Hyundai Kona vs Jetour X70 Plus

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 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
VS
Jetour X70 Plus in South Africa

Jetour X70 Plus

Deluxe Petrol Automatic
ZAR 484,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance X70 Plus
Fuel Economy Kona
🛡 Safety Kona
📦 Practicality X70 Plus
🔑 Ownership X70 Plus
X70 Plus starts ZAR 459900 cheaper Kona from ZAR 459,900 · X70 Plus from ZAR 454,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Kona X70 Plus
Engine Power 88 kW 115 kW
Torque 172 Nm 230 Nm
Engine Size 998 cc 1498 cc
Claimed Mileage 15.5 km/l 12.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 165 mm 200 mm
Boot / Load Bay 466 l 1680 l
Airbags 6 Front and front side airbags plus side curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1527-1694 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty

= 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

Both Kona and X70 Plus are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance X70 Plus +9 pts
Efficiency Kona +10 pts
Safety Kona +26 pts
Practicality X70 Plus +24 pts
Ownership X70 Plus +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

X70 Plus

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

X70 Plus

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

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 X70 Plus
Model Introduced Year 2018 -
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 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Kona X70 Plus
Ground Clearance 165 mm 200 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2720 mm
Length 4355 mm 4724 mm
Width 1825 mm 1900 mm
Height 1570 mm 1720 mm
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1527-1694 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 466 l 1680 l
Load Bed Length 466 l 1680 l
Load Bed Width Not confirmed -
Number of Doors 5 -
Boot Volume 466 l 1680 l
Doors 5 -
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 57 l
Ground Clearance Max 165 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Min 165 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 165 mm 200 mm
Height Mm 1570 mm 1720 mm
Length Mm 4355 mm 4724 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 466 l 1680 l
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed -
Cargo Volume 466 l 1680 l
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 1527-1694 kg
Width Mm 1825 mm 1900 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed 2076 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed -
Front Track Width Not confirmed -
Rear Track Width Not confirmed -
Turning Radius 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 Not confirmed 1680 l
Max Payload Not confirmed -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed 2076 kg
Payload Kg Not confirmed -
Turning Circle Not confirmed -
Turning Circle M Not confirmed -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Kona leads by 0 points

Both Kona and X70 Plus are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 65 /100
Lead 0 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 0 points
65
#2

X70 Plus

74% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 91 Check Performance 49
Performance 49
Efficiency 50
Safety 66
Practicality 91
Ownership 69
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance X70 Plus +9 Efficiency Kona +10 Safety Kona +26 Practicality X70 Plus +24 Ownership X70 Plus +4

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Kona

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

X70 Plus

Performance 49/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 66/100
Practicality 91/100
Ownership 69/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Kona wins with 65 pts vs 65 pts for X70 Plus

In structured scoring, Kona emerges as the stronger overall package. However, X70 Plus 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: Kona 60 vs X70 Plus 50. 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: Kona 92, X70 Plus 66. 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: Kona 65, X70 Plus 69. 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: Kona 67, X70 Plus 91. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Kona 40, X70 Plus 49. 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 Kona and X70 Plus in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Kona scores 40 vs 49.

Efficiency: Kona scores 60 vs 50.

Safety: Kona scores 92 vs 66.

Practicality: Kona scores 67 vs 91.

Ownership: Kona scores 65 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Kona the advantage in this comparison.