While the previous Kona started with a conventional subcompact crossover and converted it to electric power, Hyundai claims that the new Kona was designed to be electric first. What exactly that means, we don’t know right now, but we do know that the new Kona is much bigger than the old one. Length is up by 5.9 inches, 2.3 of which are in the wheelbase, while the new car is an inch wider than the old one. This should better position the Kona against the Toyota Corolla Cross and Mazda CX-30, both of which lean towards the larger side of subcompact.
So, the size is up, but what else is new? How about styling? The giant full-width daytime running light feels a bit “Honey, I shrunk the Staria,” but it looks quite sharp and is certainly distinctive. Plus, the rear light bar mirrors the front to create a pleasing harmony, despite the Kona’s tendency to mash together clashing surfaces. [Editor’s Note: I think this DRL/headlight treatment is really bold and novel, a realization of something automakers have been toying with for decades. It also lends a sci-fi face feel, like Jeordi’s VISOR or Cyclops’ slit-goggles or those ’80s sunglasses. It’s a bold, fun move, keeping with Hyundai/Kia’s bold styling decisions lately, especially with lighting. – JT]
Yes, the unpainted cladding is back on certain models, turning Gandini arch inspiration to caricature and providing protection from certain parking knocks. However, the sheer amount of unpainted plastic has been turned down, with the front bumpers of standard models now painted the body color almost all the way down. Granted, this is mitigated somewhat by two massive triangles in the lower grille breaking up visual width and adding complication, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Still, it’s hard to argue that the Kona Electric isn’t the most handsome variant, thanks to its paint-matched fenders and strong horizontal grille blocking. All the signature pixel-like elements are on display in the grille, and the triangles of other models are nowhere to be found, so this front-end treatment really seems to work. In fact, the new Kona Electric looks crisp enough that you can think of it as a budget Ioniq 5. Good stuff.
The budget Ioniq 5 vibes continue on the interior, where Hyundai has pulled out a massive improvement over the old Kona. With available hoodless digital cluster and infotainment screens mounted in a single bezel and a more layered dashboard with strong horizontal elements, the new Kona’s cabin looks nearly ten years newer than the old car’s cockpit. Granted, I’m sure some hard plastics remain due to the Kona’s price point, but the overall appearance is a huge improvement. Plus, an electronic shifter on the steering column should free up a ton of space for center console storage. Despite how nice the new Kona looks, I can’t help but feel a bit sad. There’s no mention of the fast Kona N model living to see another day, which seems like a shame considering the only other powerful retail-priced subcompact crossover on the market is the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, a much more grown-up, less performance-oriented take on a spicy small crossover. Sure, there will be an N-Line Kona model with sporty add-ons, but I just want to see a fully-mental version of the new Kona.
However, even if a new Kona N doesn’t come to fruition, the existence of a new Kona Electric is cause for celebration. The current model is one of the most efficient affordable EVs out there, with impressively low energy consumption granting it an EPA rating of 120 MPGe combined, 134 in the city, and 106 on the highway. A 258-mile range on a 64 kWh battery pack is pretty good stuff, so I’m excited to see how the efficiency of the new model compares to the current car. Plus, the standard new Hyundai Kona just looks like a better subcompact crossover than the current car, and progress is usually a good thing in the world of cars. The longer wheelbase should translate to more cabin space, the updated cabin design should make the new car feel nicer, and the availability of a hybrid powertrain is great news for those who don’t want to take the leap into an EV but still want to burn less fuel. Expect more details on the new Kona to be released in the coming months, so on-sale timing is anyone’s guess. (Photo credits: Hyundai)
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I think Hyundai does a good job of pushing the envelope without going overkill across the board. They’re making good looking cars these days. Finally, this looks like it has some more back seat space, which is welcome. The current Kona isn’t the best on that front…if you have sub 6 foot folks sitting behind sub 6 foot folks it’s plenty comfortable, but if you’re going to have taller people riding in it often the current gen isn’t exactly a great fit. That being said…it’s still an extremely practical car. It has enough space for most stuff you’d ever need to do and it’s small enough that you can park it in a city…and even the 1.6T is a peppy, responsive car because of the short wheelbase and turbo. Basically just think of this as a tall hot hatch and it makes more sense. As for the N model…Bierrman has confirmed that there will be another ICE Elantra N but he’s been very hush hush on everything else. It’s widely speculated that this is the end of the line for the Kona N…at least in ICE form. They’ll soon be unveiling N versions of the Ioniq 5 and 6, so I’d imagine that if we see another Kona N it will electric, especially since this is a ground up EV platform. Which is a shame. I think the turbo 4 in the current Kona, Elantra, and Veloster Ns is the most characterful four cylinder on the market currently. It’s loud. It pops. It bangs. It farts. It rumbles. It likes to revved out, unlike most turbo 4 poppers that tend to run out of breath high. It’s a sloppy, unruly, raw, visceral experience that doesn’t really exist outside of supercars and pony cars anymore….and when paired with their wet DCT like it is in the Kona it really punches above its weight class. But alas, it’s extremely thirsty for a four popper and European regulations already have it on its deathbed. Rumors are that the new ICE Elantra N is going to be US market only, and the Kona N is a surprisingly decent seller in Europe and ‘Straya….so if they don’t see the need to develop a new ICE Kona N I definitely get it. But it’s still sad. The current Kona N is one of the most ridiculous cars on the road today and the combination of performance, practicality, and price is special and overlooked in my opinion. If they kill it off I’ll be interested to see what it does to values. The current ones are more or less depreciating normally, and it’s a really niche vehicle so I’m not sure if demand for it will ever be that high. But will I make a nice sum if I list it on Cars And Bids in 5-10 years? Tune in to find out, although I wouldn’t bet on it. It’s just way too hardcore for normies…between the stiff ride, torque steer, loud exhaust, etc. My crossover owning friends and family have less than 0 interest in it. But enthusiasts are gravitating more towards the Elantra N since it’s objectively a slightly better performer and it has a manual option. The Kona N is just kind of alone in the market. I actually wound up with one as a compromise-I test drove an Elantra N and was smitten with it but my wife thought it was ugly and impractical. So naturally when I said “well they put all the same go fast bits in a CUV” she said “ohhhhh that’s the one we should get then”. Honestly I think that specific niche is what the car serves so damn well…it’s a genuine enthusiast vehicle that delivers legitimate performance (mine makes my MK7.5 GTI seem like child’s play in comparison) in a package that no one is going to complain about. If you want a fast car with some edge that you can sell your partner on, look no further. But I don’t think it’s enough to keep the car alive or make it sell well. Like I said…I’m planning on keeping mine for a while and will be interested to see what the value is like if I try to sell it down the road. It’s hard to know if the community will come around on it or if it’ll always be an odd curiosity. Either way I love mine. And then there’s the Ioniq 6, which is downright hideous, as is the Sonata. If I were to buy one, I’d definitely go for the previous model. Fast forward to current day and my wife drives a Kia Soul turbo and my early Christmas present to myself was a brand new 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night edition (in gray). It’s my first brand new car ever and I LOVE the styling. I like my wife’s Soul as well. Both cars are great quality for the price and loaded with tech. Hyundai is really killing it, and good for them. Mazda is the one out their absolutely throwing hands at everyone around them when it comes to well executioned styling. They continued to prove that you don’t need sharp creases, fake vents and over designed features to make a car look good, their current designs feature huge areas of smooth flowing bodywork that looks good from basically every angle and they’re really punching above their weight in almost every area for a company that’s been flirting with a slow death for a few years now. (Looking at you Mitsubishi, please, just close your eyes.) I will follow this up with acknowledgement that I think the 2023/4 models they’ve shown off impress me less, but they’re still very nice. You can’t tell, but Geordi is giving you the stinkeye for misspelling his name. 😛 There is either a missed opportunity by the MFR or a prime opportunity for the aftermarket to incorporate a Cylon-style side-to-side scan to augment the turn signal indicator. I’ll be the judge of that! (Five minutes later.) … jesusfuck, how the fuck did the company that brought us the Kia Carnival and the Sephia just show up Zagato?! He’s amazing. This should all help next to the Kia Seltos too, which always has looked noticeably larger to me – maybe in part just from the boxier styling, but it is ~6″ longer and ~2″ taller too.
