2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Dodge Durango

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle aesthetic, evident in its sleek, grille-less front reminiscent of the Ioniq 5. The seamless horizon styling, featuring a single LED headlight, gave it a modern edge. Despite its increased size, the Kona maintained its recognizable silhouette, with new creased door surfaces and substantial black body cladding on various trims. The rear showcased a continuous taillight design, and wheel sizes varied across trims, enhancing its dynamic look. Inside, the cabin was updated with a driver-oriented center stack, a relocated gear shift, and a curved display housing both driver-information and infotainment screens.

In contrast, the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, especially with the Silver Bullet special edition package, exuded a more aggressive and expressive look. The satin black hood, unique wheels, and dark badges added to its visual attitude. Inside, the Durango featured dark red premium Nappa leather seats, a suede headliner, and carbon fiber trim, creating a luxurious yet subdued environment. However, some plastic surfaces detracted from the premium feel expected at its price point.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor's engine lineup, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower for the SE and SEL trims, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivering 190 horsepower for the N-Line and Limited trims. The new eight-speed automatic transmission replaced the previous seven-speed DCT, and paddle shifters were available on higher trims. The Kona offered front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost, slightly affecting fuel economy.

The 2025 Dodge Durango offered a simplified powertrain lineup, with the SRT Hellcat boasting a 710-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine. This powerhouse delivered 645 lb-ft of torque, accelerating to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and towing up to 8,700 pounds. Despite its impressive performance, the Durango's fuel economy was poor, rated at 12/17/13 mpg. The SUV featured a full-time AWD system, adaptive damping suspension, and Brembo brakes, providing a thrilling driving experience akin to a performance sedan.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona's increased length translated to more rear-seat legroom and cargo space, with 38.2 inches of legroom and up to 63.7 cubic feet of storage. The cabin featured practical storage solutions, including a handy dash shelf and a wireless charging pad. The Kona offered cloth seats on lower trims and leather/suede combinations on higher trims, with ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel standard on the Limited trim.

The 2025 Dodge Durango excelled in interior space, offering heated and ventilated front seats with Nappa leather. The second-row captain’s chairs provided comfort, though they sat low in the cabin. The third row was accessible and spacious enough for adults. The Durango offered 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 85.1 cubic feet with seats folded. Rear passengers enjoyed climate controls, USB ports, and a power outlet, enhancing convenience.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona featured a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen standard across all trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto promised via an OTA update. The Kona included a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bose audio system, and dual 12.3-inch screens on higher trims. Hyundai’s Bluelink connected services were standard, offering a comprehensive tech package.

The 2025 Dodge Durango came with a Uconnect 5 system, featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone integration, and a Harman Kardon audio system. The SRT Hellcat included SRT Performance Pages for tracking performance metrics. The system supported dual-phone Bluetooth pairing and offered a Wi-Fi hotspot, providing a robust infotainment experience.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was equipped with advanced safety features, including Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control on higher trims. The Highway Driving Assist suite provided semi-autonomous driving capabilities, impressing with its smooth lane-keeping assistance.

The 2025 Dodge Durango's safety features were less impressive, with basic systems like forward-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were available as upgrades. The Durango received a four-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, with concerns in certain crash tests.