Hyundai Kona vs Subaru Solterra: 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 $650 for the Subaru Solterra. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $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 versus highway split: the Hyundai Kona is the stronger commuter at 134 mpg city, while the Subaru Solterra pulls ahead on the interstate at 109 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Kona is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (2.0, SIDI, with Stop-Start), the Subaru Solterra with no. Across 58 recorded Hyundai Kona configurations and 10 for the Subaru Solterra, 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 Subaru Solterra with 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 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.