On these 3 points, cheap Hyundai Kona beats expensive Volvo EX40

This test of the Volvo EX40 and the Hyundai Kona Electric is a shortened version of the extensive comparison in Auto Review 8. Buy the magazine now in the supermarket, bookstore or in our webshop.

To start with: 12,000 euros cheaper

In this test we choose the versions with the largest battery pack. For that you pay considerably more at Volvo than at Hyundai. The Kona costs ‘only’ 39,995 euros and is therefore 12,000 euros cheaper than the EX40. Until the end of the year you also get almost 3000 euros purchase subsidy and the price difference is even bigger.

If you really want a Volvo, you can also get into the EX40 for 45,995 euros. Then you do get a slightly smaller battery. You don’t have to worry about a road tax assessment until 31 December.

Point 1: Kona is more spacious than the EX40

The exterior of the new Hyundai Kona may look extravagant, but underneath it lies an interior that is actually very rational. The Kona is much more spacious in both the front and the back than the Volvo, which scores extra minuses because of its wide dashboard, the high and wide center tunnel and the optional panoramic roof.

What both cars offer is a usable and easily accessible luggage space. The Kona is slightly larger, and the Korean’s loading capacity is higher.

Point 2: The operation is better

Also all praise for the operation of the Kona. Thanks to the physical buttons that you immediately understand what they are for, you quickly get used to it. On the other hand, the diligently beeping assistance systems are bloody annoying, which you have to switch off again and again in a menu with multiple actions.

The seating comfort in both the Hyundai and the Volvo is neat. In the front you sit more comfortably in the EX40, but in the back the seating position in the Kona is nicer and your legs are better supported.

Point 3: The Hyundai drives better and faster

On the test track, the characters of the two test cars are miles apart. The Volvo is the sportier of the two at low speeds. But as soon as you get to the limit, everything changes. That’s when the typical Swedish character of the Volvo comes into play: safety first. The non-switchable ESP is adamant and nips every sporty outburst in the bud. If necessary with powerful interventions.

The Hyundai Kona offers considerably more play space and is quicker to steer through corner combinations, which ultimately results in a faster circuit lap.

Conclusion

All praise for the Hyundai Kona. It is very close on the heels of the Volvo EX40 and in some areas even performs better. Its biggest – and not unimportant – advantage is its price. For 12,000 euros less you get a car that is hardly inferior to its more expensive Swedish competitor in most aspects.

You can read the full comparative test in Auto Review 8You can buy the magazine in the supermarket, the bookstore or in our webshop.