Compare the2027 Chevrolet Equinox VS 2026 Hyundai Kona

The Chevrolet Equinox offers an optional Surround Vision and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Hyundai Kona doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Equinox and the Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, available all-wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Kona:

	Equinox	Kona
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	80	251
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.06 in	1.1 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.57 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.57 in	2.09 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.3 in	1.61 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	736 lbs.	759 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 53 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (175 vs. 147) and 71 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 132) than the Kona SE/SEL Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 195) than the Kona SEL Premium/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Chevrolet Equinox is faster than the Kona SE/SEL Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Equinox	Kona
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.8 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9.1 sec	9.8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.5 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	17.1 sec	17.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84 MPH	82 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Kona SEL Premium/Limited AWD (25 city/29 hwy vs. 25 city/28 hwy).

The Equinox’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona’s standard fuel tank (14.8 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona 1.6T’s standard fuel tank (15.6 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Kona doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system or a tether to prevent losing the cap.

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

	Equinox	Kona
Front Rotors	11.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.3 inches	11.2 inches

The Equinox stops shorter than the Kona:

	Equinox	Kona
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the Equinox has larger tires than the Kona (235/65R17 vs. 215/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox RS offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Kona’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Equinox 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 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Chevrolet Equinox has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the Kona (107.5 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Equinox is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Kona.

The Equinox RS AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the Kona SEL Premium HTRAC AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Kona doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona (104.3 vs. 101.2).

The Equinox has .1 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume than the Kona with its rear seat up (29.8 vs. 25.5 cubic feet).

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

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

The Equinox ACTIV/RS’ 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 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Kona does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Kona SEL/Limited’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Equinox’s standard Keyless Access allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Proximity Key standard on the Kona doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear doors.

The Equinox’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Kona’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Equinox’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kona’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Kona SEL/Limited.

When the Equinox ACTIV/RS 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Equinox has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Kona SEL/Limited. The Equinox ACTIV/RS also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kona.

The Equinox 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 Limited.

Both the Equinox and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Equinox has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kona doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Hyundai Kona by over four to one during 2025.