Honda HR-V Sport FWD vs Hyundai Kona SEL Premium FWD

Honda HR-V Sport FWD vs Hyundai Kona SEL Premium FWD

Which vehicles are we comparing?

vs
HR-V Sport FWD — $28,400 · 158 hp · 28 mpgKona SEL Premium FWD — $28,425 · 190 hp · 28 mpg

Before you compare

What this matchup really means

Sport FWD vs SEL Premium FWD, compared on verified specifications and price.

MatchupMixed Matchup
Kona SEL Premium FWDMore torque

Kona SEL Premium FWD

  • More torque
  • More cargo space
  • More horsepower
Read the full breakdown

The Sport FWD and SEL Premium FWD are closely matched on price: $28,400 vs $28,425.

Because these two trims sit at different points in their lineups, the category winners below reflect trim level as much as brand. Read them as evidence, and weigh them against the equipment you will actually use.

At a glance

The quick decision

Best overall

HR-V Sport FWD

If you're shopping the HR-V, the HR-V Sport FWD is the fit this site recommends — the two are closely matched on cabin & comfort, fuel economy and price & value; the Kona SEL Premium FWD leads on performance and cargo & daily use, so choose it if those matter most.

Best value

HR-V Sport FWD

Close call — closely matched on price: $28,400 vs $28,425.

Best performance

Kona SEL Premium FWD

Kona SEL Premium FWD makes 190 hp vs 158 hp.

Best efficiency

HR-V Sport FWD

Close call — closely matched on efficiency: 28 mpg vs 28 mpg combined.

Head to head

Who wins what

The verified differences most likely to decide it — each shown side by side, with the winner called out.

Cabin & Comfort

Close callHR-V Sport FWD

Closely matched: both come with heated front seats.

Fuel Economy

Close callHR-V Sport FWD
28 mpgvs28 mpg

Closely matched: 28 mpg vs 28 mpg.

Price & Value

Close callHR-V Sport FWD
$28,400vs$28,425

Closely matched: $28,400 vs $28,425.

Cargo & Daily Use

WinnerKona SEL Premium FWD
63.7 cu ftvs55.1 cu ft

The Kona SEL Premium FWD makes everyday hauling and road trips easier with more cargo room.

Performance

WinnerKona SEL Premium FWD
190 hpvs158 hp

The Kona SEL Premium FWD gives you stronger acceleration and easier passing.

Read the full breakdown

The Sport FWD and SEL Premium FWD are closely matched on price: $28,400 vs $28,425.

On verified numbers, the SEL Premium FWD leads in horsepower, torque, and cargo volume. What the numbers actually mean for you here: the SEL Premium FWD's horsepower edge (190 vs 158 hp) shows up most when merging and passing rather than in daily commuting, the SEL Premium FWD's torque edge (195 vs 138 lb-ft) is felt most in everyday, low-speed response, and the SEL Premium FWD's cargo volume edge (63.7 vs 55.1 cu ft) is what decides how it handles road trips, gear, and family duty.

When it matters most: if you regularly carry more than a passenger or two of gear, the SEL Premium FWD's cargo volume edge (63.7 vs 55.1 cu ft) may decide it.

Visual comparison

See them side by side

Exterior

HR-V Sport FWD
HR-V Sport FWD
Kona SEL Premium FWD
Kona SEL Premium FWD

Standout features

HR-V Sport FWD

  • Heated front seats

Kona SEL Premium FWD

  • Heated front seats

Interior

HR-V Sport FWD
HR-V Sport FWD

Available colors

HR-V Sport FWD

HR-V Sport FWD — Crystal Black Pearl
Crystal Black Pearl
HR-V Sport FWD — Boost Blue Pearl
Boost Blue Pearl
HR-V Sport FWD — Urban Gray Pearl
Urban Gray Pearl
HR-V Sport FWD — Nordic Forest Pearl
Nordic Forest Pearl
HR-V Sport FWD — Milano Red
Milano Red
HR-V Sport FWD — Platinum White Pearl
Platinum White Pearl

Kona SEL Premium FWD

Kona SEL Premium FWD — Abyss Black Pearl
Abyss Black Pearl
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Cyber Gray Metallic
Cyber Gray Metallic
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Ecotronic Gray Pearl
Ecotronic Gray Pearl
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Ultimate Red Metallic
Ultimate Red Metallic
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Mirage Green
Mirage Green
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Atlas White
Atlas White
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Soultronic Orange Pearl
Soultronic Orange Pearl
Kona SEL Premium FWD — Denim Blue Pearl
Denim Blue Pearl

The bottom line

The verdict

Editor's pick

HR-V Sport FWD

If you're shopping the HR-V, the HR-V Sport FWD is the fit this site recommends — the two are closely matched on cabin & comfort, fuel economy and price & value; the Kona SEL Premium FWD leads on performance and cargo & daily use, so choose it if those matter most.

Why we landed here

  • Closely matched on cabin & comfort.
  • Closely matched on fuel economy: 28 mpg vs 28 mpg.
  • Closely matched on price & value: $28,400 vs $28,425.
  • The Kona SEL Premium FWD leads on performance: 190 hp vs 158 hp.
  • The Kona SEL Premium FWD leads on cargo & daily use: 63.7 cu ft vs 55.1 cu ft.

What could change this: If more power matters most, the Kona SEL Premium FWD is the better fit.

Kona SEL Premium FWD: more cargo roomKona SEL Premium FWD: 190 hp of power
Read the full verdict

On verified numbers, the SEL Premium FWD leads in horsepower, torque, and cargo volume.

The full picture

What to know before you decide

Living with the HR-V Sport FWD

  • Heated front seats

Living with the Kona SEL Premium FWD

  • Heated front seats

Long road trips

  • Kona SEL Premium FWD: more cargo room — 63.7 cu ft vs 55.1 cu ft

By the numbers

Specs that matter

These are the figures most shoppers weigh first — price, power, efficiency, and room — with the full specification table below.

Starting price
HR-V Sport FWD$28,400
Kona SEL Premium FWD$28,425
Horsepower
HR-V Sport FWD158 hp
Kona SEL Premium FWD190 hp
Most power
Combined MPG
HR-V Sport FWD28 mpg
Kona SEL Premium FWD28 mpg
Max cargo — behind 1st row, seats folded
HR-V Sport FWD55.1 cu ft
Kona SEL Premium FWD63.7 cu ft
Most cargo space
AWD availability
HR-V Sport FWDFront-wheel drive · AWD available: No
Kona SEL Premium FWDFront-wheel drive · AWD available: No
Full specifications
SpecificationHR-V Sport FWDKona SEL Premium FWD
Starting MSRP$28,400$28,425
Horsepower158 hp190 hp
Torque138 lb-ft195 lb-ft
Combined MPG28 mpg28 mpg
City MPG26 mpg26 mpg
Highway MPG32 mpg32 mpg
Max cargo — behind 1st row, seats folded55.1 cu ft63.7 cu ft
Seating55
DrivetrainFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel Drive
TransmissionContinuously Variable (CVT)8-Speed Automatic
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Make the call

Which one is right for you?

  • Choose the SEL Premium FWD if you want more power, want more torque, and want more cargo room.
HR-V Sport FWD buyer

Best for:

  • Cabin & Comfort: close call
  • Fuel Economy: close call
  • Price & Value: close call
Kona SEL Premium FWD buyer

Best for:

  • More power
  • More cargo room

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

The questions shoppers ask most when weighing these two — answered with the verified facts.

Value comes down to the details. The Sport FWD and SEL Premium FWD are closely matched on price: $28,400 vs $28,425. Weigh the standard equipment each includes, their fuel economy, and the features you'll genuinely use. Cross-shop comparably equipped trims and let local incentives settle it.

"Nicer every day" is about the things you touch on every drive — the seats, the controls, and the screen. Comfort is personal, though: seat shape, driving position, and how intuitive the controls feel to you matter more than any feature list. Spend ten minutes in each on a route like your real commute — that test drive will tell you more about daily livability than any spec comparison.

We don't publish a feature-by-feature equipment comparison for this exact pairing, so we won't claim either way. Use the verified specifications and the verdict above — those come from confirmed data — and check each manufacturer's build-and-price tool for the equipment on the exact Sport FWD and SEL Premium FWD you're considering. Equipment also moves with option packages and model year, so the trim you drive may not match a general list. A back-to-back test drive of the two specific cars you're shopping is the reliable way to see what one offers that the other doesn't.

High annual mileage puts the spotlight on running costs, and that's mostly about fuel. Beyond fuel, a high-mileage driver should weigh seat comfort for all those hours and each model's reliability record — worth checking current ratings for the specific trims, since it matters most when you're piling on miles. If your year is mostly highway commuting, lean toward the more efficient, more comfortable choice; the small differences compound over 15,000 miles in a way they wouldn't for a light-use second car.

On space, expect more cargo room in the Kona SEL Premium FWD. Interior preference is partly personal — dashboard layout, seat shape, and where the controls fall all factor in — so the best test is to sit in both. If a richer, more feature-laden cabin matters to you, compare the specific trims' option packages directly; if you mainly want a comfortable, sensibly-arranged space, either will serve you well day to day.

For most shoppers, the right pick follows your priorities rather than a single score. Use the verdict above as the starting recommendation, then confirm it with a back-to-back test drive of the exact trims you're considering.

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