2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Comparison
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Comparison
Any comparison with the 2027 Hyundai Kona starts with one question: which engine? Two of its trims use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two use a 1.6-liter turbo. A 2026 Chevrolet Trax settles that for you, with one turbocharged 1.2L 3-cylinder across all five trims, so choosing a trim comes down to screens, seats and wheels.
For most shoppers, we think the Trax comes out on top: it makes 30 lb-ft more torque than the Kona 2.0-liter, and it has more rear legroom and a longer wheelbase than any Kona. Beach gear, US-41 errands and I-75 trips all ask for different numbers, and the sections below show how the Trax answers each.
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Performance & Fuel Economy
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One powertrain keeps the 2026 Chevrolet Trax simple. Every trim draws 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft from a turbocharged 1.2L 3-cylinder, 30 lb-ft more torque than the 2.0-liter Kona, and sends it to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic. The EPA-estimated rating is 28 mpg city/32 highway/30 combined on regular 87-octane unleaded.
Pick an engine first on the 2027 Hyundai Kona. Its SE and SEL Sport use a 147-hp, 132 lb-ft 2.0-liter and Intelligent Variable Transmission, EPA-estimated at 28 city and 35 highway with FWD, the same city figure as the Trax. The 190-hp 1.6-liter turbo starts at the SEL Premium, while every Trax comes turbocharged.
2026 Chevrolet Trax
- 1.2L Turbo 3-cylinder makes 137 hp, 162 lb-ft
- Front-wheel drive through a 6-speed automatic, all trims
- EPA-estimated 28 mpg city/32 highway/30 combined
- Regular 87-octane unleaded, Automatic Stop/Start
2027 Hyundai Kona
- 2.0L on SE, SEL Sport: 147 hp, 132 lb-ft
- 1.6L turbo on SEL Premium, Limited: 190 hp, 195 lb-ft
- EPA-estimated 2.0L mpg: 28/35/31 FWD, 26/29/27 AWD
- EPA-estimated turbo mpg: 26/32/28 FWD, 24/29/26 AWD
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Technology
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The 2026 Chevrolet Trax stands out at the driver’s display: an 8-inch color Driver Information Center joins the 11-inch diagonal touchscreen on LT, 2RS and ACTIV, while the LS and 1RS touchscreen measures 8 inches diagonally. On every trim, compatible phones run Android Auto and Apple CarPlay with no cable, and 8 years of OnStar Basics are included, with terms at onstar.com.
All four trims of the 2027 Hyundai Kona have a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and phones reach Android Auto or Apple CarPlay wirelessly. SE, SEL Sport and SEL Premium pair that screen with a 4.2-inch multi-information display in front of the driver, and the 12.3-inch cluster waits for the Limited. A Trax LT gives you its 8-inch driver display well before that.
2026 Chevrolet Trax
- 11-inch touchscreen: LT, 2RS, ACTIV; 8-inch: LS, 1RS
- LT, 2RS, ACTIV: 8-inch color Driver Information Center
- Active Noise Cancellation on every trim
- Wi-Fi Hotspot capable; paid data plan required
2027 Hyundai Kona
- 12.3-inch touchscreen on all four trims
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on Limited
- 8-speaker Bose audio on Limited, 6 speakers on others
- Wireless device charging from SEL Sport up
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Safety Features
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Front Pedestrian Braking and Forward Collision Alert are two of the six features that Chevy Safety Assist brings to every 2026 Chevrolet Trax. Working with Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist can gently turn the wheel near a detected marking while the driver stays in charge. Six airbags and a Rear Vision Camera are standard too.
Hyundai SmartSense aids on every 2027 Hyundai Kona include Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Lane Following Assist and Lane Keeping Assist, and the Limited adds more parking aids. Core protection is standard on both, so our advice is to let rear legroom, wheelbase and the torque edge over the Kona 2.0-liter settle it.
2026 Chevrolet Trax
- Safety Assist covers Following Distance Indicator, IntelliBeam, Automatic Emergency Braking
- Teen Driver Technology and Rear Seat Reminder standard
- Available Side Blind Zone Alert across all five trims
- LT, 2RS, ACTIV: available Adaptive Cruise Control
2027 Hyundai Kona
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, including pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Safe Exit Warning and Rear Occupant Alert on every trim
- Rear view monitor with parking guidance, all trims
- Front, front side-impact and side curtain airbags throughout
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Interior & Cargo Space
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For beach gear, the 2026 Chevrolet Trax holds 25.6 cubic feet by Chevrolet’s figures, rising to 54.1 when the 60/40 rear seat folds. Riders get more legroom too, with 41.9 inches up front and 38.7 in row two, both ahead of the Kona. The steering wheel and front seats are heated on 1RS, 2RS and ACTIV models, and both heaters are available on LT.
Cargo in the 2027 Hyundai Kona is listed at 25.5 cubic feet with the seats up and 63.7 folded (SAE figures), and it seats five with 41.7 inches of legroom in front and 38.2 in back. With the seats up, where most errands happen, the two hold nearly the same, and the Trax gives passengers more legroom in both rows.
2026 Chevrolet Trax
- 25.6 cu ft of cargo room, rear seat up
- 54.1 cu ft with the rear seat folded
- 60/40 split-folding rear seat on every trim
- Evotex seating and an 8-way power driver seat: 2RS, ACTIV
2027 Hyundai Kona
- Rear seats up: 25.5 cu ft (SAE)
- Rear seats folded: 63.7 cu ft (SAE)
- Dual level cargo floor and four tie-down anchors
- Hands-free Smart Liftgate and power sunroof on Limited
2026 Chevrolet Trax vs Hyundai Kona Exterior & Capability
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Parking-lot math for the 2026 Chevrolet Trax starts with 178.6 inches of length, 71.7 inches of width without mirrors and a 106.3-inch wheelbase, 1.6 inches more between the axles than the Kona. Wheel diameter changes by trim: 17-inch on LS and LT, 18-inch on 1RS and ACTIV, 19-inch on 2RS. LED headlamps come on all five.
Run the same math on the 2027 Hyundai Kona and you get 171.3 inches of length, 71.9 inches of width and a 104.7-inch wheelbase, with HTRAC AWD optional on all four trims. The Trax is 7.3 inches longer overall, and that extra length and wheelbase make it our pick for carrying people.
2026 Chevrolet Trax
- 61.4 in tall, 7.3 in minimum ground clearance (LS)
- Rear spoiler and deep-tinted rear glass on every trim
- LT and 2RS: black roof rails
- 17-inch High Gloss Black wheels on LT Midnight Edition
2027 Hyundai Kona
- 34.8-ft curb-to-curb turning diameter
- 62.2 to 63.6 in tall by wheels, rails, drivetrain
- Alloys: 17-inch on SE, 18-inch on SEL Sport, 19-inch above
- Black roof rails from SEL Sport up, 220-lb load capacity
Why Buy From Jenkins Chevrolet of Venice?
One powertrain across the Trax lineup leaves two questions to settle at Jenkins Chevrolet of Venice: which equipment you want and how you want to pay for it. At home, the payment calculator and a finance center covering both buying and leasing can take on the second one. A test drive helps with the first.
Trading in? Tell the trade-in calculator about your car, add your contact information and read the estimate online, then bring the car in for the in-person appraisal. Only looking to sell? Our team purchases cars outright too. Once you own the Trax, the service center takes bookings online and looks after drivers across Venice, Sarasota and Punta Gorda. Multi-point vehicle inspections are on offer, and certified service experts do the work with genuine Chevrolet parts.
