Hyundai Kona vs Rivian R1S: 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 $900 for the Rivian R1S. That $300 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,500 over five years and $2,400 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 94 and 77 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 Rivian R1S with no. Across 58 recorded Hyundai Kona configurations and 94 for the Rivian R1S, 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 Rivian R1S with 4-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-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.