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| Search used Hyundai Kona for sale |
There’s nothing if not diversity within the Hyundai Kona range. You can have everything from a full EV version, reviewed separately, at one end all the way to the Kona N hot hatch at the other extreme. It means small SUV buyers who like the Hyundai brand are not short of choice, though most will likely head towards the mild hybrid or fully Hybrid version that gets this distinction as part of its formal name.
On the road, the two hybrid versions are not much different to drive other than the full Hybrid is markedly quicker off the mark and through the gears. This could be a defining feature for some buyers if you spend a lot of time on the motorway or country roads and need to pass slower traffic. Then again, if you want fast, the Kona N comes with 280hp and sees off 0-62mph in a mere 5.5 seconds to put most other hot hatches well and truly in the shade. And the N is not just some straight line drag car, it can cope with bends just as ably to make it a hidden gem among performance cars.
The Hyundai Kona’s looks were given a makeover in 2021 and the interior came in for some attention at the same time. It now feels built to a higher standard than before, and there’s a bit more technology included with all models as standard. For instance, all have a 10.25-inch digital main dash cluster where this is only fitted to higher trim grades in most of the Kona’s rivals. If you skip over the entry-point SE Connect trim, you also get a 10.25-inch colour touchscreen infotainment display.
However, an update does not address the more fundamental issue of the Kona’s cramped cabin. It’s a small SUV, but it seems to take the word ‘small’ at face value when it comes to rear seat space. The boot, too, is less spacious than Nissan Juke’s.
The Hyundai Kona lives up to its looks as a small SUV by providing a raised driving position that affords a good view out to the front and sides. You can adjust the driver’s seat height manually in all models except the Ultimate trim that comes with electric movement. This version and the Premium also come with heated front seats as standard. However, every Kona has two-way adjustment for the steering wheel which, coupled to electric lumbar adjustability on all but the base SE Connect, means you can fine tune the seating position to suit yourself with ease. With this higher outlook than you get in most of the Kona’s rivals, you can see the front corners clearly, but rear vision is limited by the thick rear window pillars and high, narrow rear screen. Hyundai counters this by fitting rear parking sensors to all Kona variants.
Another standard feature in all Hyundai Konas since the 2021 facelift is the 10.25-inch Driver’s Digital Supervision Instrument Cluster. That’s a fancy way of saying the main dials use a digital display rather than analogue clocks. Whatever the description, the Kona’s dials are easy to read and you can vary the information in the central portion of the display using the steering wheel buttons to scroll through different menus.
There’s more information available on the large, centrally mounted infotainment touchscreen. In the SE Connect, this is an 8.0-inch item, but the rest of the range benefit form the larger 10.25-inch version that has crisp graphics and reacts promptly to inputs from your finger. It comes with an excellent stereo, and you can hook up your smartphone using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. All but the SE Connect model has a wireless charging pad in the centre console for your phone, but only the Ultimate has a head-up display. Below the infotainment display are the heater controls, which Hyundai wisely chooses to stick with physical buttons and dials.
If the front of the Hyundai Kona is a very appealing place to sit, the rear seats are rather less attractive for anyone of adult size. There is enough headroom and the Kona is almost wide enough to fit three grown-ups across the bench for short trips. However, what scuppers this car is the paucity of knee space for adults. IT’s compounded by the hard-backed front seats, so you cannot even sit with your knees moulded into the rear of the front seats. Children won’t notice this and there are Isofix seat mounts on the two outer rear chairs.
Head round to the back of the Kona and the tailgate opens to reveal a wide aperture. That’s about as good as it gets as the Kona has a smaller boot than a Nissan Juke by some margin, offering 374-litres to be almost 50-litres less than the Nissan’s. Tip the 60-40 fold down rear seats flat and the Hyundai releases 1156-litres of space for cargo, whereas the Nissan has 1305-litres to play with. There are some redeeming features for the Kona as its boot floor is flat and sits flush with the load sill. It also has plenty of sturdy tie-down points, which the Nissan Juke does not.
There are three distinct engines in the petrol-fuelled Hyundai Kona line-up, with the all-electric EV model as a standalone version. Let’s start with the mild hybrid model that uses a turbocharged, three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine in all trim levels. It produces 120hp and is attached to a six-speed manual gearbox with eClutch, which Hyundai calls an Intelligent Manual Transmission. In practice, it works just fine, but there’s no disguising the sluggish performance of this engine in the Kona, which takes a slovenly 11.9 seconds to get from a standing start to 62mph. While we don’t expect small SUVs to be fireballs when it comes to performance, the Kona mild hybrid is towards the back of the pack.
Much better for acceleration is the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, which has a 1.6-litre petrol engine making 105hp. However, it’s supported by its electric motor that delivers 43.5hp and a useful slug of low- and mid-rev shove whenever you put your foot hard on the accelerator. With 0-62mph in 11.0 seconds, the Hybrid isn’t that much quicker off the mark than the mild hybrid, but it feels more muscular as it works its way through the six-speed dual clutch transmission. You can also cover short distance around town on electric power only in this model, which helps with fuel economy and gives excellent refinement.
Of course, if it’s a turn of speed you’re after, the Kona N will be the only car in this line-up to slake your thirst. Use all of its 280hp and it will cover 0-62mph in just 5.5 seconds, and it will head on to 149mph flat out given the opportunity. Its 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine drives the front wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch auto ’box, which is quick-witted and slick. You also have different driving modes to sharpen up the car’s throttle, steering, and gear shifts should you want an even more rapid feel.
You will have to live with a firm ride in the Kona N in town and on the motorway, though it’s no more demanding than most performance SUVs such as the Ford Puma ST. On longer journeys, the N’s engine has reasonable refinement, as do the hybrid models. The full Hybrid model’s petrol engine engages seamlessly, but every version of the Kona suffers from more wind and road noise than you’ll experience in a Puma or Skoda Karoq.
The Hyundai Kona also comes with a firmer feel to its suspension at all speeds. It’s at its most noticeable in town, where potholes are something to steer around, but it settles to a decent balance of comfort and stability on the motorway. Take to country roads and there’s little body lean and direct steering, but the Hyundai is deflected from its intended path in corners by bumps.
With three strands to the Hyundai Kona range, we’ll start with the mild hybrid models. They begin with the SE Connect that costs from £21,625, while upgrading to the N Line adds £2530 to the price with its £24,155 tag. The Premium comes in at £24,225, while the Ultimate costs from £26,525. Moving to the Hybrid range, the SE Connect start with prices from £24,315, so it’s £2690 more than the mild hybrid model. There’s no N Line trim for the Hybrid, so Premium is next up at £27,115, and the Ultimate weighs in with a list price of £29,615. If you want the Kona N, it costs from £35,820. Savings can be had on all of the Kona range when new, so expect to chip off anything from £500 to £2500 depending on the engine and trim version. A three-year old Kona with average mileage for the age will cost from about £13,000 through a good independent dealer or Hyundai’s own approved used scheme.
For those choosing the Hyundai Kona in SE Connect trim, you get 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, rear parking sensors, and Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keep Assist safety aids. You also get the 10.25-inch digital main dash display, as well as an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Air conditioning is included, too. Move up to the N Line and you gain 18-inch alloy wheels, N Line body kit, and rear privacy glass. Inside, the N Line has climate control, ambient lighting, a Krell audio system, wireless phone charging pad, and the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with sat-nav. Choose the Premium model and it has front parking sensors, electric parking brake, intelligent speed limit warning. The cabin comes with heated seats and steering wheel, and keyless ignition. The Ultimate lives up to its name with electrically adjusted and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, heated outer rear seats, and a driver’s head-up display. A sunroof is standard with this trim, as well as blind spot and safe exit warnings. The Kona N has its own specific trim with 19-inch alloy wheels, larger brakes, and unique body styling. On the inside, the N has front sports seats, suede-style upholstery, and N driving modes.
The cost of running most Hyundai Kona models will not drain your finances. The mild hybrid models offer combined economy and emissions of 47.1mpg and 135g/km in the SE Connect and Premium trims, or 46.3mpg and 138g/km for the N Line and Ultimate. If you prefer the Hybrid models, they offer between 57.6- and 55.4mpg depending on trim, along with CO2 emissions ranging from 112- to 115g/km. The Kona N comes in with a less impressive 33.2mpg official combined consumption and emits 194g/km.
Thanks to the range of engines on offer, plus the decent spread of trim levels, there’s a Hyundai Kona to suit almost all budgets. From the very affordable mild hybrid in is base trim to the fire-breathing N performance model, every one of these small SUVs from Hyundai is well equipped and come with plenty of safety kit.
It’s not all rosy for the Kona, though, as the rear seats are cramped and the boot is much smaller than some of its key rivals. The Kona also has a firm ride that won’t be to all tastes, while the fuel economy of the mild hybrid models and N is nothing to write home about.
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The Ford Puma has become the go-to small SUV for many drivers, and it’s easy to see why. The Puma is stylish, great to drive, affordable, and it’s practical too. The cabin is well put together and roomy, while the boot is simply huge once you get used to the idea of its extra underfloor space. It’s also available with hybrid power, but not a full EV version. The Puma is the best in its class when it comes to driving fun, and this is allied to a composed ride, even in the performance ST version.
This is where Volkswagen gets to let its hair down and have a bit of fun in the SUV sector. Where the Tiguan and T-Cross are more sober affairs, the T-Roc has funky looks and offers buyers more in the way of personalisation in the way the car looks inside and out. It also gets all of the basics right with a comfortable ride, good handling, and a wide spread of engines. You can also get a T-Roc with all-wheel drive, but there’s no hybrid option as you have with the Hyundai Kona. Nor is the T-Roc much fun from the driver’s seat.
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There are few more striking cars to look at in the small SUV class than the Nissan Juke. It’s more well-stocked handsome than its predecessor while still retaining a distinct look, while inside the Juke now offers plenty of space and lots of safety equipment included with every model. There’s a hybrid model to broaden the engine line-up, but the Juke has a firm ride that means it’s only average for the class when it comes to driving pleasure and comfort. Still, Nissan has priced the Juke very temptingly.
