Chevrolet Malibu (2014) vs. Hyundai Kona (2018) Specs

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2014 Chevrolet Malibu and 2018 Hyundai Kona Specifications

Model Year	2014	2018
Model	Chevrolet Malibu	Hyundai Kona
Engine	2.5L I4 DOHC-4v 196 hp@6300 186 lb-ft@4400	turbocharged 1.6L I4 DOHC-4v 175 hp@5500 195 lb-ft@1500
Transmission	6-speed shiftable automatic	7-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr SUV
			Difference
Wheelbase	107.8 in	102.4 in	5.4 in
Length	191.5 in	164.0 in	27.5 in
Width	73.0 in	70.9 in	2.1 in
Height	57.6 in	61.0 in	-3.4 in
Curb Weight	3393 lb.	3043 lb.	350 lb.
Fuel Capacity	18.5 gal.	13.2 gal.	5.3 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	39.0 in	39.6 in	-0.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	57.5 in	55.5 in	2 in
Hip Room, Row 1	55.0 in	53.3 in	1.7 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.1 in	41.5 in	0.6 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.5 in	37.8 in	-0.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	57.1 in	54.5 in	2.6 in
Hip Room, Row 2	54.3 in	52.2 in	2.1 in
Legroom, Row 2	36.8 in	34.6 in	2.2 in
Total Legroom	78.9 in (over 2 rows)	76.1 in (over 2 rows)	2.8 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	16.3 ft³	19.2 ft³	-2.9 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	16.3 ft³	45.8 ft³	-29.5 ft³

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	On paper, the Malibu's rear seat is only a little tighter than those in the 2008-2012 sedan and in competing cars. In person, rear knee room would only be marginally competitive in the compact sedan segment. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, my shins graze the front seatbacks. GM is rushing some revised seats to market. But if past attempts to fix a cramped rear seat are any indication, this won't make a substantial difference. The rear seat in the Ford Fusion is roomier, if also short of the segment's quasi-limos. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr Sedan 196-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Both front & rear compartments very roomy & comfortable. Again, this is noted improvement over our 2009 Malibu. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.4L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	This is tight if front seats are postioned at or close to the back of their range; shorter wheelbase in this model compared to prior version. Rear seat access is excellent (i.e, for infant car seats, small item transport). see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2018 Hyundai Kona Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	Hyundai packaged the Kona fairly efficiently, but only so much was possible given the crossover's compact exterior dimensions. At 5-9 I can barely sit behind someone else my height, my knees nearly touching the front seat back. Put taller people in the front seats, and the rear seat would become viable only for small adults and children. The Honda HR-V has a much roomier rear seat (but much less comfortable front seats, at least for me, as their headrests jut too far forward). Most other competitors fall between the two. One exception: the Mazda CX-3 has an even tighter rear seat than the Kona. For those who fit, the Kona's rear seat is mounted comfortably high off the floor. see full Hyundai Kona review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2018 Hyundai Kona.

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