2025 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in Canada in several trims, including Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was the most affordable, but it lacked many appealing amenities, making the leather-lined EX-L a recommended upgrade. Prices ranged from $55,486 to $67,236, including destination charges and dealer fees. The U.S. version of the Pilot Black Edition was evaluated, featuring black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it boasted black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. The Black Edition's custom look was more suited for suburban environments, while the TrailSport trim offered added off-roading capability. The Pilot's interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital driver display and infotainment system appeared dated.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona retained its visual appeal from the 2024 model, with a futuristic look thanks to its flush grille and ultra-slim LED light bars. The Kona's design featured curves, bulges, and sharp angles that collided in a satisfactory manner. The newer model was about 15 centimetres longer, providing more interior space and a more assertive stance. The Kona N Line had a sportier design with body-coloured bumpers and cladding. Other trims, Essential and Preferred, added visual enhancements with larger alloy wheels. The interior remained unchanged from 2024, offering a solid and airy feel with enough tech to impress. The Trend package on the Preferred trim or the N Line offered additional features like a sunroof and powered liftgate.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, generating 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This drivetrain allowed the Pilot to tow up to 2,268 kilograms. It offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. In Canada, all Pilots came with Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management AWD system, providing hill descent control and up to 18.5 centimetres of ground clearance. The AWD system featured torque vectoring, allowing up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel. The Pilot's V6 engine provided good acceleration, though the transmission sometimes felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was not impressive, with city driving averaging 15.9 litres per 100 kilometres. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, with a compliant suspension that benefited typical driving situations.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a choice between a fully electric drivetrain and gas-powered models. The Essential and Preferred trims featured a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission. The Kona N Line had a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. AWD was available on the Essential and Preferred trims and standard on the N Line. AWD models had a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension setup. The Kona's ride and handling were competent, with the turbo engine providing adequate performance by class standards.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the Black Edition's front passenger seat had limited adjustment options, which could be a deal-breaker for long trips. The second-row seats were roomy, with features like smartphone holders and rear side window shades. The third row was habitable for adults if the second row slid forward. The Pilot offered 635 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 3,219 litres with both rear rows folded. A hands-free power tailgate and a large storage well under the load floor added convenience.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered 723 litres of cargo capacity with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,803 litres when folded. Rear legroom was adequate, with 970 millimetres of space. The front seats provided a generous range of movement, and the steering wheel was adjustable. The Kona's interior featured excellent storage options, with numerous shelves and cubbies. The Essential and Preferred trims had cloth upholstery, while the Trend package added leatherette, and the N Line had Alcantara sport seats. Heated front seats were standard, with ventilated seats available on higher trims. Climate control options ranged from basic single-zone air conditioning to dual-zone automatic climate control.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology appeared dated, with smaller display screens compared to rivals. The Black Edition featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. However, the wireless CarPlay function had issues, and the voice recognition system was hit-and-miss. The Bose audio system was adequate but not exceptional. The Pilot's CabinTalk feature allowed the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. The N Line trim had a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, providing more customization options. The N Line with the Ultimate package offered an eight-speaker Bose audio system and built-in navigation. Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity allowed for over-the-air software updates.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came with a comprehensive suite of standard Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. However, the adaptive cruise control had issues in traffic, and the lane-centring assist system affected steering feel. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, with a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its standard safety features, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Blind-Spot Collision Warning. Higher trims added advanced features like Highway Driving Assist and Blind Spot View Monitor. The Kona was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.