Honda Amaze 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.

Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic
ZAR 565,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Kona
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Kona
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Kona
Amaze starts ZAR 459900 cheaper Amaze from ZAR 254,900 · Kona from ZAR 459,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Amaze Kona
Engine Power 66 88
Torque 110 172
Engine Size 1199 998
Claimed Mileage 18.2 15.5
Ground Clearance 170 165
Boot Space 420 466
Airbags 2 6
Kerb Weight 980 1460
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Kona

58
/ 100
+12
pts
#2

Amaze

46
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Kona +3 pts
Efficiency Amaze +11 pts
Safety Kona +12 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Kona +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

Amaze

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amaze

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Kona

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amaze Kona
Ground Clearance 170 165
Wheelbase 2470 2660
Length 3995 4355
Width 1695 1825
Height 1498 1570
Kerb Weight 980 1460
Gross Vehicle Weight 1420 1850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 420 466
Towing Capacity 900 1000 kg (Unbraked)
Number of Doors 5 Available
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 Available
Front Track Width 1550 1561 mm
Rear Track Width 1540 1556 mm
Turning Radius Available 5.5 m
Load Bed Length Available Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Available Not Applicable
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 5
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amaze Kona
Engine 1.2L i-VTEC Petrol 1.0 T-GDI Turbo
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Petrol
Displacement 1199 998
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 12 (4 per cylinder)
Power 66 88
Torque 110 172
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 170 185
0-100 km/h 14.5 10.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Available
Engine Code Standard Available
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 9.9:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 Available
Piston Stroke 92.0 Available
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 5500
Torque @ RPM 400 1500
Turbocharger Available Yes
Engine Position Available Front
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Yes
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Inline
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Kona wins with 58 pts vs 46 pts for Amaze

In structured scoring, Kona emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amaze 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: Amaze 11 vs Kona 0. 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: Amaze 6, Kona 18. 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: Amaze 12, Kona 20. 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: Amaze 12, Kona 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amaze 5, Kona 8. 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 Amaze and Kona in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amaze scores 5 vs 8.

Efficiency: Amaze scores 11 vs 0.

Safety: Amaze scores 6 vs 18.

Practicality: Amaze scores 12 vs 12.

Ownership: Amaze scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Kona the advantage in this comparison.