2020 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2020 Hyundai Kona was a standout in its segment, boasting a sleek, sporty, and dramatic exterior that set it apart from its competitors. Hyundai's design team managed to make the Kona appear taller and wider than it actually was, thanks to tiered lighting, a tall grille, and chunky matte plastic trim. The car's slim LED running lamps, strategically placed headlights, and optional fog lights contributed to its visually stimulating appearance. The Kona's exterior design was further enhanced by details like fender creases, black trim, and two-tone wheels, giving it a premium vibe from every angle. However, the interior of the Kona didn't quite match the exterior's excitement, with hard, dull plastics and lackluster finishes dominating the cabin. While the buttons and switchgear felt good and the screens were high-res, the overall fit and finish fell short compared to competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Forester's design was more conservative, carrying over much of its styling from the previous generation. The Forester's boxy, upright shape appealed to SUV shoppers looking for a clean and unpretentious look. The Forester Sport model added some flair with orange striping, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels, which made a significant difference in its appearance. The Forester's interior was a no-nonsense mix of materials designed to withstand years of use, with the Sport trim adding a splash of orange for visual interest. While the Forester's design wasn't as exciting as the Kona's, it offered a practical and functional aesthetic that many buyers appreciated.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona impressed with its powertrain and chassis, particularly the 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that produced 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), delivered strong acceleration and confidence-inspiring performance. The Kona's turbo engine was available only on the Limited and Ultimate trims, while the standard engine was a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. The Kona's handling was also noteworthy, 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 competitors. Fuel economy for the Kona 1.6T AWD was estimated at 26 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, on the other hand, was equipped with a single powertrain option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). While the Forester's power felt adequate in most situations, it lacked the thrust needed for confident highway merging and overtaking. The Forester's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in a softly sprung ride with significant body roll in corners and bounce on uneven pavement. However, the Forester's standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and X-Mode system provided better off-road capability than most competitors. The Forester's fuel economy was competitive, with an estimated 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona struggled with interior space, offering only 19 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 46 cubic feet with the seats folded. This was significantly less than competitors like the Honda HR-V, Buick Encore GX, and Jeep Renegade. While the Kona's rear seats provided adequate headroom and legroom for four passengers, the overall interior space was cramped. The Kona's controls were easy to use, and the infotainment system was simple and fast, but the lack of cargo space limited its utility as a crossover.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in interior space, offering 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 76.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Forester's tall, flat roofline provided excellent headroom and legroom in both rows, as well as great outward visibility. The Forester's interior was practical, with decently sized cupholders and a reasonably sized center console. However, the phone-storage cubby was too small for an average-size phone, and wireless charging was not available. A power-adjustable driver's seat was also not standard on the base trim.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona offered a good list of standard features, starting with a 7-inch touchscreen that supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like proximity entry, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and blind-spot monitoring. The SEL Plus trim included an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless charging, and an eight-speaker Infinity stereo. The Limited trim added leather upholstery, while the Ultimate trim featured a sunroof, an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, and adaptive cruise control.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came standard with the Subaru Starlink infotainment system, which included a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and front-row USB ports. Sport models upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while Limited and Touring models added navigation and dual USB ports in the rear center console. The Forester's infotainment system was user-friendly, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls. However, the screen was slow to boot up, and the secondary screens in the dashboard and instrument cluster seemed overly complex.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona scored five out of five stars overall in crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and was rated a 2020 Top Safety Pick by 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 Subaru Forester received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The Forester came standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. The Forester also offered a driver-monitoring system called DriverFocus, which checked for signs of distraction. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking.