if i were buying, it would be the Kona simply for the more premiums features and power...however, i totally agree with the comments about young buyers getting everything they would likely need (and much of what they want) for almost $10k less...i suppose it comes down to who the actual buyer is...if your target is young people just starting out, the Kicks makes a TON of sense...if you're older and more established financially (or empty nester, etc) and don't mind spending a bit more to get a bit more, the Kona (especially in higher trims) makes sense...as evidenced by the 1-2 finish in the recent comparo test, you really can't go wrong either way.
