2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Ford Escape showcased a departure from its earlier rugged, boxy design, embracing a more European aesthetic. The refresh included a more traditional front end with a stylish LED light bar and the Ford blue oval logo. The ST-Line Elite trim we tested featured 19-inch wheels and body-color mirror caps, giving it an upscale look akin to a Mazda CX-5. Inside, the diamond-stitched leather upholstery looked premium but felt hard and plasticky. Despite this, the seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat made long drives pleasant. However, the interior was dominated by plastic, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed as an electric vehicle first, evident in its sleek, grille-less front end and single skinny LED headlight. The new Kona retained its recognizable silhouette but featured significant updates like the creased “parametric surface” of the doors and more substantial black body cladding. The interior saw a major overhaul with a driver-oriented center stack, a gear shift moved to the steering column, and a curved display housing both driver-information and infotainment screens. The cabin felt more spacious, thanks to the new design, and the materials used were of higher quality, enhancing the overall feel of the vehicle.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine could be configured with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The higher trims, such as the ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite, featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively available with AWD. Despite the impressive output, the Escape’s suspension remained soft, and the transmission lacked performance tuning, making it less of a performance crossover. However, the brakes were predictable and linear, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor’s engine lineup, with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque for the SE and SEL trims. The N-Line and Limited trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, now paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters were available on the N-Line and Limited trims, enhancing the driving experience. During our test drive, the turbo engine felt a bit slow on pickup, but the intuitive steering and nimble handling made up for it. FWD was standard, with AWD available for an additional $1,500, though it slightly reduced fuel economy estimates.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable driving experience with soft, supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, offering up to 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, lagging behind competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was also slightly less than many rivals, though headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for tall passengers.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona benefited from its increased length, offering 38.2 inches of rear-seat legroom, significantly more than the previous model and competitors like the Toyota Corolla Cross. Headroom also increased to 38.3 inches front and rear with the sunroof. Cargo capacity saw a substantial boost, with 25.5 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats up and 63.7 cubic feet with them folded down. The Kona Limited featured a power hands-free liftgate for easy access. Inside, the cabin had enhanced storage options, including a handy shelf on the passenger’s side of the dash and a “guardrail” on the wireless charging pad. The seats varied by trim, with cloth on SE and SEL, a leather/suede combination on N-Line, and H-Tex leatherette on Limited. Ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard on the Limited trim.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims like the ST-Line Elite and Platinum. The larger screen significantly upgraded the cabin’s look and was well-organized, with individual tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. However, Sync 4 was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob’s placement was inconvenient. Despite these minor issues, the system’s feature set, layout, and ease of use were commendable.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona made significant technological advancements, with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen now standard across the lineup. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were initially available only on lower trims, but an over-the-air update promised to add wireless connectivity to higher trims soon. The Kona also featured wireless device charging, a new Wi-Fi hotspot, and a Bose stereo system. Dual 12.3-inch screens created a panoramic view in the curved housing, available with the Convenience Package and standard on N-Line and Limited trims. Hyundai’s Bluelink connected services were now standard, with a subscription included for the vehicle’s life.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in frontal- and side-crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) did not grant it a Top Safety Pick designation due to a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more. The optional Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and lane-centering technology.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona continued Hyundai’s tradition of offering high-quality safety tech across its lineup. Standard features included Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. For 2024, high-beam assist became standard, adaptive cruise control was added to N-Line and Limited trims, and the Limited trim also received Surround View Monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist suite of Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features impressed with smooth lane-keep assist and intuitive steering inputs.