2023 Ford Escape vs 2022 Hyundai Kona

The 2022 Hyundai Kona received a significant makeover, enhancing its overall sophistication. The model was 4 centimetres longer than its predecessor, featuring a revised grille, updated front and rear fascias, and enhanced LED lighting. The sporty new character lines, contrasted by lower body cladding, gave the Kona a more refined appearance. Inside, the instrument panel and centre console were separated to emphasize a horizontal layout, creating a wider and more spacious look. The addition of ambient lighting in the front cupholders and footwells added a touch of elegance. The introduction of the sporty N Line and Kona N trims brought unique styling elements, such as body-colour cladding and rocker panels, and exclusive interior features like black seats with red stitching and alloy sport pedals. The Kona N further elevated the sportiness with wide fenders, 19-inch alloy wheels, and N sport bucket seats.

The 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more European design language, moving away from the blocky exterior of its predecessors. The refresh included a more traditional front end with a stylish LED light bar and the Ford blue oval logo. Despite being the smallest vehicle in Ford's lineup, the Escape offered an upscale appearance, similar to a Mazda CX-5. The ST-Line Elite trim featured 19-inch wheels and body-colour mirror caps, enhancing its sleek design. Inside, the Escape boasted diamond-stitched leather upholstery, although it felt hard and plasticky. The seats were comfortable, with a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat for easy customization. The Escape's interior was a mix of plastic materials, with some areas feeling scratchy and poorly reinforced, but the overall design was practical and functional.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona offered a diverse range of powertrains, catering to different performance preferences. The Essential and Preferred trims featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The N Line trim stepped up the performance with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed DCT. The Kona N took it further with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, producing 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque, paired with an N eight-speed wet DCT. The Kona N included exclusive driving features like N Grin Shift and N Track Sense Shift, along with performance enhancements such as launch control and high-performance brakes. Our test vehicle, a Kona N Line with the 1.6-litre engine and AWD, provided ample power and agility, making it enjoyable to drive in various settings.

The 2023 Ford Escape differentiated itself with multiple powertrain options. The base engine was a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, offering 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with AWD. Despite the impressive output, the Escape's suspension remained soft and compliant, lacking performance tuning. The brakes provided predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors. The Escape's performance was suitable for everyday driving, but it didn't offer the same sporty feel as the Kona.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona, while compact, offered a comfortable front-seat experience with ample headroom and legroom. The N Line's front seats provided excellent support during spirited driving. However, rear-seat occupants faced challenges with small door openings and limited head- and legroom. The Kona's cargo space was tight, with 544 litres available with all seats up and 1,296 litres with the rear seats folded. Towing was not recommended, limiting its utility for larger loads.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable interior with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The front-door armrests and centre console were well-positioned, and the head-up display was easy to adjust. The Escape's cargo space was competitive, offering up to 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the seats folded. However, it fell short compared to segment leaders like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was slightly less than some competitors, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona introduced more tech features for the model year. The base Essential trim included an 8-inch display with Bluetooth connectivity, while the Preferred trim added SiriusXM and Hyundai BlueLink. The Kona N and N Line with the Ultimate Package featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation and an optional Harman Kardon audio system. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard with the base screen, while the larger screen required wired connections. The Kona's infotainment system was user-friendly, and Hyundai BlueLink offered connected services for added convenience.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology. Lower trims had an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims like the ST-Line Elite featured a 13.2-inch screen. Sync 4 was well-organized, with easy navigation between Android Auto and the native system. A wi-fi hotspot was available with a subscription. The system included a static "Home" button for easy access to various applications. While Sync 4 was slightly slow to respond, its feature set and layout were impressive. The audio system ranged from a standard six-speaker setup to an optional Bang & Olufsen system on higher trims.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona offered a basic driver aid menu, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and driver attention warning. Available features included adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning. The Kona received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in all IIHS crashworthiness tests. However, it did not achieve Top Safety Pick status due to a "Marginal" rating for child-seat anchors.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in frontal and side-crash tests. The IIHS awarded "Good" ratings in most tests, but the Escape received a "Marginal" score in the updated side-impact test. Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite included standard features like forward-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and lane-centring technology for a semi-autonomous driving experience.