2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle (EV) aesthetic in mind, evident in its sleek, modern appearance. The front grille closely resembled that of the Ioniq 5, featuring a single-piece design that has become synonymous with electric powertrains. The Kona showcased a "seamless horizon" design, with a slim LED headlight dominating the front. Despite its increased size, the Kona maintained its recognizable silhouette, with new design elements like the "parametric surface" on the doors and more pronounced black body cladding on the Essential and Preferred trims. The N Line trim, however, featured body-coloured wheel arches. Standard LED lighting and a seamless rear taillight added to its contemporary look. Inside, the Kona's cabin was updated with a driver-oriented centre stack, a relocated gear shift, and a curved display housing both driver-information and infotainment screens.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design cues with the Tundra pickup, such as hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model featuring chrome accents and a Celestial Silver finish, giving it a somewhat dated look. Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dash layout, with physical dials and buttons for climate control. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats and a power-tilt and -slide moonroof standard across the lineup. The Sequoia's interior design was functional, with a focus on comfort and practicality.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor's engine lineup, featuring a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine for the Essential and Preferred trims, and a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder for the N Line trims. The base engine produced 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The turbo engine delivered 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, now mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The N Line also included paddle shifters. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost on the Essential and Preferred trims, and standard on the N Line. Fuel economy varied depending on the drivetrain, with the N Line AWD consuming 9.7 L/100 km in the city, 8.3 on the highway, and 9.1 combined.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was offered exclusively as a hybrid, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain, which combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor. This setup produced 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, a significant increase over its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 11.7 L/100 km combined with four-wheel drive. In Canada, the Sequoia came standard with a part-time 4WD system, including a selector for 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD. The 10-speed automatic transmission provided smooth operation. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with several towing-related upgrades available. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-ready features like unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist technologies.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona's increased length was most noticeable in the rear seat and cargo area. Rear-seat legroom expanded to 970 millimetres, while headroom increased to 974 mm in the front and 972 mm in the rear with the sunroof. Cargo capacity grew significantly, offering 723 litres with the rear seats up and 1,803 litres with them folded down. The cabin featured a handy shelf on the passenger's side of the dash and a "guardrail" on the wireless charging pad. Seating options included cloth for Essential and Preferred trims, leatherette with the Preferred Trend package, and a leather/suede combination for N Line. Ventilated front seats were available on the N Line with the Ultimate package, a first for the Kona.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it provided 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on the seat position. The second-row seats were easy to move for access to the back row, and the third-row seats folded at the push of a button, though they did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom varied across the rows, with the third row being less comfortable for taller passengers. Legroom was generous in the first and second rows but limited in the third. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, offering comfort but lacking bolstering.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona featured several technological upgrades, including a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display across the lineup. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were integrated on all trims except the N Line with the Ultimate package, which required wired connections due to compatibility issues with the onboard navigation system. The Kona included a six-speaker audio system, with a Bose upgrade available on the N Line's Ultimate package. Dual 12.3-inch displays were standard on the N Line, and Hyundai's Bluelink connected services and a digital key feature were introduced for 2024.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim was equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashy design. A full-colour 12.3-inch driver information display was standard across all trims. The Panoramic View monitor was standard on the Platinum and Capstone trims, and a 10-inch colour head-up display was included on the Capstone. The Sequoia offered a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system on higher trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona came with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including standard Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. High-beam assist was standard, and adaptive cruise control was included from the Preferred trim. The N Line's Ultimate package added Surround View Monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist suite provided Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features, with smooth lane-keep assist and intuitive steering inputs.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite as standard across all trims, including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on the Platinum and Capstone trims. The Sequoia had not yet been rated by safety organizations, but its mechanically similar sibling, the Tundra, received a Top Safety Pick+ designation.