2024 Honda Passport vs 2025 Hyundai Kona

The 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its previous design language, despite Honda's recent updates across its lineup. While the Passport and the Ridgeline received minor tweaks in 2022, such as a more upright grille and squared-off corners, the overall aesthetic remained consistent with Honda’s older designs. The Passport offered three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition, all featuring leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and all-wheel drive. The TrailSport trim, designed to be the most rugged, included all-terrain tires, roof rails, and LED fog lights, but lacked true off-road enhancements like metal skid plates or recovery points. Inside, the Passport featured traditional physical controls, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a simple yet functional interior with black leather upholstery and orange stitching in the TrailSport trim.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona, while visually unchanged from the 2024 model, maintained a fresh and distinctive appearance in the crossover class. Its flush, single-piece grille and ultra-slim LED light bars gave it a futuristic look. The Kona grew by about six inches, enhancing interior space and road presence. The new N Line S and N Line trims featured sportier designs with body-colored bumpers and cladding. The Kona's interior remained solidly constructed and airy, with a drive selector on the column and a 64-color ambient lighting standard on higher trims. The Kona offered trims like SE, SEL, SEL Convenience, and Limited, each adding more visual appeal with larger alloy wheels and rear privacy glass.

The 2024 Honda Passport stood out by retaining a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, provided smooth acceleration and unobtrusive gear shifts. However, peak torque arrived at 4,700 RPM, requiring higher revs for optimal performance. The Passport's fuel economy was rated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined. The TrailSport trim featured wider tracks, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and a suspension tuned for off-road driving. All Passports came with Honda’s torque-vectoring iVTM4 AWD system and a traction-management system with various settings. The Passport's towing capacity reached 5,000 pounds, surpassing some competitors but falling short of others like the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered two engine options for its gas-powered models. The SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience trims featured a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). The N Line S, N Line, and Limited trims boasted a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The turbo engine provided a broader torque band, enhancing performance. AWD was available across the lineup for an additional cost, offering a more sophisticated ride with a multi-link rear suspension. The Kona prioritized competence in ride and handling, with AWD models providing a more refined experience.

The 2024 Honda Passport excelled in cargo capacity, offering 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expanding to 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Passport's interior comfortably accommodated five adults, with ample cupholders and a redesigned center console for increased storage. The front-seat environment featured a taller and deeper console bin, enhancing storage options. The Passport's interior design focused on practicality, with simple controls and plenty of storage space.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona provided 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 63.7 cubic feet when folded. The Kona's trunk featured a dual-level cargo floor, maximizing storage capacity. Rear legroom measured 38.2 inches, offering comfort for most passengers. The front seats provided a generous range of movement, and the steering wheel was adjustable for reach and height. The Kona's interior boasted excellent storage options, with numerous shelves, trays, and cubbies. Upholstery varied by trim, with cloth on lower trims and Alcantara or leatherette on higher trims. Heating and ventilation features progressed from basic air conditioning to dual-zone automatic climate control on higher trims.

The 2024 Honda Passport featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which felt small given the cabin's spaciousness. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless charging pad. The system offered sharp resolution and quick response, but had some drawbacks, such as persistent turn-by-turn directions on the driver’s display. The TrailSport trim came with a seven-speaker audio system, which was less impressive compared to competitors' offerings.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona boasted a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. Higher trims included wireless smartphone charging and a digital key. The SEL Convenience trim and above featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, enhancing customization and cohesion. Audiophiles could upgrade to an eight-speaker Bose audio system on higher trims. Hyundai’s Bluelink connectivity allowed for over-the-air software updates, ensuring features remained current.

The 2024 Honda Passport came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features under the “Honda Sensing” umbrella, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Despite these features, the Passport received mixed ratings from safety organizations, with the IIHS rating it as “Acceptable” and “Marginal” in certain crash tests, and the NHTSA awarding it five stars overall but four stars in frontal and rollover tests.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its standard safety technology, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and Safe Exit Warning. Higher trims added features like Highway Driving Assist and enhanced Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist. The Limited trim offered additional parking assistance technologies. The Kona included six airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.