For those of us who’ve watched Hyundai’s continual upwards progress over the years, Kona is a relatively new nameplate. That being said, the Kona is one of the most innovative products in the industry because it is available either as an electric vehicle or with a conventional internal combustion powerplant. Not many automakers give you that choice.
Basically, the Kona is a compact SUV/crossover and for 2024, Hyundai is offering an all-new second generation model. The gasoline variant will arrive this summer and the EV will follow a little later. It will be interesting to see which version sells the most, but either way, buyers get a thoroughly practical crossover with excellent quality, great performance and an upscale ambiance inside and out.
The Kona is clothed in very attractive bodywork with some interesting sculpting around the sides, grille and rear lighting. A “triangle” theme seems to have led the design and it all works well. There are detailed differences between the gas variant and the EV, but they are basically the same vehicle. Officially, the crossover is called either the Electric or the Kona/N-Line.
The Kona Electric uses a 64.8-kWh battery that is estimated to deliver up to 418-km of range, an impressive figure. It will recharge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in around 43 minutes with 400V fast charging, according to Hyundai. The Electric has 27 litres of cargo space in the back.
For buyers not yet ready for an EV, the N-Line a choice of two engines, a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder with 147-horsepower and a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder with turbocharging to develop 190-horsepower.
According to Hyundai, it designed the spacious interior to “embrace a wider range of customer lifestyles.” All the driver’s controls are arranged around the steering wheel, leaving the central part of the dash for more storage. It’s an interesting concept because far too many vehicles are negligent when it comes for oddment space so necessary on road trips.
Interestingly, the Kona was developed as an EV platform so this must be a rare example of a product being adapted to internal combustion power rather than the other way round. Giving buyers the choice of either powertrain is a brilliant concept and Hyundai deserves every possible success with the new Kona.
SPECS AT A GLANCE...
BODY STYLE: Four door, five-place SUV Crossover
ENGINE: EV, 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
TRANSMISSION: Direct drive (EV), CVT or 8-speed auto depending on model
TOWING CAPACITY: 1,600 kg. (previous model). This should increase with new models
FUEL ECONOMY: Not yet published
PRICE: Price not yet revealed. Speculation has the Kona starting at $23,000 MSRP