Ford Everest 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.

Ford Everest in South Africa

Ford Everest

3.0TD V6 Platinum 10AT 4WD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,099,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 405 Nm ⛽ 14.0 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 Everest
Fuel Economy Everest
🛡 Safety Everest
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Kona
Kona starts ZAR 750000 cheaper Everest from ZAR 750,000 · Kona from ZAR 459,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Everest Kona
Engine Power 125 88
Torque 405 172
Engine Size 1996 998
Claimed Mileage 14.0 15.5
Ground Clearance 220 165
Boot Space 259 466
Airbags 7 6
Kerb Weight 2305 1460
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 4 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Everest

68
/ 100
+10
pts
#2

Kona

58
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Everest +5 pts
Efficiency Everest +7 pts
Safety Everest +2 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Kona +4 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Everest

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 16/20

Kona

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Everest

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Kona

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Everest

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Kona

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Everest Kona
Ground Clearance 220 165
Wheelbase 2900 2660
Length 4914 4355
Width 1923 1825
Height 1842 1570
Kerb Weight 2305 1460
Gross Vehicle Weight 3100 1850 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 259 466
Towing Capacity 3500 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 Everest Kona
Engine 2.0L Single Turbo Diesel 1.0 T-GDI Turbo
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbocharged Petrol
Displacement 1996 998
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 12 (4 per cylinder)
Power 125 88
Torque 405 172
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 180 185
0-100 km/h 11.5 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?

🏆 Ford Everest wins with 68 pts vs 58 pts for Kona

In structured scoring, Everest emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Kona 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 Everest 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: Everest 7 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: Everest 20, 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: Everest 16, 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: Everest 12, Kona 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Everest 13, 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 Everest edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Everest scores 13 vs 8.

Efficiency: Everest scores 7 vs 0.

Safety: Everest scores 20 vs 18.

Practicality: Everest scores 12 vs 12.

Ownership: Everest scores 16 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Everest the advantage in this comparison.