Hyundai Kona vs Jetour T1 i-DM

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 a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Kona 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
Jetour T1 i-DM in South Africa

Jetour T1 i-DM

T1 i-DM Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 689,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 90.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Kona vs Jetour T1 i-DM: the short answer

T1 i-DM has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Recorded price context Kona: last listed from ZAR 459,900 · T1 i-DM: current from ZAR 689,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Kona T1 i-DM
Maximum Power Kona88 kW @ 5500 rpm T1 i-DM100 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque Kona172 Nm @ 1500 rpm T1 i-DM220 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size Kona998 cc T1 i-DM1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Kona15.5 km/l T1 i-DM90.9 km/l
Ground Clearance Kona165 mm T1 i-DM190 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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Kona

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

T1 i-DM

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

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

T1 i-DM

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

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 T1 i-DM
Model Introduced Year 2018 2026
Generation Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved Current local listing
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 Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2026
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 2048 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Gross Combined Mass Kg Not confirmed 3948 kg
Model Year Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Kona T1 i-DM
Length 4355 mm 4705 mm
Width 1825 mm 1967 mm
Height 1570 mm 1843 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 165 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 70 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 574 l
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 2048 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 190 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not confirmed 2348 kg
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 300 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1600 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 5.7 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 1030 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 1010 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1050 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 930 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Kona and T1 i-DM 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 T1 i-DM 41.

Efficiency index: Kona 62 vs T1 i-DM 98.

Safety-equipment index: Kona 87 vs T1 i-DM 93.

Practicality index: Kona 67 vs T1 i-DM 66.

Ownership-cover index: Kona 65 vs T1 i-DM 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

T1 i-DM leads by 8 points

T1 i-DM has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 64% source coverage
72
#1 Evidence leader

T1 i-DM

64% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 98 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 98
Safety 93
Practicality 66
Leads by 8 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 T1 i-DM +1 Efficiency T1 i-DM +36 Safety T1 i-DM +6 Practicality Kona +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

T1 i-DM

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 98/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 66/100

Kona

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Jetour T1 i-DM leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 64 pts for Kona

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, T1 i-DM leads. However, Kona may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
CX-5
CX-5
Kona vs CX-5 →
Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
T2
T2
Kona vs T2 →
Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
Tucson
Tucson
Kona vs Tucson →
Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
H6
H6
Kona vs H6 →
Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
Harrier
Harrier
Kona vs Harrier →
Kona
KonaDiscontinued
VS
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Kona vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
CX-5
CX-5
T1 i-DM vs CX-5 →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
T2
T2
T1 i-DM vs T2 →

Kona vs T1 i-DM 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.