Hyundai Kona vs Polestar 3: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Kona burns about $600 of fuel annually against $800 for the Polestar 3. That $200 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,000 over five years and $1,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Hyundai Kona leads in both cycles — 134 mpg city and 108 mpg highway against 105 and 89 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Kona is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (2.0, SIDI, with Stop-Start), the Polestar 3 with no. Across 58 recorded Hyundai Kona configurations and 12 for the Polestar 3, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Hyundai Kona is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Polestar 3 with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.