2024 Hyundai Kona vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2024 Hyundai Kona was designed with an electric vehicle aesthetic in mind, evident in its sleek, grille-less front that mirrors the Ioniq 5. The SUV featured a "seamless horizon" styling with a prominent LED headlight strip across the front. Despite its increased length, the Kona maintained its recognizable silhouette, with new design elements like the "parametric surface" on the doors and more pronounced black body cladding on various trims. The rear also showcased a seamless horizon with a single taillight spanning the vehicle's width. Inside, the Kona's cabin was updated with a driver-oriented center stack, a relocated gear shift, and a curved display housing both driver-information and infotainment screens.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender, particularly the 110 four-door model, struck a balance in design, offering a rugged yet customizable appearance. Base prices ranged significantly, with the Defender OCTA priced at $153,625. The test vehicle, a Defender 130 in X trim, included features like the Extended Black Exterior Pack and off-roading technology. It swapped standard 22-inch wheels for 20-inch ones with Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. The interior of the Defender X was upgraded with premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, offering a blend of luxury and practicality. The cabin maintained an industrial theme, focusing on quality materials and a purposeful design.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona retained its predecessor's engine lineup, featuring a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for the SE and SEL trims, producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The N-Line and Limited trims boasted a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, now coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters were available on the N-Line and Limited trims. The Kona offered standard front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option, affecting fuel economy slightly. During a test drive, the Kona Limited and N-Line demonstrated intuitive steering and nimble handling, though pickup was somewhat slow even with the turbo engine.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender's test vehicle featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, paired with a mild-hybrid system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Defender 130 X accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and had a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. It came with an adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes. Off-road capabilities were impressive, with the Defender handling challenging terrains with ease. On-road, the Defender 130 offered a comfortable ride, though its weight and steering limited its agility on twisty roads. Fuel economy was lower than expected, with an observed 16.2 mpg.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona's increased length translated to more rear-seat legroom at 38.2 inches and a cargo capacity of 25.5 cubic feet with the seats up, expanding to 63.7 cubic feet with them folded. The interior featured a handy shelf on the passenger's side and a guardrail on the wireless charging pad. Seating options included cloth for SE and SEL trims, a leather/suede combination for N-Line, and H-Tex leatherette for Limited. Ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard on the Limited trim.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 offered three rows of seating, with the front seats providing 12-way power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. Visibility was excellent, though the side mirrors seemed undersized. The Defender featured a panoramic sunroof and a fixed glass panel over the third row, enhancing the open feel. Storage was ample in the front but less accommodating in the rear. The third-row seat was heated and spacious, while the cargo area offered 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 89 cubic feet with all seats folded. The side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, though a button allowed for lowering the air suspension for easier loading.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona came with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen standard across all trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available on lower trims initially, pending an OTA update for higher trims. The Kona featured a Bose stereo system, dual 12.3-inch screens on higher trims, and Hyundai's Bluelink connected services with a lifetime subscription.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system showed improved performance, with accurate voice command responses and an intuitive user experience. The Defender also included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system. The test vehicle had the optional Towing Pack with a hands-free trailer reverse-steering system.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, including Safe Exit Warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. High-beam assist was standard, with adaptive cruise control and additional monitoring features on higher trims. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist provided smooth lane-keeping assistance.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender included automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. The system operated smoothly, though it occasionally struggled in heavy traffic. Crash-test ratings were unavailable, as low-volume models like the Defender are typically not tested by NHTSA or IIHS.