2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Cadillac Escalade

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle (EV) focus, evident in its sleek, modern appearance. The front grille resembled that of the Ioniq 5, featuring a single-piece design that signified its electric powertrain. 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 creased "parametric surface" doors and more pronounced black body cladding on the Essential and Preferred trims. The N Line trim featured body-coloured wheel arches. Standard LED lighting, including a rear taillight spanning the vehicle's width, and varying wheel sizes from 17 to 19 inches, added to its updated look. Inside, the Kona's cabin was revamped with a driver-oriented centre stack, a relocated gear shift, and a curved display housing driver-information and infotainment screens.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, known for its luxury, continued to embody old-school Cadillac opulence. The updated design further distinguished it from its Chevrolet and GMC counterparts. The most significant exterior change was a new front end, aligning the gasoline Escalade with Cadillac's EVs. Vertical headlights and tall taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs, along with available 24-inch wheels, emphasized its grandeur. Cadillac offered various trim levels, including the performance-focused Escalade-V. Inside, the Escalade featured a screen-centric design with a 55-inch OLED display spanning the dashboard. The interior boasted high-quality materials, with options for leather upholstery and curated interior motifs. The Premium Luxury Platinum model impressed with its Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing Cadillac's attention to detail.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor's engine lineup, featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine for the Essential and Preferred trims, producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The N Line trim boasted a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, now coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters were included with the N Line. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $2,000 on Essential and Preferred trims and standard on the N Line. Fuel economy varied, with the N Line AWD consuming 9.7 L/100 km city, 8.3 highway, and 9.1 combined.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade dropped the Duramax turbodiesel option, leaving the 6.2-litre V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The Escalade-V featured a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 with 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All models had a 10-speed automatic transmission, ensuring smooth power delivery. In Canada, 4WD was standard, with the Escalade-V offering a performance-oriented AWD system. Most trims included an electronic rear limited-slip differential and a two-speed transfer case. Magnetic Ride Control damping was standard on all but the base Luxury grade, enhancing ride quality. Despite its power, the Escalade's brakes lacked confidence, with Brembo six-piston front calipers available in a costly Performance Upgrade Package.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona's increased length significantly improved rear-seat legroom, offering 970 mm, and cargo capacity, expanding to 723 litres with seats up and 1,803 litres with them folded. The cabin featured a handy shelf on the passenger's side and a "guardrail" on the wireless charging pad. Seating options included cloth, leatherette, and a leather/suede combination, with ventilated front seats available on the N Line with the Ultimate package. Heated front seats were standard in Canada, with a heated steering wheel available from the Preferred trim.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered short and long-wheelbase configurations, with the ESV model providing additional cargo space and third-row legroom. Seating for up to eight was available, with captain's chairs reducing capacity to seven. The Escalade boasted ample interior space, with best-in-class first-row headroom and legroom. Cargo capacity was impressive, with the standard model offering 722 litres behind the rear seats and up to 3,412 litres with seats folded. The ESV model further increased cargo space. Towing capacity was competitive, though Cadillac lacked some of Lincoln's towing features.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona featured a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all trims except the N Line with the Ultimate package. A Bose stereo system was included with the N Line's Ultimate package. The Kona offered dual 12.3-inch displays on the N Line, OTA update capability, and Hyundai's Bluelink connected services. A digital key feature was introduced in Canada.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade combined traditional engineering with a high-tech interface, featuring a 55-inch door-to-door display and a 19-speaker AKG audio system, with a 36-speaker version available. The Escalade retained standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a hard button for vehicle operation. The optional Executive Second Row Package added 12.6-inch screens, dual wireless chargers, and upgraded seats with massage and headrest speakers.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona included standard Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. High-beam assist and adaptive cruise control were standard from the Preferred trim, with the N Line's Ultimate package adding Surround View Monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist impressed with its smooth lane-keep assist.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera system. GM's Safety Alert Seat provided warnings through vibrations. Super Cruise, GM's hands-free driving system, was included, though crash test ratings were unavailable at the time of writing.