2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Subaru Forester

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle aesthetic in mind, evident in its sleek, modern appearance. The front grille resembled that of the Ioniq 5, featuring a single-piece design that highlighted its electric powertrain roots. The front end was dominated by a slim LED headlight, creating a seamless horizon effect similar to the new Sonata. Despite its increased length, the Kona maintained its recognizable silhouette, with new creased door surfaces and more angular black body cladding on lower trims. The N Line trim stood out with body-coloured wheel arches. Standard LED lighting and varying wheel sizes added to its contemporary look. Inside, the 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 2025 Subaru Forester focused on practicality and capability, though it received a notable styling update. The design was smoothed out, resulting in a more generic appearance. Standard steering-responsive LED headlights and a new grille design created an integrated shield effect. The Forester Sport featured bronze trim accents and 19-inch wheels, while higher trims included a low-profile roof rack. The Forester maintained its large-greenhouse shape but introduced geometric wheel arches and a more decisive window shape. The interior offered cloth upholstery with contrast stitching, while higher trims featured leather seating. The cabin had a more intentional design, with structural dash elements enhancing its appeal.

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. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost. Fuel economy varied slightly across trims, with the N Line AWD consuming 9.7 L/100 km in the city. The Kona's intuitive steering and nimble handling were appreciated during test drives.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-litre Boxer four-cylinder engine across all trims, delivering 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. It came with a Lineartonic CVT and standard Symmetrical AWD. The Forester's engine was quieter than expected, with minimal noise at cruising speeds. Subaru's X-Mode system, standard in Canada, enhanced stability and traction on challenging terrain. The Forester's performance was stable and confident on various surfaces, though acceleration was modest. Fuel economy was rated at 9.1 L/100 km city, 7.2 highway, and 8.2 combined.

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 enhanced storage, including a handy dash shelf and a guardrail on the wireless charging pad. Seating options ranged from cloth to leather/suede, with ventilated front seats available on the N Line with the Ultimate package.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced a hands-free power liftgate and increased cargo space to 779 litres with seats up and 1,957 litres with them folded. The cargo area included heavy-duty hooks, and the roomy second row provided ample space for passengers. Interior features included a dark headliner, heated front seats, and power-adjustable seating on higher trims. The Forester Premier added front-row seat ventilation.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display standard across all trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, except on the N Line with the Ultimate package. The Kona featured a Bose stereo system, multiple USB-C ports, and dual 12.3-inch displays on the N Line. Hyundai's Bluelink connected services and a digital key feature were also included.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced an 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus infotainment system on all but the base trim, with wireless smartphone integration. The base model had dual 7-inch touchscreens. Higher trims included a navigation system, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, and additional USB ports. Subaru's Starlink connected services offered new capabilities like Valet Mode and Remote Vehicle Configuration.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was equipped with advanced safety features, including 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. The N Line's Ultimate package added Surround View Monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist suite provided smooth lane-keep assist.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured Emergency Stop Assist on higher trims, along with adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Subaru's EyeSight suite included enhancements like a wider field of view and an electric brake booster. While crash-test ratings were pending, the 2024 model had received high safety ratings, suggesting confidence in the new model's safety.