BMW XM vs Hyundai Kona Electric
A detailed look at how two of Australia's most popular SUVs compare on price, running costs, safety, and everyday livability.
Hyundai Kona Electric scores higher, 70 vs 58
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 10 Nov 2026, price 15 Oct 2026
BMW XM
26 of 27 standard · no option data · 1 no dataFrom
$309,900
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Plug-in Hybrid
- Engine
- Plug-in Hybrid
- Power
- 550kW
- Economy
- 12.8 L/100km as a hybrid
- Safety
- ANCAP hasn't rated this model
- Boot (seats up)
- 527L
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Hyundai Kona Electric
16 of 27 standard · no option data · 7 not offered · 4 no dataFrom
$46,000
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Electric
- Engine
- Electric
- Power
- 99kW
- Energy use
- 14.8 kWh/100km
- Safety
- ANCAP ★4 · 2023
- Boot (seats up)
- 407L
Top CarSorted Score, 70 vs 58
Hyundai Australia offer: $43,990 drive-away (state not stated), ends 31 Dec 2026. Terms
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Manufacturer offer
Drive-away
Ends 31 Dec 2026
Offer from Hyundai Australia, checked 8 Nov 2026
T&Cs apply, as the maker prints them. Eligibility, stock and build limits vary, so confirm the offer with the dealer.
BMW XM: we're still completing kerb weight, electric range and energy consumption.
Hyundai Kona Electric: we're still completing kerb weight, seat count, 0-100km/h and braked towing.
Blank cells below mean we don't have that figure, not that the car scores badly on it. We leave them empty rather than estimate, so any row where one car is blank isn't a like-for-like comparison yet.
$309,900RRP
- with the Hyundai Kona Electric's standard kit: $309,900 (nothing to add)
$46,000RRP
- cannot be matched: 360-Degree Camera, Head-Up Display, Premium Audio and 4 more not offered
Printed option prices only. A pack is counted once and makes the figure a floor when it carries no printed price. Nothing is inferred from the other car.
A plug-in hybrid is compared on its fuel use as a hybrid (battery depleted), the figure that is like for like with the other car; its certified combined figure, which assumes every trip starts with a full battery, is printed under it. Electric range is how far it goes before the petrol engine is needed.
Price and cost per week
BMW XM Label
$309,900
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 24 June 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $1,410 a week in repayments ($309,900 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
Hyundai Kona Electric Standard Range 99kW
$46,000
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 15 Oct 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $190 a week in repayments ($46,000 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
The Hyundai Kona Electric starts $263,900 lower on RRP.
The Hyundai Kona Electric currently qualifies for the electric-vehicle FBT exemption, which applies to novated leases. The BMW XM does not: plug-in hybrids lost the fbt exemption on 1 april 2025.
On-road costs (stamp duty, registration, CTP and dealer delivery) depend on your state and the dealer; ask for a written drive-away price before you sign.
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Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$190/wk(≈$822/mo)
Estimate on the Hyundai Kona Electric at $46,000 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Hyundai Kona ElectricDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Safety Rundown
ANCAP's published ratings include no record for the BMW XM. With no pair of ratings to compare, the active-safety features in the spec table above are the fairer comparison.
Driver assistance, as the manufacturer lists it
Driver assistance, system by system. We can confirm 8 of 10 key systems on the BMW XM and 7 on the Hyundai Kona Electric.
Swipe across. Tap a feature to see what it does and each car's source.
StandardOptional: printed price, +pack or NCO (no-cost)No, not offeredNo dataCounts beside each car use the same colours; ? is no option data.
From each manufacturer's Australian equipment list. No data means that car's document does not say. The drawings are our own illustrations of how each kind of system works.
Recalls on our record
BMW XM
- REC-005906 · published 5 Mar 2024Due to a manufacturing defect, signal interference may occur within the electronics of the brake system.Year range on the notice: 2022 - 2023
Hyundai Kona Electric
- REC-006586 · published 9 Apr 2026A software issue in the Battery Management System (BMS) may cause an electrical short circuit while charging or parked leading to a vehicle fire.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2023
- REC-001592 · published 23 Aug 2021Due to a manufacturing defect, the battery does not meet specifications and may lead to an electrical short which could start a fire.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2020
- REC-000605 · published 28 Jan 2021A software fault in the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) may significantly reduce braking performance.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2020
- 1 more on the model page.
A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.
Charging times
How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.
How long to charge
25.7kWh usableEstimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (7.4kW AC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
How long to charge
48.6kWh usablePublic DC
50kW charger · 0–80%
Ultra-rapid DC
up to 100kW · 0–80%
Estimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (10.4kW AC, 100kW DC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
Feature Showdown
The BMW XM features a 14.9-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Hyundai Kona Electric gets a 12.3-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.
The BMW XM stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, panoramic roof, heated front seats, ventilated seats, power tailgate, Bowers & Wilkins audio and ambient lighting — features our data doesn't list for the Hyundai Kona Electric. The Hyundai Kona Electric counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.
Interior trim differs: the BMW XM gets merino leather upholstery while the Hyundai Kona Electric offers premium cloth. Climate control is 4-zone in the BMW XM and 2-zone in the Hyundai Kona Electric.
Equipment few rivals have, on either carShowHide
Drivetrain
The BMW XM uses a Plug-in Hybrid producing 550kW and 1000Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds.
The Hyundai Kona Electric responds with a Electric making 99kW and 255Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels.
The BMW XM has the clear power advantage at 550kW vs 99kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The BMW XM measures 5,110mm long on a 3,105mm wheelbase, 755mm longer than the Hyundai Kona Electric at 4,355mm (2,660mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BMW XM generally means more rear legroom.
Boot space is 527L in the BMW XM and 407L in the Hyundai Kona Electric, giving the BMW XM a 120L advantage.
Neither U-turns in one sweep on a 7 m local street (both need a three-point turn); the Hyundai Kona Electric's turning circle is 0.8 m tighter, 10.6 m against 11.4 m kerb to kerb. The street estimate is indicative, worked from the published turning circles.
Cost to own
At 15,000 km a year, fuel for the BMW XM costs about $3,648 a year (12.8 L/100km as a hybrid) and electricity for the Hyundai Kona Electric about $710 a year (14.8 kWh/100km), at $1.90 a litre and 32c a kWh. A plug-in hybrid is costed running as a hybrid (battery depleted); charged daily, it uses less fuel and some electricity.
Warranty: 5 years / Unlimited (BMW XM) and 5 years / Unlimited (Hyundai Kona Electric).
Where each one leads
The BMW XM: more power (550kW against 99kW) and the bigger boot with the seats up (527L against 407L).
The Hyundai Kona Electric: the lower starting price ($46,000 against $309,900).
The Verdict
Hyundai Kona Electric scores higher, 70 vs 58
The Hyundai Kona Electric scores 70 to the BMW XM's 58 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 3 of the 5 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: performance (BMW XM ahead by 62 points), value (Hyundai Kona Electric ahead by 48 points). Boot space with the seats up: 527L in the BMW XM, 407L in the Hyundai Kona Electric.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$190/wk(≈$822/mo)
Estimate on the Hyundai Kona Electric at $46,000 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Hyundai Kona ElectricDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Common questions
Which is cheapest, BMW XM and Hyundai Kona Electric?
The Hyundai Kona Electric is the cheapest at $46,000 before on-road costs. That undercuts the BMW XM by $263,900.
What are the ANCAP safety ratings?
Hyundai Kona Electric holds a 4-star ANCAP rating (tested 2023). ANCAP's published ratings include no record for BMW XM, so there is nothing to compare on crash performance. Compare the active-safety features above instead.
Which has the most boot space?
The BMW XM has the largest boot at 527L with the seats up.
Which can tow the most?
The BMW XM has the highest braked towing capacity at 2,700kg.
Which is the most powerful?
The BMW XM makes the most power at 550kW.
Track the BMW XM & Hyundai Kona Electric
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How to read this page. Prices, specifications, ANCAP ratings, warranty, the CarSorted Score and the verdict come from our records for the grades shown, sourced from the manufacturers' Australian documents, and change when those records change; the date each was last checked is printed under the headline. Prices are recommended retail prices before on-road costs unless marked drive-away. A plug-in hybrid's fuel figure is labelled with its basis: with a full battery (the certified combined figure) or as a hybrid (battery depleted). Charging and running costs are estimates on the stated assumptions. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
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