2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2022 Nissan Rogue

The 2021 Hyundai Kona was a small SUV that combined a playful and unique exterior with a more subdued rear design. Its front featured a busy arrangement of lighting elements, including a grille flanked by lights, additional lights above, and fog lights on some trims. This quirky design appealed to younger buyers. Inside, the Kona maintained its fun vibe with neat seat patterns and standard cloth upholstery, while higher trims offered leather upgrades. The interior was well-organized, with a high-mounted infotainment touchscreen and intuitive climate controls, making it user-friendly despite its compact size.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, continued its mature styling from the previous year, aligning with other Nissan models like the Pathfinder. It featured a V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and a floating roof design. The Rogue's exterior was sleek, with active grille shutters and underbody covers for improved airflow. Inside, the Rogue boasted a sophisticated layered dash design with contrasting colours and surfaces. The centre console was notable for its electronic gear selector, providing more space, and the infotainment display was positioned for optimal driver visibility. The Rogue's interior was both attractive and comfortable, with ample space for passengers and high-quality materials, especially in the Platinum model.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona offered two powertrain options. The base model had a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged 1.6-litre engine delivered 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard on lower trims, with all-wheel drive available, while higher trims came with AWD as standard. Although neither engine was particularly powerful, they provided sufficient performance for city and highway driving. The Kona's handling was agile and engaging, with a comfortable ride on curvy roads. Fuel consumption ratings were 8.6/7.0/7.9 L/100 km city/highway/combined for the base engine with FWD, and 9.0/8.0/8.6 L/100 km for the turbo engine with AWD.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a performance boost with its new 1.5-litre VC-Turbo engine, producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. This was a significant improvement over the previous model's engine. The Rogue's fuel efficiency was impressive, with ratings of 7.8/6.5/7.2 L/100 km city/highway/combined for FWD, and slightly higher for AWD. The new CVT transmission offered wider gear ratios, enhancing acceleration and responsiveness. The Rogue's chassis and suspension provided a smooth and controlled ride, with minimal body roll and good steering feel. The turning diameter was a tight 10.8 metres, making it manoeuvrable in various driving situations.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona provided decent headroom and legroom for front-seat passengers, with controls and displays easily accessible. The front seats were wide and well-padded but lacked support for spirited driving. Rear-seat passengers had good headroom but limited legroom, and large rear-facing car seats could be challenging for taller front passengers. The Kona's cargo space was limited compared to competitors, though the rear seats could be folded to increase capacity. Small-item storage was generous, with large door pockets and a spacious centre console area.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior space and storage options. The front cabin featured numerous storage compartments, including bottle holders, cupholders, a glove compartment, and a centre console bin. Rear-seat passengers had storage in the doors and seatbacks, along with USB ports for device charging. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench. The Rogue's cargo area was impressive, offering up to 1,033 litres of space, expandable to 2,098 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona came equipped with an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth, six speakers, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Optional features included SiriusXM radio, navigation, a Harman Kardon audio system, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a colourful and responsive interface. Wireless smartphone connectivity was a significant advantage, though the larger touchscreen did not support it.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured a technology upgrade with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display on upper trims. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on higher trims. ProPilot Assist, a hands-on driver-assist system, was available, integrating with the navigation system for proactive speed adjustments. Nissan’s Intelligent Key allowed for convenient keyless entry, enhancing the Rogue's family-friendly appeal.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision avoidance assist, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and cruise control. AWD models had blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional upgrades included lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite, with standard features like automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It had ten airbags and extended crumple zones for passive safety. ProPilot Assist offered advanced driver-assist capabilities, including steering-assist and adaptive cruise control. The Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.