2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2021 Volvo XC90

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy, blending traditional elements with modern touches. While maintaining its recognizable boxy profile and rectangular grille, the XC90 introduced softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights with "Thor’s Hammer" daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, stood out as the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more understated looks, respectively. The XC90's interior embraced "Swedish minimalism," featuring high-quality materials like matte-finish wood trim and optional wool upholstery, creating a refined yet understated cabin environment.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Kona presented a funky and playful exterior design aimed at younger buyers. The front end featured a busy arrangement of lighting elements, including a grille flanked by lights, additional lights above, and fog lights below. The rear design was more subdued, with a standard crossover shape. Inside, the Kona's interior mirrored its exterior's fun attitude without being overly whimsical. The seats had neat patterns and standard cloth upholstery, with higher trims offering leather options. The well-organized interior included an infotainment system touchscreen mounted high on the dash and physical climate controls, making it simple and intuitive to use.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrain options, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 model added a supercharger, boosting output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T5 came standard with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive was optional on the T5 and standard on the T6 and T8. Despite its power, the XC90's small engine struggled with flexibility, and the plug-in hybrid's electric mode was limited to low speeds. However, the XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and offered a respectable 5,000-pound towing capacity for most models.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona provided two powertrain options. The base model featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The optional turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivered 195 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost. While neither engine was particularly powerful, both provided sufficient power for city and highway driving. The dual-clutch transmission offered a sporty feel but was less smooth at low speeds. The Kona's handling was surprisingly confident and agile, making it an engaging and fun drive. Fuel economy varied depending on the engine and drivetrain, with the base engine and FWD achieving an EPA-estimated 27/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 was available in six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. Headroom and legroom in all three rows were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The interior felt spacious, thanks to an optional power moonroof and the XC90’s upright roof profile. The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but lacked a power-adjustable steering wheel. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console storage bin and few console storage options. Cargo space for the T8 Recharge model was near the bottom of the segment, with 11.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 34.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 64.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. A hands-free power tailgate was available.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona offered decent headroom and legroom for front-seat passengers, with an optional sunroof that didn't significantly reduce headroom. The front seats were wide and well-padded but lacked support, which could be an issue during spirited driving. Back-seat passengers had good headroom but limited legroom. The large rear door openings made loading and unloading children easier, though large rear-facing car seats could be problematic for taller front passengers. The Kona's cargo space was limited, ranking near the bottom of its segment, but the rear seats folded to expand the space. Small-item storage was generous, with large door pockets and a spacious center console area.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which emphasized simplicity and functionality. Standard equipment included a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The system also offered two front USB-A ports and two rear USB-C ports. Optional features included a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and a head-up display. The portrait-oriented touchscreen was user-friendly, though the amount of text and typeface made reading some menus difficult while driving. The wireless charging pad added for 2021 was too small for most phones, and the lack of front USB-C ports could be inconvenient for drivers with newer phones.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona came with a solid list of tech and entertainment features, including an eight-inch infotainment system touchscreen, Bluetooth, six speakers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and USB inputs. Available tech included SiriusXM radio, navigation, wireless device charging, a Harman Kardon audio system, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen system. Hyundai's infotainment software was simple, colorful, and responsive, making it easy to navigate without requiring multiple clicks to change settings or access features. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were significant benefits, especially for lower trim levels, providing navigation, streaming audio, and voice controls.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for non-hybrid models, with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded all 2021 XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating. The XC90 offered a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver aid. Pilot Assist combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, providing smooth and quick reactions to other vehicles, though it struggled with highway curves.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, with "Good" scores in all crash test areas, 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, a driver attention warning system, and rear occupant alert. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and parking sensors.