Hyundai's on a roll
of late, churning out character-rich products that not only look great
but also drive nicely, and the subcompact Kona is the latest in the
series. The Kona's daring styling charms onlookers and avoids appearing
busy despite its multifaceted sheetmetal. The cabin packs just enough of
the exterior's whimsy to tie the whole package together without
being—as the kids say—extra. The Kona isn't the most practical of all the SUVs and crossovers available, but that's forgivable considering how good the rest of it is. Of the Kona's two available engines, I am most impressed
by the performance of the turbocharged four-cylinder. Not only is the
Kona fun to look at, it's also fun to drive. Well done, Hyundai—again.
2020 Hyundai Kona
2019 Hyundai Kona Electric Variant
What's New for 2020?
Hyundai has reshuffled a few features, made some standard, and
added some new ones for Kona's second year. The big news is that
automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention
monitor are all now standard across the range. An extra USB port
replaces the 12-volt outlet on the Kona's center console, the premium
Infinity audio system and Hyundai's Blue Link telematics system are now
available on the SEL trim level, and a new color—Sunset Orange—joins the
options sheet.
Hyundai Kona Pricing and Suggestion
- SE: $21,035
- SEL: $22,845
- Limited: $26,595
- Ultimate: $28,545
Of the Kona's four models, the Limited strikes the best
balance of price and equipment. It includes the energetic turbocharged
engine and dresses up the exterior with the same 18-inch wheels and
other design flourishes featured on the top-spec Ultimate model. The
Limited also includes desirable features such as leather seats,
power-adjustable driver's seat, a sunroof, front fog lamps, and
automatic climate control. Front-wheel drive is standard but the
optional all-wheel drive adds $1300 to the bottom line.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Pros: Potent turbo four, quick-shifting automatic transmission, lithe handling with a well-balanced ride.
Cons: Transmission stumbles when driving at low speeds, numb steering, turbo lag.
Two powertrains are available with the Kona: SE and SEL
models come with a 147-hp four-cylinder and a six-speed automatic
transmission. This setup could use a bit of caffeine; in our testing, an all-wheel-drive SEL model
required 9.2 seconds to reach 60 mph. Limited and Ultimate models are
powered by the considerably peppier 175-hp turbocharged four-cylinder
paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. With the turbo four, the Kona scampered from zero to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, just 0.1 second behind the rapid Kia Soul Exclaim.
The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic shifts quickly and smoothly once
you're rolling, but it stumbles at low speed in parking lots and in
bumper-to-bumper traffic, engaging and disengaging first gear hesitantly
until the driver offers more throttle input.
The
Kona delivers agile handling and a surprising amount of fun. This
doesn't translate to a rough ride over choppy roads; in fact, the
suspension offers quite the opposite, damping out bumps and providing
occupants with a cabin that is well isolated from pavement
imperfections. The steering is perhaps the Kona's biggest dynamic
downfall: it's an uncommunicative helm that requires frequent
corrections when cruising the highway despite its heavy-weighted feel.
The Hyundai Kona Turbo Is Impressively Strong
2018 Hyundai Kona 2.0L AWD Test: Definitely Decaf
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
In this class of fuel-sipping mini SUVs, the Kona's EPA
ratings are good but only average among its rivals. Despite this, the
Kona impressed us during our real-world testing, besting much of its
competition. With the turbocharged engine under the hood, the Kona
delivered 32 mpg in our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test; we managed
33 mpg with the base four-cylinder.
Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo
Pros: Refined interior, supportive front seats, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Cons: Tight back-seat space, limited cargo room.
Hyundai's designers managed the tough task of bringing
the charm of the Kona's exterior design to the cabin while maintaining
comfort and convenience. Quality materials, good ergonomics, and
comfortable seats feel grown up and refined but not out of step with the
Kona's funkadelic outward appearance. The driver faces a pair of simple
analog gauges framing a slim digital readout; the steering wheel is
wrapped with a nicely grained leather with contrast stitching and offers
integrated controls for cruise control and audio settings.
Standing
proudly atop the Kona's dashboard is a touchscreen infotainment system
flanked by simple shortcut buttons that allow for easy jumping between
common menus. We found the system to be intuitive in its operation but
leisurely when responding to inputs. The SE, SEL, and Limited trims come
with the smaller, standard 7.0-inch touchscreen, but buyers of the
Ultimate model are treated to the larger 8.0-inch unit that also
features navigation with real-time traffic updates; directions can be
projected onto the Ultimate's head-up display that flips up from the
dashboard and also shows the vehicle's speed and other information.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, so buyers of one of the
three lower trims can still access turn-by-turn directions from their
smartphones.
Those upgrading from a compact
hatchback or sedan will find the Kona's cargo space perfectly suitable,
but buyers downsizing from a larger SUV will most likely feel the pinch.
The Kona narrowly beat the pipsqueak Mazda CX-3
in our testing to see how many carry-on suitcases could fit. The Kona
managed to hold 14 of our carry-on suitcases—two more than the CX-3 but
eight fewer than the Honda HR-V.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Although
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet
released any crash-test results for the Kona, the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS) has. The Kona performed excellently and earned
a Top Safety Pick+ designation, the IIHS's highest award. Buyers
searching for popular driver-assistance features will find them on the
Kona, which offers automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and
a driver-attention monitor as standard equipment. Other more advanced
features are still optional. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking
- Standard lane-keeping warning
- Available automatic high-beam headlamps
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
By now, Hyundai's 10-year powertrain warranty is well known
in the automotive industry as being one of the most generous policies
available, and the Kona receives the same coverages as the rest of the
lineup. The Kia Soul
carries similarly lengthy warranty terms but falls short of the Kona in
the corrosion and roadside-assistance categories.
- Limited warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
