There are two clear standouts in the race to be the best fully electric vehicle option. The Nissan Leaf is a classic that continues to be iterated upon and is the lowest-priced EV on the market. The Hyundai Kona is a solid semi-luxury choice with an incredible range and great internal features. So which is better? Here we will explore both vehicles and put them head to head in everything from motors and range to safety features.
Engines, Range, And Charging
The range and available engine options are the first and most significant differences between the Leaf and Kona. In terms of distance on a single charge, the Kona has a 64 kWh battery and gets 258 miles of range. On the other hand, the Leaf plus (the larger of two batteries available) is only 62 kWh with an EPA range of 226 miles. The smallest and cheapest battery on the Leaf tops out at 148 miles of range.
The difference in range and how it affects you will ultimately come down to how you intend to use the vehicle. While most Americans will charge their car at home, the difference is negligible. However, you will need to plan more carefully for road trips with the Leaf's shorter range yet comparable charge times.
Price, Maintenance Costs, And Overall Expenses
Due to their nature as electric vehicles, both the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona have reduced maintenance costs over their lifetimes. Entirely electric vehicles require fewer visits to a mechanic and do not need oil changes due to the reduced number of moving parts. Additionally, they have near instantaneous torque and offer superb handling while not wearing down as quickly as other traditional gas-powered counterparts.
So what about the base price? There the Nissan Leaf takes the crown. Even the highest-end model of the Leaf, the Plus, is roughly $5,000 cheaper than the baseline Hyundai Kona. Further, a preowned baseline model of the Nissan Leaf is amongst the lowest price fully electric car on the market and often beats out the competition by over $5,000 on other used vehicles.
Verdict
There is an argument for both the Leaf and the Kona. The pair are different vehicles that each will appeal to buyers depending on needs and what is the most important. Both cars are roughly equal in cargo capacity, headroom, and passenger space. As for safety and driver assistance, Nissan's ProPilot® system is the best on the market and offers more standard safety features than are available on the Hyundai Kona. For the price, the Nissan Leaf makes each dollar go farther; however, it does suffer in terms of a shorter range and smaller motor.
To conclude, the Nissan Leaf is the obvious choice if you use your EV to get to and from work or around the city. When the shorter range is not an issue and charging will mostly be done at home, it provides a similar driving experience for the Hyundai Kona while being priced at a far more reasonable level. Additionally, the Leaf has the best-preowned prices on the market, meaning that this comparison carries over several model year generations.
Test Drive A New Or Preowned Nissan Leaf At Charlie Clark Nissan Harlingen
Our team of sales and maintenance experts are happy to answer any questions and address comments or concerns you may have about any Nissan vehicles. Check out our up-to-date inventory of new and pre-owned vehicles online. Come on in and take a look, or call and reserve a test drive today by dialing (956) 303-8719.
