Pick Your Poison: Hyundai Kona vs Honda HR-V vs Toyota C-HR

Of these three subcompact crossovers which one is the best? The Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V, and Toyota C-HR are perfect for this conversation.

All three of these small vehicles come from foreign brands and offer us the fun and active drive that can be what we’re looking for. You’ll also love seeing the affordable price that is found when you select the base model of each small SUV.

That Might Be Where Similarities End

It would take a long time to compare every trim of these three SUVs, and we know you don’t have time for that, so we’re just going to look at the base models. That means we’re comparing the Honda HR-V LX, Hyundai Kona SE, and Toyota C-HR LE.

Since we already stated they are all affordable, as you check out these base models you’ll notice the Kona is the most affordable of the three, which gives this SUV one point ahead of the others.

Consider the Powertrains

We see some differences in the power being delivered to the wheels for the drive you’ll enjoy in all three models. The HR-V uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine while the Kona and C-HR both make use of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Both the Honda and Toyota models attach their engines to a CVT while the Hyundai allows you to have a smooth six-speed automatic transmission for the drive.

How does this translate to fuel mileage? All three of these models are set up as FWD versions, which makes this a fair comparison. The fuel mileage you’ll find comes in at 28 city/34 hwy mpg for the Honda HR-V, 27 city/33 hwy mpg for the Hyundai Kona, and 27 city/31 hwy mpg for the Toyota C-HR.

If you’re looking for the most fuel mileage, the HR-V is the winner, but not by much at all.

Make Your Drive As Safe as Possible

When you’re looking at the list of safety features offered for these three small SUVs, you’ll be amazed that you see so many differences. Although the Honda Sensing Suite is supposed to be one of the best packages in the industry, the HR-V does not come with lane departure warning or lane-keeping assistance.

The Kona and C-HR have lane departure warning and lane-keeping assistance as part of the standard safety package. All three SUVs give you rearview cameras, stability control, and traction control to make sure you can see what’s going on and stay fairly stable during your drive.

Put a point in the bucket for the Hyundai Kona and the Toyota C-HR for safety and you see that the Kona is in the lead.

Technology Features You’re Going to Find

As we go down the list of standard technology items you’ll see, these three SUVs differentiate themselves further.

The Toyota C-HR has the most standard technology with satellite radio and a Wi-Fi hotspot as part of the standard items. All three SUVs have Bluetooth connectivity, an auxiliary input, and USB ports. The C-HR and Hyundai Kona both have smart device integration, which is not part of what you find in the Honda HR-V.

For this part of the comparison, the Toyota C-HR earns the point with the most technology for you to have during your drive.

Let’s Check Out those Warranties

This might be an easy one for you to figure out, but we’re going to cover it anyway. The Honda and the Toyota offer you exactly the same warranties. You’ll have a three-year/36,000-mile standard warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The Hyundai Kona takes everything farther. As the brand with America’s Best Warranty, you’ll find a five-year/60,000-mile standard warranty and a ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty with the Kona.

There’s no question which SUV receives the point in this category, it’s clearly the Kona.

Which Subcompact SUV Should You Drive

While we didn’t cover style, reputation, or build, you can consider these three SUVs to be basically the same size. Considering only the items we covered you see the Hyundai Kona is the most affordable of the three, it has the best warranty, and it has the most safety features.

Toyota gives you more features at the standard level for the C-HR and Honda offers you the most fuel mileage in the HR-V, but when you’re looking for the most boxes checked, it’s easy to see that the Kona is the right SUV for you to drive. Visit your local Hyundai dealer and take one for a test drive today.