We choose a B/C-SUV hybrid crossover for $30-40 thousand: Honda ZR-V, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Qashqai, Toyota C-HR

The spring-summer-fall of 2024 brought several new cars in the very popular B/C-SUV compact crossover format: Honda ZR-V, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Qashqai, Toyota C-HR. Each of these cars has its own advantages and disadvantages, which have already been analyzed in separate reviews. However, now it’s time to set the record straight by comparing the cars with each other. So, who is the best?

Four cars for comparison

For many buyers, a B/C-SUV crossover is optimal: moderate size, but spacious enough; all-wheel drive is not necessary, but the increased ground clearance will help to overcome light off-road conditions or get out of a snowy parking space; good equipment for safety and comfort; plus, you should add an economical engine – and here is almost the ideal “everyday car” for a large group of buyers. By the way, what kind of fuel-efficient engine? While turbo diesel used to be the definitive answer, hybrids are now attracting more and more attention. It was by these criteria that four cars were selected for comparison. Namely.

Honda ZR-V – estimated price $37-45.5 thousand(test drive)

Hyundai Kona – approximate price $32-43 thousand(test drive)

Nissan Qashqai – estimated price $27-46.5 thousand(test drive)

Toyota C-HR – estimated price $35.5-48.5 thousand(test drive)

Four crossovers: all very “fresh” (three completely new plus one updated), all electrified-hybrid (gasoline-electric powertrains), all costing in the range of $30-40+ thousand, all offering sufficient space inside, but not yet very large outside. I would also like to mention cars of a similar class, format, and price that were not included in the comparison, but are worthy of attention: Cupra Formentor – when you need a diesel engine and all-wheel drive, and it is also desirable to get a dynamic design; Citroen C5 Aircross – when you need a spacious interior, a large diesel engine, comfortable suspension, but you can do without all-wheel drive; Mazda CX-30 – when you need a pleasant interior and good equipment “not for all the money in the world”; Skoda Karoq Sportline – when you need to make the most correct and logical choice and at the same time stand out among similar cars. As you can see, there are many alternative options; you can add your own in the comments if you wish. But let’s get back to the heroes of the story.

Car prices are as of fall 2024. The prices are for all versions of a particular vehicle – from the most affordable to the most expensive. The prices are approximate and are quoted in foreign currency due to possible strong exchange rate fluctuations, but the price points are outlined. The cars are judged in several key categories with points assigned from 1 to 5. Additionally, a photo of the winning car will be shown and brief explanations will be provided for each point.

Equipment and price of the car

It’s simple – the Nissan Qashqai wins here, offering 15 variants (I’m not kidding) with different combinations of equipment and equipment: engines with a capacity of 140-190 hp, manual or automatic, front or all-wheel drive. Even in the basic configuration, there are already numerous security systems, climate control, alloy wheels; in the middle configurations, a digital instrument panel and matrix headlights are added; in the top configurations, a panoramic glass roof, leather and Alcantara, BOSE audio, and massage seats are added. However, the Toyota C-HR and Hyundai Kona cars do not give up for nothing: “The Japanese offers a choice between two hybrids (140 or 197 hp), front and all-wheel drive, and several trim levels; the Korean offers a hybrid engine (141 hp) or two electric versions (156 or 218 hp and different batteries), as well as several trim levels to choose from. The Honda ZR-V is an outright loser – only one powertrain option (a 184 hp hybrid), only front-wheel drive, only Elegance and Elegance Plus trims, which are actually almost identical. In the case of the Honda ZR-V, you can immediately get an automatic transmission, a bunch of security systems, and a digital instrument panel; but at the moment, it is impossible to get a leather interior, an electric trunk lid, wireless charging, and a surround view.

In general:

Nissan Qashqai – 5 (a very wide range of engines, transmissions, and configurations)

Toyota C-HR – 4 (two hybrids, front or all-wheel drive, good equipment)

Hyundai Kona – 3 (only one hybrid and front-wheel drive, but there are several configurations and electric versions)

Honda ZR-V – 2 (very limited selection; however, a good initial equipment saves from failure and a single)

All cars for $32-35-37 thousand offer “enough for me” equipment; for about $40 thousand there will be top or almost top equipment with “everything, everything, everything and even a little more”; finally, the price tag of about $45 thousand is also possible, but it looks sky-high for cars of this class, although the list of equipment is also sky-high. So, only Nissan Qashqai covers all the ranges: there is a basic version priced below $30 thousand, there is a maximum version priced at more than $46 thousand; the bulk of the versions are invested in $30-40 thousand. That is, the crossover Nissan Qashqai gives the widest possible choice of options and gets its own advantages: thanks to the basic versions, it is possible to form an attractive starting price; thanks to the maximum versions, it is possible to answer any whims of demanding customers. This is a victory.

Interior, interior space, trunk size

The longest car in this comparison guide is the Honda ZR-V crossover, and it has a considerable wheelbase. But it does not use all the possibilities of its dimensions: a large hood and a rearward-sloping interior, a “sufficient” amount of space, and one of the smallest trunks. However, if you like a low “passenger car” seat and some interior originality (the dumbbell-shaped center console alone is worth a look), the Honda ZR-V may be of interest. But if you need maximum practicality, then let’s move on. For example, the Nissan Qashqai is slightly shorter, but taller and better laid out: the cabin feels spacious, with a front panel made of high-quality materials, massage seats in front, quite a bit of space in the back, and almost a 90-degree door opening angle, plus a large trunk. However, please note: the Nissan Qashqai crossover with the electrified e-POWER powertrain gets a slightly smaller trunk, and with an unpleasant hump; the Nissan Qashqai with a gasoline MHEV engine has a larger trunk, and is better organized thanks to a pair of movable shelves. It’s strange – you have to pay more for the Nissan Qashqai e-POWER version, but the trunk is worse. It seems as if it has outsmarted itself. The Hyundai Kona crossover is significantly inferior to the aforementioned pair in length, but not in wheelbase size. In the cabin, the space reserve is at the “sufficient” level: it loses to Nissan Qashqai in terms of tangible space – but it definitely wins in the organization of this very space! The front seat offers ventilation instead of massage (score), the rear seats offer heating and at least some ability to adjust the backrest angle (win), the trunk offers good volume and hooks/niches for fixing small items. Who’s left? That’s right, the Toyota C-HR crossover: there is still more or less enough space in front, but it’s already cramped behind, the rear doors are too small and there are no ventilation deflectors, and the trunk is the smallest in this comparison guide. However, the attractive design of the front of the cabin (reminiscent of a cockpit) and high-quality materials save it from complete failure and a one-star rating – you can add +1 point.

In general:

Hyundai Kona – 4 (wheelbase 2.66 meters, trunk 466 liters)

Nissan Qashqai – 4 (wheelbase 2.665 meters, trunk 455-504 liters)

Honda ZR-V – 3 (wheelbase 2.66 meters, trunk 380 liters)

Toyota C-HR – 2 (wheelbase 2.64 meters, trunk 290-305 liters)

The two cars are close to the maximum score, but neither will get it: the Hyundai Kona lacks the space of the Nissan Qashqai, while theNissan Qashqai lacks the attention to detail of the Hyundai Kona.

Road behavior, comfort, handling, dynamics

Surprisingly, all of the cars leave a rather pleasant impression: from the comfort of the suspension, from the overall ease of handling, from the smoothness of hybrid engines, from quick responses and acceleration. However, only one car in the top four adds to the list of passion and interest for the driver – the Honda ZR-V. The best dynamics according to my own measurements, the ability to “play” with weight redistribution, a sense of stability and small rolls: you adjust and turn with the feeling of a very “flat” car – all thanks to the low body height. In general, I was supposed to write all these phrases about a completely different crossover, namely the Toyota C-HR, which fell into my hands in the most powerful 197-horsepower version and GR Sport. But for some reason, instead of sport, I got total comfort, and the most powerful engine failed to live up to the promised dynamics. A similar story applies to the Hyundai Kona, where the N Line designation and sporty attributes are present, but there is no hint of sporty features in the character. Just forget about all this, perceive the Hyundai Kona as an ordinary car for every day – and you will enjoy it: it has a not very powerful engine, but it is enough; the recovery capabilities are well developed; the suspension provides good comfort. This general description also applies to the Nissan Qashqai: a pleasant car without any unnecessary sporty hints, it just drives forward (or wherever you need to go) with minimal effort on the part of the driver.

In general:

Honda ZR-V – 5 (good comfort, easy and pleasant driving, best dynamics)

Nissan Qashqai – 4 (good comfort, easy handling, normal dynamics)

Toyota C-HR – 4 (good comfort, easy handling, but I would like more drive)

Hyundai Kona – 3 (good comfort, easy handling, low power and dynamics; although quite enough for normal daily travel)

It’s very simple: there is the HondaZR-V in this four-car lineup, and then there are the others. None of the cars fails in driving disciplines, but only HondaZR-V gives a sincere smile during cornering; plus the best dynamics, even despite the lower power figures of HondaZR-V (184 hp) compared to Toyota C-HR (184 hp).hp) compared to ToyotaC-HR ( 197 hp) and Nissan Qashqai ( 190 hp); in the end, it is a well-deserved victory.

All-wheel drive, off-road capabilities

The Nissan Qashqai should be the winner here: a considerable ground clearance of 175 mm, the availability of all-wheel drive versions that also have off-road driving modes. If not for one “but”: all-wheel drive is not combined with the e-POWER version, but is offered only for versions with MHEV engines. Sounds like the story of the trunk, right? You pay more, you pay for the most advanced technologies, but you limit yourself to choosing all-wheel drive. For example, the Toyota C-HR crossover does not require such restrictions: you can take a hybrid with front or all-wheel drive – as long as you have enough money. The other pair has no all-wheel drive versions at all, but the Honda ZR-V minimally benefits from a slightly higher ground clearance.

In general:

Nissan Qashqai – 4 (front or all-wheel drive, ground clearance 175 mm)

Toyota C-HR – 4 (front or all-wheel drive, ground clearance 154 mm)

Honda ZR-V – 3 (front-wheel drive, ground clearance 180 mm)

Hyundai Kona – 2 (front-wheel drive, ground clearance 160 mm)

If the Nissan Qashqai crossover combined the electrified e-POWER powertrain with all-wheel drive, it would be the winner and receive the maximum score. For example, the ToyotaC-HR car has no such restrictions for its most powerful hybrid – the buyer chooses the desired option. But in this case, the small ground clearance prevents the winner from becoming a winner. Therefore, two cars get a fairly high score, but there is no winner with the maximum score.

Fuel consumption, warranty, marketability

At first glance, all the cars are very economical and offer similar fuel consumption figures: an average of 5.5-6 liters in the city and give or take the same consumption on the highway. If you wish, you can squeeze 4-4.3-4.5 liters of efficiency out of almost every car in the city, drive 1-2 km on electric drive during a slow traffic jam, and so on. By the way, in my opinion, such experiments are best done with Nissan Qashqai and Toyota C-HR. And one more “by the way”: keep in mind that the fuel consumption between all cars is very similar, but in the case of the Hyundai Kona, we get the least power and dynamics for this fuel. Also, in the case of the Hyundai Kona, the long-term reliability of the hybrid system, which has a robotic automatic transmission, may be a question mark – the only such case among the other competitors in this review. Although Hyundai answers all questions with a warranty: 4- or 5-year basic warranty, plus an 8-year warranty on the battery of the hybrid system. For example, the Nissan Qashqai offers a 3-year basic warranty and an additional 5-year warranty for electrical components of the powertrain. The warranty for the Honda ZR-V crossover is similar: we have a 3-year basic warranty and an additional 5-year warranty for hybrid system components. However, in both cases, there are certain caveats: the marketability of the Nissan Qashqai with the e-POWER electrified powertrain may be affected by the still unclear situation with the reliability of the complex 1.5 VC-TURBO engine, and the liquidity of the Honda ZR-V will be affected by cars from the US market (where this model is called the Honda HR-V), which can significantly reduce the price. Who’s left? That’s right, the Toyota C-HR crossover: an atmospheric engine and a familiar electromechanical variator, insane resale marketability, and the possibility of extending the warranty up to 10 years.

In general:

Toyota C-HR – 5 (literally everything is in Toyota’s favor)

Honda ZR-V – 3 (traditional atmospheric engine, well-known brand, but usual warranty conditions and the risk of a strong resale price reduction)

Nissan Qashqai – 3 (if you remove the complicated VC-TURBO engine, if you add a large warranty, it would be at the level of Toyota)

Hyundai Kona – 3 (may be inferior in liquidity to the Japanese and offers a more complex hybrid with a gearbox, but +1 extra point for the warranty)

Toyota cars often win in this section, and this is another example of a well-deserved and unconditional victory with a maximum 5-point score.

Conclusions and thoughts: afterword

We summarize the results in two categories at once. The “absolute” score is the best result in terms of points without taking into account the price, it is the best car in this comparison, period. The “bargain” score is the ratio between the price and the number of points scored, and it is the most logically correct option for purchase.

The score is “absolute”:

Nissan Qashqai – 20 points

Toyota C-HR – 19 points

Honda ZR-V – 16 points

Hyundai Kona – 15 points

Credit for “bargain purchase”:

Nissan Qashqai – price $1.35-2.3 thousand per 1 point

Toyota C-HR – price $1.9-2.55 thousand per 1 point

Hyundai Kona – price $2,1-2,85 thousand for 1 point

Honda ZR-V – price $2.3-2.85 thousand per 1 point

I’ll be honest: when I start working on buyer’s guides like this, I don’t know what the final result will be. There are only certain assumptions and expectations, but the results may differ. When I started working on this buyer’s guide, I had an assumption and expectation that the Nissan Qashqai would win, then I expected the Hyundai Kona to take high positions, and the Honda ZR-V and Toyota C-HR were supposed to round out the list (without determining the exact places between them). I guessed right with the leader – the Nissan Qashqai won: a very successful car that tries not to lose any discipline. But the rest of the results surprised even me.

First, this is the result of the Toyota C-HR: for a rather specific, small, expensive car, it is an achievement to score almost as many points as the winner! Moreover, it turns out that thanks to the large number of points, the considerable price of the Toyota C-HR is quite justified (this is shown by the offset of the cost of one point). Secondly, the Honda ZR-V crossover wins the competition with the “well-thought-out” Hyundai Kona: it seems that everything is explained by the additional points for the Honda’s driving character. However, as soon as you pick up a calculator, the Hyundai Kona will be the winner in this pair, offering all its advantages at a much lower cost.

Interesting results? Do you have something to add? Then I’m waiting for you in the comments to discuss!