2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 Hyundai Kona

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting well within the Volvo family thanks to features like “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive Sage Green Metallic color. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery, creating a coherent and high-quality design.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona received a significant makeover, growing 1.6 inches longer than the 2021 model. It featured revised front and rear fascias, enhanced LED lighting, and sporty new character lines. The interior saw the instrument panel and center console separated for a more horizontal layout, giving a wider, more spacious look. New ambient lighting and a rear USB port added sophistication and convenience. The addition of the sporty N Line and Kona N trims brought unique styling elements and performance features, making the Kona look more athletic and racy. The N Line had exclusive black seats with red stitching, a black headliner, and alloy sport pedals, while the Kona N featured wide fenders, 19-inch alloy wheels, and N sport bucket seats.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric XC40 Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD, delivering a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The Recharge had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity, and could sprint from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The T5 and T4 achieved the same in 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads, and offered one-pedal driving using regenerative braking. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

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, paired with a seven-speed DCT. The new Kona N had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 276 hp and 289 lb-ft, paired with an N eight-speed wet DCT. The Kona N featured exclusive driving features like N Grin Shift and N Power Shift, launch control, and high-performance brakes and tires. The Kona N Line with the 1.6-liter turbo engine and AWD provided adequate power and enjoyable driving dynamics, with good maneuverability in city settings and composed handling.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had the same passenger and cargo space as the gasoline models, but it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. It had less legroom and headroom, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also small due to powertrain hardware. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive in interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo included clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a single USB-C port.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona provided ample headroom and legroom for front-seat occupants, even with the optional sunroof. The front seats in the N Line held occupants in place during spirited driving. Rear-seat occupants had less space, with small door openings and compromised head- and legroom. Hyundai claimed increased rear-seat legroom for 2022, but it was still tight. Cargo space was 19.2 cubic feet with all seats up, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Towing was not recommended for the Kona.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, using a key fob for entry and shifting out of park to start the car.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona added more tech, starting with an 8-inch display on the base SE trim, which included Bluetooth connectivity. The SEL trim added SiriusXM, HD Radio, and Hyundai Blue Link. The Limited and Kona N had a new 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation and traffic information, and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard with the 8-inch screen, while the larger screen had wired versions. The Kona also offered Digital Key, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster on higher trims, and wireless device charging. Hyundai Blue Link provided remote engine start, remote locking/unlocking, and other connected services.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. The electric XC40 Recharge had a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona had standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert. Available features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, Highway Drive Assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Kona received five stars from the NHTSA for overall crash protection and “Good” ratings from the IIHS in all crashworthiness tests. The forward collision-avoidance system received a "Superior" rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash protection and an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crashes. The child-seat anchors received a "Marginal" rating.