. However, the ride was stiffer, and the cabin was noisier compared to more refined rivals. Fuel economy was average, with the 1.6T AWD achieving 26 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission provided smooth and accurate shifts, contributing to the Enclave's strong acceleration. The V6's low torque peak made the Enclave feel agile despite its size. The Enclave's ride and handling were exceptional, thanks to the premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping, available with the Avenir Technology Package. The suspension proved its worth on various road surfaces, offering a comfortable and composed ride. The Enclave's steering and brake response were well-calibrated, though quicker steering response would have been appreciated. Fuel economy was decent for its class, with the EPA rating the Enclave at 21 mpg combined. During testing, the Enclave averaged 21.2 mpg, allowing for a range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona struggled with interior space, offering only 19 cubic feet of cargo space and 46 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While seating for four was adequate, the rear legroom and headroom were average, making it challenging to accommodate taller passengers. The Kona's cargo capacity was significantly smaller than competitors like the Honda HR-V, which offered 56 cubic feet, and the Kia Soul, with 62 cubic feet. Despite its user-friendly controls and infotainment system, the Kona's cramped interior limited its utility as a crossover.

The 2021 Buick Enclave excelled in interior space and comfort, accommodating six to seven passengers with ease. The Enclave's cabin was quiet and serene, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning efforts, Active Noise Cancellation, and laminated windshield glass. The Avenir trim featured luxurious touches like 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support and massage, heated and ventilated front seats, and a wood-and-leather steering wheel. The Enclave's third-row seat was genuinely useful, offering comfort comparable to the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. The Enclave provided 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded, and an impressive 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona offered a good list of standard features, especially from the SEL trim upwards. The base SE model came with a 7-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SEL trim added proximity entry, auto/up down windows, heated front seats, and blind-spot monitoring. The SEL Plus trim included wireless charging, an eight-way power driver's seat, and an eight-speaker Infinity stereo. The Limited trim featured leather upholstery and the turbo engine, while the Ultimate trim added a sunroof, an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, and adaptive cruise control. The Kona's infotainment system was user-friendly, with quick responses and high-resolution screens.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment system met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. The Enclave featured Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and USB charging ports in all three rows. Upgrades included a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a surround-view camera system. However, the 8-inch touchscreen was the largest available, and the Enclave lacked smart home digital assistant integration and high-end audio components. The rear camera mirror was a neat feature, providing a live video view of what's behind the Enclave.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona scored highly in safety tests, earning five out of five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a 2020 Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Standard safety features included forward emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. However, pedestrian detection was only available on the Ultimate trim, and the Kona lacked front knee airbags and rear side airbags.

The 2021 Buick Enclave offered a range of safety features, but many were restricted to higher trims. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available from the Essence trim upwards, while the Driver Confidence Plus Package, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking, was standard on Premium and Avenir trims. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic emergency braking were available only with the Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though frontal-impact protection rated four stars. The IIHS gave high marks across the board, but the Enclave's Marginal headlight performance prevented it from earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.