2025 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trim levels, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was the most affordable, but it lacked many appealing amenities, making the leather-lined EX-L model a more recommended choice. Prices ranged from $40,200 to $54,580, plus a $1,395 destination charge. The Black Edition, evaluated in Southern California, featured a Modern Steel paint color and no additional options, bringing its MSRP to $55,975, including destination. This edition was based on the Pilot Elite and featured black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it boasted black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. The Black Edition's custom look was more suited for suburban environments, while the Pilot's overall design aimed for a rugged appearance. The interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital driver display and infotainment system appeared dated.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona retained its visual appeal from the 2024 model, with a futuristic design featuring a single-piece grille and ultra-slim LED light bars. The Kona's design was not classically handsome, but its curves, bulges, and angles created a satisfactory appearance. The 2025 model was around six inches longer than its predecessor, enhancing interior space and road presence. The Kona offered trims like SE, SEL, SEL Convenience, N Line S, N Line, and Limited, each with unique design elements. The interior remained unchanged from 2024, with a solid construction and airy feel. The 64-color ambient interior lighting became standard on N Line, N Line S, and Limited trims. The Kona's interior was practical, with ample storage solutions and comfortable seating options. The Limited trim offered additional features like a sunroof and powered liftgate.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, generating 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This drivetrain allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. Models with the Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD system featured hill descent control and up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance (8.3 inches for the TrailSport). The AWD system's torque vectoring allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel (75 percent in the TrailSport). The V6 provided good acceleration, but the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was not impressive, with an average of 20 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 21 mpg in combined driving. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, with a compliant suspension that benefited typical driving situations.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a choice between a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), and a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine generating 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The turbo engine provided a broader torque band, peaking from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm, offering adequate performance by class standards. All-wheel drive (AWD) was available across the lineup for an additional $1,500, providing active on-demand drive to the rear axle. AWD models featured a multi-link rear suspension setup for a more sophisticated ride and handling. The Kona's ride and handling prioritized competence in all situations, offering a balanced driving experience.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the front passenger seat in the Black Edition had limited adjustment options, which could be a drawback for long family road trips. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for creating captain's chairs. The third row was habitable for adults, though not particularly comfortable. The Pilot featured a remote engine starting system, triple-zone automatic climate control, and heated outboard second-row seats. The cargo space offered 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 48.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered 25.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats in place, expanding to 63.7 cubic feet when folded. The Kona's trunk featured a dual-level cargo floor, providing ample storage space. Rear legroom measured 38.2 inches, with 38.3 inches of headroom, ensuring comfort for most passengers. The front seats offered a generous range of movement, and the steering wheel was reach- and height-adjustable. The Kona's interior featured excellent storage solutions, with numerous shelves, trays, and cubbies. The SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience trims had cloth upholstery, while N Line S and N Line featured Alcantara sport seats, and Limited had H-Tex leatherette. Heating and ventilation options varied by trim, with dual-zone automatic climate control available on most trims.

The 2025 Honda Pilot featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, text-messaging support, and wireless smartphone charging. The Pilot also had a navigation system, HondaLink subscription services, Wi-Fi access, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. However, the wireless CarPlay function had issues, and the voice recognition system was inconsistent. The CabinTalk feature allowed the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers. The Pilot's technology met basic expectations but lacked a "wow factor."

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. SEL Convenience trim and above included wireless smartphone charging and Hyundai's digital key. The digital instrument cluster was available on SEL Convenience trim and above, providing a cohesive and customizable display. N Line and Limited trims featured an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system, while other trims had a six-speaker setup. Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity allowed for over-the-air software updates, ensuring features remained up to date.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came equipped with standard Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition test vehicle also had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system with TrailWatch technology. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems had some issues, affecting driver confidence. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, receiving a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its standard safety features, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, 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. Limited trim included parking assistance features. All Konas came with six airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Kona was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.