2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2022 Hyundai Kona

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out by not mimicking its competitors' styles. Instead, it adopted the successful design language of the larger Navigator, resulting in a sharp-looking vehicle with crisp lines and chrome accents. Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a luxurious cabin featuring soft-touch materials, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and a piano button shifter. The soothing chimes and massaging front seats added to the air of class and comfort.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona received a significant makeover, including a 1.6-inch increase in length, revised front and rear fascias, and new alloy wheel designs. The interior featured a more horizontal layout, ambient lighting, and a rear USB port. The addition of the sporty N Line and Kona N trims brought unique styling elements and performance upgrades, making the Kona look more athletic and racy. The N Line's exclusive black seats with red stitching and alloy sport pedals added to the sporty feel.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, increasing output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration and a smooth swell of power, although the Aviator's heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The drive mode selector included "Excite" and "Conserve" modes, making the Aviator well-suited for highways and cul-de-sacs but less composed in city driving.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona offered a variety of engines and transmissions. The SE and SEL trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The N Line and Limited trims had a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 195 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed DCT. The Kona N featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque, paired with an N eight-speed wet DCT. The Kona N also included performance features like launch control and an electronic limited-slip differential. Our test vehicle, a Kona N Line, provided adequate power and was easy to maneuver in city settings, with composed handling and a quiet cabin.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring trim, offered ample space and comfort with captain's chairs and a digital control panel. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona, while small, offered ample headroom and legroom for front-seat occupants. Rear-seat space was more limited, with small door openings and compromised head- and legroom. Cargo space was 19.2 cubic feet with all seats up, expandable to 45.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. However, the Kona's compact dimensions made it less suitable for carrying larger loads or accommodating three adults in the back seat.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and optional head-up display provided clear and easy-to-read information. The Aviator's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a sensible menu layout and redundant controls in the center stack.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona added more tech for 2022, including an 8-inch display on the base SE trim and a 10.25-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The Kona also offered wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and Hyundai Blue Link. The infotainment system was easy to use, with intuitive controls and seamless smartphone connectivity. The Kona's tech features brought a level of accessibility to an entry-level model that was impressive for its price point.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona's standard safety features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, lane-following assistance, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert. Available technologies included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Kona received five stars from the NHTSA for overall crash protection and high ratings from the IIHS, although it did not achieve Top Safety Pick status due to the child-seat anchors' "Marginal" rating.