2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Hyundai Kona was known for its funky and youthful styling, making it a stand-out in the subcompact SUV segment. Its front end showcased a busy yet playful appearance with multiple tiers of lighting, including a grille flanked by lighting features, additional lights above them, and fog lights on select trims. This design catered to younger buyers who appreciated a more adventurous and vibrant look. Contrasting the front, the rear end of the Kona sported a more subdued and traditional crossover shape with a standard lighting configuration, offering a balance between quirky and conventional aesthetics.

Inside, the Kona continued its playful theme without being overly whimsical. The cabin featured neatly patterned seats with standard cloth upholstery, while higher trims offered leather on the steering wheel and seats for an upgraded feel. The interior layout was praised for its simplicity and intuitiveness, with a high-mounted infotainment system touchscreen and physical climate controls that were easy to use and complemented the Kona's compact dimensions.

On the other hand, the 2021 Honda CR-V was criticized for its bland exterior styling, often blending into the sea of similar-looking compact crossovers. While the daylight opening—essentially the shape of the side windows—was nearly identical to its competitors, the CR-V did include some distinctive touches like a unique grille and subtle chrome accents. However, potential buyers were not likely to choose the CR-V based on its aesthetics alone.

The CR-V offered a somewhat limited color palette, especially on the lower trims. The base LX trim was only available in black, silver, and white, with other more vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic restricted to higher trims. Comparatively, the Hyundai Kona offered a wider variety of vibrant colors from the get-go.

Inside, the CR-V presented a modern yet straightforward look. The cabin came in black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather, depending on the trim level. Climbing up the trim ladder added features like wood panels and more chrome for a more upscale appearance. Both the front and rear seats included angular designs with sharp edges on the seat edges and headrests, providing a more contemporary feel compared to competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona offered two powertrain options, catering to varying performance preferences. The base model featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. For those seeking more power, Hyundai offered a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine rated at 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While neither engine provided jaw-dropping acceleration, they were sufficient for moving the compact Kona around town and on highways.

The turbocharged engine's dual-clutch transmission provided a more sporty feel, although it wasn't particularly smooth at low speeds. The Kona's handling was surprisingly confident and agile, making it a fun choice for driving enthusiasts. Hyundai also balanced comfort and composure, ensuring a smooth ride even on curvy roads. Fuel efficiency was respectable, with the base engine and FWD delivering an EPA-estimated 27/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined, while the turbo engine with FWD offered 28/32/30 mpg.

Conversely, the 2021 Honda CR-V came standard with a 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine across all nine trims. While its 0-60 mph acceleration time of around 7.8 seconds wasn't particularly impressive, it was competitive within its class. The CR-V's continuously variable transmission (CVT) offered smooth and predictable acceleration, but it lacked the engagement found in some competitors' conventional automatic transmissions.

The CR-V provided a balanced ride with decent handling, thanks to its MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. FWD was standard, with AWD available as an option. Although not designed for spirited driving, the CR-V excelled in providing a comfortable and steady driving experience around town and on the highway.

Front-seat passengers in the 2021 Hyundai Kona enjoyed decent headroom and legroom, with all controls and displays easily within reach. The front seats were wide and well-padded, though they could have benefitted from more support, especially during spirited driving. The rear seats, while offering good headroom, suffered from limited legroom, making long trips less comfortable for taller passengers. The Kona also struggled in terms of cargo space, ranking near the bottom of its segment. However, the rear seats could fold to expand the space, and small-item storage compartments were plentiful and conveniently located.

The 2021 Honda CR-V, designed with functionality in mind, provided ample space for passengers and cargo. With 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume, it offered more space than the Toyota RAV4. The CR-V also boasted 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the rear seats folded, making it capable of carrying a substantial amount of luggage. Accessing the cargo area varied by trim, with the base trims requiring manual operation of the tailgate and higher trims offering power and hands-free tailgate options.

In terms of interior amenities, the CR-V included roof rails on the top Touring trim for added utility, whereas lower trims lacked this feature. Overall, the CR-V excelled in providing a spacious and practical interior, catering well to families and those needing to carry larger loads.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona came equipped with a solid array of tech features across all trims. Standard equipment included an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, six speakers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and USB inputs. Higher trims offered additional tech such as SiriusXM radio, navigation, wireless device charging, a Harman Kardon audio system, and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen. The infotainment system was praised for its simplicity, colorful interface, and responsiveness, making it user-friendly for drivers and passengers alike.

In contrast, the base 2021 Honda CR-V LX featured a much smaller 5-inch color screen with basic Bluetooth connectivity. However, all other CR-V trims upgraded to a more modern 7-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The CR-V's audio systems varied by trim, with higher trims offering more speakers and features like Sirius XM, HD radio, and a subwoofer in the Touring trim. Charging ports were generously distributed throughout the cabin, with higher trims adding wireless phone charging.

While the Kona offered a more advanced tech package right from the base trim, the CR-V required stepping up to higher trims for a comparable tech experience.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona achieved high safety ratings, earning a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and parking sensors.

The 2021 Honda CR-V also received strong safety ratings, with a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. While it didn't achieve the Top Safety Pick+ rating due to variations in headlight performance and child seat anchoring ease of use, it still performed well in crash tests. Importantly, Honda bundled its advanced safety features into the Honda Sensing system, making them standard across all trims. This included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. Only the blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert was reserved for higher trims.