2025 Lexus RX Hybrid vs 2025 Hyundai Kona

The 2025 Hyundai Kona retained its distinctive appearance from the previous year, ensuring it stood out in the crossover class. Its design featured a largely flush, single-piece grille and ultra-slim LED light bars at the front and rear, giving even the gas-powered models a futuristic look. While not traditionally handsome, the Kona's design elements came together in a way that was visually satisfying. The newer model was noticeably larger, about 15 centimetres longer, which enhanced its interior space and gave it a more assertive stance. The Kona N Line, with its sportier design, body-coloured bumpers, and cladding, further emphasized this assertiveness. The interior remained unchanged from 2024, offering a solid and airy feel with ample tech features.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid, particularly the RX 500h F Sport Black Line, was a $90,000 SUV that, despite its price, had an unremarkable appearance. Its exclusive Incognito paint job and orange brake calipers added some flair, but the overall design was not striking. The RX lineup included three models: the RX 350h, RX 500h, and RX 450h+, each offering different power and efficiency levels. The RX 500h stood out with its turbocharged engine and sport-tuned features, but the design remained dependent on the version and colour/wheel combination. Inside, the RX offered a contemporary interior with quality materials and ambient lighting, though some ergonomic controls were less intuitive.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered two gas-powered engine options. The Essential and Preferred trims featured a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). This setup prioritized fuel efficiency but lacked in performance. The Kona N Line, however, came with a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This provided a more muscular performance, although it could feel flat at low revs. All-wheel drive was available for an additional cost on the Essential and Preferred trims and standard on the N Line, enhancing the vehicle's handling and ride quality.

In contrast, the 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid offered three models with varying performance levels. The RX 350h, the least powerful, had a hybrid powertrain producing 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, focusing on efficiency. The RX 450h+ PHEV offered 304 hp and a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds, with a plug-in hybrid system. The RX 500h, with a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine, delivered 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds. It featured a sport-tuned adaptive damping suspension and advanced AWD system, providing a rewarding driving experience. However, its fuel efficiency was lower than expected, and the drivetrain occasionally hesitated in city driving.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered impressive cargo capacity, with 723 litres available with the rear seats in place and 1,803 litres when folded. Rear legroom was adequate, and the front seats provided a comfortable range of movement. The interior featured excellent storage options, with various shelves and compartments. The Essential and Preferred trims had cloth upholstery, while the Trend package added leatherette, and the N Line featured Alcantara sport seats. Heated front seats were standard, with additional features like a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats available on higher trims.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid focused on occupant comfort and practical cargo space. The RX 500h's front seats, while snug, were not very comfortable for long drives. The rear seats, however, were spacious and comfortable, with optional power-reclining, heated, and ventilated features. The RX offered 838 litres of cargo space, expandable to 1,308 litres with the rear seats folded. Interior storage was practical, though some compartments lacked lining, causing potential noise issues. The RX's hands-free power liftgate and cargo area features added convenience, though the cargo cover could be cumbersome when loading larger items.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona featured a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, offering wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Higher trims included wireless smartphone charging and Hyundai's digital key. The N Line trim boasted a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, enhancing customization and cohesion. Audiophiles could upgrade to an eight-speaker Bose audio system, while all trims came with SiriusXM. Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity allowed for over-the-air software updates, ensuring features remained current.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid met luxury expectations with high-tech features. The RX 500h F Sport Black Line included digital key functionality, a camera-based digital rearview mirror, and a hands-free power liftgate. The Lexus Interface infotainment system featured a 14-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a cloud-based navigation system. However, the steering wheel controls were distracting and challenging to use. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system provided excellent sound quality, though some infotainment glitches were noted during testing.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its comprehensive safety features, even on base models. Standard equipment included Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and more. Higher trims added advanced features like Highway Driving Assist and a Blind Spot View Monitor. The Kona's safety credentials were further bolstered by its Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid offered Safety Connect, providing automatic collision notification and emergency assistance. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 included advanced driver assistance systems like forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Proactive Driving Assist monitored forward progress, while a surround-view camera was available. The RX received a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, though the IIHS rated it poorly in some tests. Some safety features, like Traffic Jam Assist, raised privacy concerns.