Hyundai ALCAZAR vs Hyundai Kona

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Kona
Hyundai ALCAZAR in South Africa

Hyundai ALCAZAR

1.5D Elite AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 669,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 565,900 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance ALCAZAR
Fuel Economy ALCAZAR
🛡 Safety Kona
📦 Practicality Kona
🔑 Ownership Tie
Kona starts ZAR 499900 cheaper ALCAZAR from ZAR 499,900 · Kona from ZAR 459,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec ALCAZAR Kona
Engine Power 85 kW 88 kW
Torque 250 Nm 172 Nm
Engine Size 1493 cc 998 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.9 km/l 15.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 165 mm
Boot / Load Bay 180 l 466 l
Airbags Driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags 6
Kerb Weight 1445 kg 1460 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Kona has a slight advantage, but ALCAZAR remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance ALCAZAR +4 pts
Efficiency ALCAZAR +8 pts
Safety Kona +64 pts
Practicality Kona +3 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

ALCAZAR

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

ALCAZAR

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Kona

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec ALCAZAR Kona
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2018
Generation Current South African ALCAZAR listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Second generation launched globally in 2023 and brought to SA; softened styling compared to the sharper first gen, improved interior quality and tech
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed
Body Style Seven-seat SUV Not confirmed
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Spec ALCAZAR Kona
Ground Clearance 200 mm 165 mm
Wheelbase 2760 mm 2660 mm
Length 4560 mm 4355 mm
Width 1800 mm 1825 mm
Height 1710 mm 1570 mm
Kerb Weight 1445 kg 1460 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2090 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 180 l 466 l
Towing Capacity - Not confirmed
Front Track Width - Not confirmed
Rear Track Width - Not confirmed
Turning Radius - Not confirmed
Load Bed Length 180 l 466 l
Load Bed Width - Not confirmed
Front Legroom - Not confirmed
Rear Legroom - Not confirmed
Front Headroom - Not confirmed
Rear Headroom - Not confirmed
Front Shoulder Room - Not confirmed
Rear Shoulder Room - Not confirmed
Boot Space Seats Folded 180 l Not confirmed
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 645 kg Not confirmed
Boot Volume 180 l 466 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 50 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2090 kg Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Max 200 mm 165 mm
Ground Clearance Min 200 mm 165 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 200 mm 165 mm
Height Mm 1710 mm 1570 mm
Length Mm 4560 mm 4355 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 180 l 466 l
Loadbox Width Mm - Not confirmed
Payload Kg 645 kg Not confirmed
Cargo Volume 180 l 466 l
Tare Mass Kg 1445 kg 1460 kg
Turning Circle - Not confirmed
Turning Circle M - Not confirmed
Width Mm 1800 mm 1825 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Kona leads by 13 points

Kona has a slight advantage, but ALCAZAR remains highly competitive.

Winner 65 /100
Lead 13 points
Data 88% confidence
65
#1 Winner

Kona

88% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 60
Safety 92
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Leads by 13 points
52
#2

ALCAZAR

79% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 68 Check Safety 28
Performance 44
Efficiency 68
Safety 28
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance ALCAZAR +4 Efficiency ALCAZAR +8 Safety Kona +64 Practicality Kona +3 Ownership Level

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 60/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

ALCAZAR

Performance 44/100
Efficiency 68/100
Safety 28/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Kona wins with 65 pts vs 52 pts for ALCAZAR

In structured scoring, Kona emerges as the stronger overall package. However, ALCAZAR may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Kona edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: ALCAZAR 68 vs Kona 60. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: ALCAZAR 28, Kona 92. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: ALCAZAR 65, Kona 65. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: ALCAZAR 64, Kona 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: ALCAZAR 44, Kona 40. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Kona edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Kona scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between ALCAZAR and Kona in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: ALCAZAR scores 44 vs 40.

Efficiency: ALCAZAR scores 68 vs 60.

Safety: ALCAZAR scores 28 vs 92.

Practicality: ALCAZAR scores 64 vs 67.

Ownership: ALCAZAR scores 65 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives Kona the advantage in this comparison.