2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle aesthetic in mind, evident in its sleek, modern appearance. The front grille closely resembled that of the Ioniq 5, featuring a single-piece design that has become synonymous with electric powertrains. The Kona adopted the "seamless horizon" styling seen in the new Sonata, with a prominent skinny LED headlight at the front. Despite its increased size, the Kona maintained a recognizable silhouette, with new design elements like the creased "parametric surface" on the doors and more substantial black body cladding on various trims. The lineup came standard with LED lighting, and the rear featured a single taillight spanning the vehicle's width. Inside, the Kona's cabin was updated with a driver-oriented center stack, a relocated gear shift, and a curved display housing both driver-information and infotainment screens.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna offered a distinctive look across its various trims, from the sporty XSE with its black metallic mesh grille and 20-inch dark wheels to the off-road-ready Woodland Edition with exclusive colors and additional ground clearance. The Sienna's sleek front and rear fascias were complemented by standard LED lighting, with upper trims featuring Bi-LED projector headlamps. Inside, the Sienna provided a spacious and functional environment, with features like a lower storage pass-through, multiple cupholders, and a shelf above the glovebox. The second-row captain's chairs offered significant legroom and optional ottomans for added comfort, though their non-removable design limited cargo space. The third row was accessible and offered ample legroom, with tilting seats for added comfort. The Sienna's interior was equipped with tri-zone climate control and optional features like a built-in vacuum cleaner.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor's engine lineup, featuring a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for the SE and SEL trims, producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The N-Line and Limited trims were powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, now coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters were available on the N-Line and Limited trims, and the SEL Convenience Package offered them for the CVT. During a test drive, the Kona Limited and N-Line demonstrated intuitive steering and nimble handling, though pickup was slightly slow even with the turbo. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $1,500, affecting fuel economy estimates.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was a hybrid minivan, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for a total output of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive models featured an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. Despite a sport-tuned suspension and Sport mode, the Sienna's performance was not particularly exciting, with sluggish acceleration and a loud CVT. However, the minivan provided a smooth ride around town, with light and accurate steering and excellent visibility. The brakes were somewhat grabby, and the Sienna offered Normal, Eco, and EV modes for different driving conditions. While the Sienna's performance was adequate for everyday driving, other minivans like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Chrysler Pacifica offered more powerful V6 engines.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona's increased length significantly improved rear-seat legroom, offering 38.2 inches, and cargo capacity, expanding to 25.5 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 63.7 cubic feet with them folded down. The cabin featured a handy shelf on the passenger's side of the dash and a "guardrail" on the wireless charging pad to keep items in place. The Kona offered cloth seats on SE and SEL trims, a leather/suede combination for N-Line, and H-Tex leatherette for Limited. Ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard on the Limited trim, with heated front seats available on N-Line and SEL with the Convenience Package.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space, with a lower storage pass-through, multiple cupholders, and a shelf above the glovebox. The second-row captain's chairs could slide 25 inches, providing up to 40 inches of legroom, though their non-removable design limited cargo space. The third row was accessible and offered 39 inches of legroom when the second row was pushed forward. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone for the front passenger in the XSE trim. The rear liftgate revealed 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 75 cubic feet with the third row stowed and 101 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona introduced several technological upgrades, including a standard 12.3-inch infotainment system touchscreen display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were initially available only on lower trims, with an OTA update promised for higher trims. The Kona featured wireless device charging, a new Wi-Fi hotspot, and a Bose stereo system. Dual 12.3-inch screens were optional with the Convenience Package and standard on N-Line and Limited trims. Hyundai's Bluelink connected services were standard, with a subscription included for the vehicle's life.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna retained its older infotainment technology, featuring a nine-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system included physical buttons for common menus, but the backup camera's grainy view was a drawback. The Sienna offered a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL stereo system. USB ports were scattered throughout the cabin, and a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet was available. Optional features included an 11.6-inch rear-seat entertainment system and a 10-inch color head-up display.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including standard Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. High-beam assist was standard, while adaptive cruise control was available on N-Line and Limited trims. The Limited trim also featured Surround View Monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist suite provided Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features, with smooth lane-keep assist and a user-friendly interface for managing driver-assistance features.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna included the Toyota Safety Sense suite as standard, offering lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The Sienna featured numerous airbags, including side curtain airbags for all three rows, and reminders for rear passengers and cargo. The NHTSA rated the Sienna with four out of five stars for frontal crash and rollover protection and five stars for side crash protection. The IIHS awarded the Sienna a "Good" rating for crashworthiness and seat belt and child restraint systems, though front crash prevention was rated as "Average."