Compare the2024 Chevrolet Equinox EVVS 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric

The Chevrolet Equinox EV has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Equinox EV has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Equinox EV has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Equinox EV has a standard HD Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona Electric only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Equinox EV and the Kona Electric have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 and available driver alert monitors.

The Chevrolet Equinox EV weighs 1087 to 1326 pounds more than the Hyundai Kona Electric. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox EV’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

The Equinox EV’s standard electric motor produces 12 more horsepower (213 vs. 201) than the Kona Electric’s electric motor. The Equinox EV’s optional electric motors produces 87 more horsepower (288 vs. 201) and 42 lbs.-ft. more torque (333 vs. 291) than the Kona Electric’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Chevrolet Equinox EV electric motors is faster than the Hyundai Kona Electric:

	Equinox EV	Kona Electric
Zero to 60 MPH	5.8 sec	6.4 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.9 sec	6.4 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	2.3 sec	2.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15 sec
Top Speed	112 MPH	107 MPH

The Equinox EV can travel longer on a full charge than the Kona Electric on a full charge:

			Miles
Equinox EV
	FWD	Electric Motor	319 miles
	AWD	Electric Motors	285 miles
Kona Electric
	FWD	Electric Motor	258 miles

For better stopping power the Equinox EV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Kona Electric:

	Equinox EV	Kona Electric
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	11.8 inches

The Equinox EV’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Kona Electric are solid, not vented.

The Equinox EV stops shorter than the Kona Electric:

	Equinox EV	Kona Electric
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver

For better traction, the Equinox EV has larger standard tires than the Kona Electric (245/55R19 vs. 215/55R17). The Equinox EV’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kona Electric (275/40R21 vs. 215/55R17).

The Equinox EV’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kona Electric’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox EV has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Kona Electric. The Equinox EV offers optional 21-inch wheels.

The Chevrolet Equinox EV’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Kona Electric only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Equinox EV has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox EV’s wheelbase is 13.9 inches longer than on the Kona Electric (116.3 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Equinox EV is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Kona Electric.

The Equinox EV has 9.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona Electric (102.2 vs. 92.4).

The Equinox EV has .2 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front hip room, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the Kona Electric.

The Equinox EV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona Electric with its rear seat up (26.4 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Equinox EV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona Electric with its rear seat folded (57.2 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Equinox EV’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Equinox EV’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Equinox EV has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona Electric has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox EV uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

When two different drivers share the Equinox EV, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Equinox EV’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Equinox EV offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Equinox EV’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Kona Electric’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Equinox EV the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Kona Electric can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Equinox EV’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Kona Electric’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Equinox EV has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Kona Electric only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Equinox EV’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kona Electric SE/SEL’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

When the Equinox EV with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Kona Electric’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Equinox EV and the Kona Electric have standard heated front seats. The Equinox EV also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kona Electric.

The Equinox EV has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Kona Electric Limited.

The Equinox EV’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Equinox EV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Kona Electric SEL/Limited offers wireless charging.

The Equinox EV’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Hyundai Kona by almost three to one during 2023.