Compare the2026 Hyundai Kona VS 2026 Toyota Rav4

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Kona achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Toyota Rav4 has not been tested.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Rav4 SE/Woodland/XLE/XSE/Limited/GR Sport offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the Kona and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all-wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Kona is safer than the Rav4:

	Kona	Rav4
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	-112 lbs.	67 lbs.
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	915 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	282	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	312 lbs.
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	223 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

The Hyundai Kona has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2026 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test, and a “Good” score in the revised vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention test. The Rav4 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2026.

The Kona comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Rav4’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Rav4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Rav4 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Rav4’s (7 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

The Kona has more powerful engines than the Rav4:

	Torque
Kona SE/SEL Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder	132 lbs.-ft.
Kona SEL Premium/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder	195 lbs.-ft.
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid

The Kona stops shorter than the Rav4:

	Kona	Rav4
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend

The Kona SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 LE’s standard 65 series tires. The Kona SEL Premium/Limited’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Rav4 XSE’s 50 series tires.

The Kona has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Rav4 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kona Limited HTRAC AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kona Limited HTRAC AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Rav4 Limited (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Rav4’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.9 feet). The Kona’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Rav4 GR Sport’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Kona has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 GR Sport (8.1 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Kona to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 850 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4.

The Kona is 9.7 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Kona uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Rav4 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona has 2.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 (101.2 vs. 98.9).

The Kona has 2 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear legroom and 2.8 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4.

The Kona uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rav4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Kona’s standard Proximity Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Smart Key System standard on the Rav4 doesn’t offer a sensor on the cargo door.

The Kona’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Rav4 LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Kona Limited’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Rav4 (except LE/SE/XLE)’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Kona as the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Rav4 has never been chosen.