Hyundai Kona vs Hyundai Palisade

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.

Historical comparison

Every selected record is historical. Verified South African specifications and last-listed prices remain available for owners and used-car shoppers.

Hyundai Kona Discontinued model Hyundai Palisade Discontinued model
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 565,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai Palisade in South Africa

Hyundai Palisade

2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater Diesel Discontinued model
ZAR 1,204,500 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 142 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 8.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Kona vs Hyundai Palisade: the short answer

Palisade has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Recorded price context Kona: last listed from ZAR 459,900 · Palisade: last listed from ZAR 1,204,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Kona Palisade
Maximum Power Kona88 kW @ 5500 rpm Palisade142 kW
Maximum Torque Kona172 Nm @ 1500 rpm Palisade440 Nm
Engine Size Kona998 cc Palisade2199 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Kona15.5 km/l Palisade8.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Kona165 mm Palisade203 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Hyundai Kona 1.0T DCT Executive

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

Evidence for Hyundai Palisade 2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater

Source type: South Africa

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Kona

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

Palisade

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Palisade

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

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 Kona Palisade
Model Introduced Year 2018 Not confirmed
Generation Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved Not confirmed
Facelift History Second generation launched globally in 2023 and brought to SA; softened styling compared to the sharper first gen, improved interior quality and tech Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 1952 kg
Body Style Not confirmed Seven-seat SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Spec Kona Palisade
Length 4355 mm Not confirmed
Width 1825 mm Not confirmed
Height 1570 mm Not confirmed
Wheelbase 2660 mm Not confirmed
Ground Clearance (Default) 165 mm 203 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 71 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l Not confirmed
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1952 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 2200 kg

In depth: how these cars differ

This Kona and Palisade comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Kona 40 vs Palisade 74.

Efficiency index: Kona 62 vs Palisade 40.

Safety-equipment index: Kona 87 vs Palisade 90.

Practicality index: Kona 67 vs Palisade 79.

Ownership-cover index: Kona 65 vs Palisade not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Palisade leads by 9 points

Palisade has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 9 points
Data 51% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

Palisade

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 90 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 74
Efficiency 40
Safety 90
Practicality 79
Leads by 9 points
64
#2

Kona

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 62
Safety 87
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Palisade +34 Efficiency Kona +22 Safety Palisade +3 Practicality Palisade +12

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Palisade

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 90/100
Practicality 79/100

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Palisade leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 64 pts for Kona

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Palisade leads. However, Kona may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Kona vs Palisade questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.