Compare the2024 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2024 Toyota Mirai

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kona Electric are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Mirai doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kona Electric has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Mirai.

Both the Kona Electric and the Mirai have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona Electric the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mirai has not been tested, yet.

The Kona Electric comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Mirai’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Mirai. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Mirai ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona Electric’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Mirai’s (7 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

The Kona Electric SEL/Limited’s standard electric motor produces 19 more horsepower (201 vs. 182) than the Mirai’s electric motor.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the Mirai:

For better stopping power the Kona Electric’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Mirai:

The Kona Electric has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Mirai doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the Mirai’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.5 feet).

The Hyundai Kona Electric may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 700 pounds less than the Toyota Mirai.

The Kona Electric is 2 feet shorter than the Mirai, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Kona Electric uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Mirai doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona Electric has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mirai.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Kona Electric’s rear seats recline. The Mirai’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Kona Electric’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Mirai doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Kona Electric Limited’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Kona Electric’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Mirai doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona Electric has a standard rear wiper. The Mirai doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

On extremely cold winter days, the Kona Electric Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Mirai doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Kona Electric Limited’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Mirai Limited’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Toyota Mirai by almost 29 to one during 2023.