The Hyundai Kona Electrical has grown up.
Notice: This text is predicated on our most up-to-date evaluate of the Kona, as a brand new car isn’t out there for us to check and there have been no main adjustments to specs since its publication.
Hyundai Australia just lately introduced MY25 adjustments for the Kona line-up, with the most important change being the provision of the N Line Package deal for Kona Electrical fashions.
We have now up to date key particulars corresponding to pricing and specs with the hottest info out there, and added imagery of the most recent mannequin the place relevant.
Learn the most recent value and specs article right here for particulars of the MY25 ICE and Hybrid vary, and right here for the Electrical.
WATCH: Paul’s video evaluate of the 2024 Hyundai Kona Hybrid N Line
The primary-generation Hyundai Kona Electrical was early to the electrical automobile social gathering in Australia, nevertheless it has just lately been overtaken by newer rivals providing extra refined driving experiences, extra trendy inside expertise, and more room.
That’s the place the second-generation automobile examined right here is available in. Just like the petrol and hybrid Kona with which it shares its bones, the Electrical is designed to supply more room, up-to-date expertise, and a extra polished drive than its predecessor.
Regardless of all these steps ahead, it hasn’t been smacked with a monster value hike.
The bottom Kona Electrical is definitely $500 cheaper than the automobile it replaces, though the top-end Premium Prolonged Vary on check right here is $4000 costlier than its now-defunct equal.
Does the brand new Kona Electrical characterize an ideal leap ahead, or is it an incremental improve to the outdated mannequin?
How does the Hyundai Kona examine?
View an in depth breakdown of the Hyundai Kona in opposition to equally sized autos.
Hyundai
Kona
How a lot does the Hyundai Kona price?
You pay a wholesome premium to get your arms on the Premium Prolonged Vary. It’s $10,000 pricier than the bottom Prolonged Vary.
MY25 Kona + Kona Hybrid
MY25 Kona Electrical
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
What’s the Hyundai Kona like on the within?
Gone is the flight-deck-like transmission tunnel of the outdated Kona, changed by a clear and trendy design shared with high-end petrol and hybrid fashions. It makes the cramped previous-generation mannequin really feel very dated.
Presentation is spectacular throughout the vary, and the basics are stable. The Premium elevates itself with white leather-clad seats (heated and cooled, naturally), ambient lighting, and a posh-looking fabric knit headliner.
The entrance seats are snug on lengthy hauls and provide a broad vary of adjustment, permitting tall or brief drivers to get snug, whereas the view over the bonnet is extra ‘shrunken Tucson‘ than ‘overgrown i30‘ as was beforehand the case.
Hyundai has additionally realised that buttons aren’t the enemy, which makes the Kona cabin a lot simpler to navigate. It’s straightforward to flick into Sport, for instance, or knock the temperature up by one diploma with out taking your eyes off the highway, as ought to be the case.
The infotainment software program (which is now rolling out throughout the broader vary) is simple to make use of, and touches like having the shortcut buttons within the backside right-hand nook of the display screen as an alternative of the highest left make life simpler in right-hand drive Australia.
Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are rolling out on some Hyundai fashions with built-in navigation. It was lacking from the brand new Kona at launch, and is presently being rolled out with an replace to vehicles domestically.
Hyundai’s digital dashboard is clear and useful, nevertheless it’s not significantly feature-rich relative to what you get in a Volkswagen Group product – you’ll be able to’t have maps in your driver’s show, for instance.
The flipside? There’s nonetheless numerous low cost, arduous plastics, from the perimeters of the dashboard to the tops of the doorways.
We known as it out within the petrol variant, and it’s extra conspicuous right here given the Electrical Premium is costlier once more. It’s pricier than a base Ioniq 5, which has a extra grown-up inside design. Then once more, we’d take arduous plastics over a few of the weirdness within the Kona’s rivals from China.
However rear seat area is miles higher on this Kona than the final, beginning with the wider-opening doorways.
Adults don’t must contort themselves to squeeze in anymore, which is a step ahead, and as soon as again there you get ranges of legroom and headroom akin to a Kia Seltos or BYD Atto 3.
The air vents and USB-C ports are family-friendly touches, and the broader rear bench will retaining warring children at bay extra successfully than earlier than.
You even get a V2L three-pin outlet again there within the rear, permitting passengers to cost a laptop computer on the transfer.
The final Kona EV felt very compromised, with the next ground than the petrol equal, forcing passengers into an ungainly knees-up place.
The brand new mannequin has extra toe-room beneath the entrance seats, and received’t make long-legged passengers really feel practically as cramped.
ISOFIX anchors on the outboard seats and a trio of top-tether factors are current, as is a fold-down central armrest.
Claimed boot area is a claimed 407 litres (up 75L on the outdated automobile, down 132L on the petrol Kona), increasing to 1241 litres with the rear seats folded. There’s area for charging cables beneath the bonnet in a 27L space for storing.
Rural patrons can even be comfortable to know there’s a space-saver spare wheel beneath the boot ground, which is uncommon in electrical vehicles.
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
What’s beneath the bonnet?
The place the final Kona Electrical provided 395Nm of torque, the brand new one delivers simply 255Nm. Hyundai says that’s nonetheless greater than sufficient, and the change was made to enhance driveability.
Having lived with a previous-generation Kona Electrical for some time, we will say that’s no dangerous factor. It was vulnerable to torque steer, and will by no means actually put all that torque all the way down to the highway with out feeling a bit wild.
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
How does the Hyundai Kona drive?
The Kona Electrical isn’t focused on the kind of one that needs their electrical automobile to really feel like a spaceship.
It’s remarkably unremarkable, requiring a flat studying curve for anybody hopping out of a petroleum or diesel automobile. It felt that manner throughout our shorter launch drive, and it feels that manner with extra seat time.
Even within the extra highly effective Prolonged Vary, the best way it performs within the metropolis is in step with the costlier petrol 1.6-litre turbo engine. There’s no wheel spin or torque steer – each of which have been actual points within the outdated Kona Electrical. It simply will get on with the job, backed by a delicate hum from the motor.
The steering is mild, and even the extra grown-up physique is sufficiently small to simply squeeze into parking spots or by means of tight laneways. It feels at dwelling within the metropolis, the place you’ll be able to lean on the moment low-down torque to squirt away from the visitors lights quicker than most internal-combustion vehicles.
Hyundai’s regenerative braking has been improved within the transition from the unique to the second-generation Kona Electrical. It’s smoother to have interaction once you raise off at pace, and also you’re now ready to make use of Hyundai’s i-Pedal to keep away from the brake pedal round city.
It’s foolish that you simply nonetheless must activate one-pedal driving each time you begin the automobile although; the best degree it’ll default to nonetheless requires the motive force places their foot on the brake pedal to cease.
Will homeowners hassle with the regenerative braking? Given that is meant to be an electrical automobile for individuals who don’t wish to drive a science experiment, possibly they received’t.
Hyundai hasn’t chased a sporty feeling right here, as an alternative choosing a relaxed suspension tune. It floats over pace bumps and potholes, though you’re all the time conscious of the automobile’s weight.
1700kg isn’t morbidly overweight by electrical automobile requirements, nevertheless it nonetheless weighs round 180kg greater than a fully-loaded Kona N Line Hybrid and that’s arduous to disregard.
On clean highways, the Kona Electrical feels fairly grown up. There’s minimal wind and highway noise, and there’s sufficient efficiency from the electrical motor to have punch in reserve for overtaking on the authorized restrict.
However the mushy suspension and chunky kerb weight determine conspire to make this fairly a bouncy automobile over large freeway crests and dips, taking one, two, typically three actions to regulate its mass. When the highway will get fascinating you’ll be able to actually throw the Kona Hybrid round; the Electrical doesn’t get pleasure from being pushed arduous.
The adaptive cruise management does a great job of sustaining a spot to the automobile in entrance, and the lane-keeping help decisively nudges you again between the white traces should you stray.
Hyundai’s lane-centring system, which extra actively controls the automobile’s place within the lane somewhat than intervening once you stray in the direction of traces, is a bit too hands-on for our liking, although.
The motive force consideration monitoring is vulnerable to false positives, flashing once you truly are trying on the highway… which makes you look away. Extra refinement is required, as is the case with the pace restrict warning system.
Sure, it’s a European requirement. It’s additionally so deeply annoying, I might be rooting round on-line to attempt to work out a technique to flip it off by means of the OBD II port.
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The 2024 Hyundai Kona Electrical is on the market in two totally different trim ranges – on check right here is the flagship Premium variant.
Kona Electrical (Base) highlights:
17-inch alloy wheelsSpace-saver spare wheelSatin chrome belt line/roof spoiler garnishBody-colour painted claddingHeated exterior mirrorsMFR-type automated LED headlightsAutomatic high-beamLED daytime working lightsLED mixture tail lightsRain-sensing window wipers12.3-inch digital instrument cluster12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment systemOver-the-air software program replace capabilityWired Apple CarPlay and Android AutoSatellite navigation6-speaker sound systemWireless telephone chargerDual-zone local weather controlProximity entry and push-button startRemote startLeather-wrapped steering wheelShift-by-wire column-mounted gear selectorLED inside lightingAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorLuggage netHeat pumpBattery conditioning systemInterior V2L portPremium fabric upholstery
Kona Electrical Premium provides:
AEB in ReverseBlind-Spot View MonitorSurround-view cameraFront, facet, rear parking sensorsRemote Sensible Parking Assist19-inch alloy wheelsAcoustic laminated windscreenSolar management entrance door glassPrivacy rear glassSunrooofQuad projector LED headlights‘Seamless Horizon’ entrance parking lightLED indicatorsHandsfree powered tailgateHead-up displayBose 8-speaker premium sound systemAmbient inside lightingHeated steering wheelCloth knit headlinerLeather-appointed upholstery10-way energy driver’s seat with memory8-way energy entrance passenger’s seatPremium rest entrance seatsHeated and ventilated entrance seatsHeated rear outboard seats
All Hyundai Kona Electrical variants additionally come customary with a five-year subscription to Bluelink related automobile providers.
Obtainable features embody:
Linked satellite tv for pc navigationPoint of curiosity ship to automobile (inc. charging station)Voice management systemRemote local weather management, charging and charging portCharging scheduleScheduled local weather controlDC/AC charging limitsEnergy consumption monitoringCharging alarmDistance-to-empty monitorCharging standing
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
Is the Hyundai Kona secure?
The brand new Kona just lately acquired a four-star ANCAP security ranking, primarily based on assessments carried out by Euro NCAP.
It acquired 80 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 83 per cent for little one occupant safety, 64 per cent for weak highway person safety, and 60 per cent for security help.
To get a five-star ranking total, a automobile must obtain scores of above 80 per cent in grownup and little one occupant safety and above 70 per cent for weak highway person safety and security help.
Commonplace security options embody:
7 airbagsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Pedestrian detectionCyclist detectionMotorcycle detectionJunction assistEvasive steering assistBlind-spot assistSafe Exit WarningRear cross-traffic alertDriver consideration warningIntelligent Velocity Restrict AssistLane preserve assistLane Following AssistAdaptive cruise management with cease and goRear occupant alertFront, rear parking sensorsTyre stress monitoring
Kona Electrical Premium provides:
Rear AEBBlind-Spot View MonitorSurround-view cameraFront, facet, rear parking sensorsRemote Sensible Parking Help
How a lot does the Hyundai Kona price to run?
The Hyundai Kona Electrical is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, whereas its high-voltage battery pack is roofed by an eight-year, 160,000km guarantee.
Logbook servicing is required each 24 months or 30,000km, whichever comes first. The primary three providers are additionally capped at $520.
To see how the Hyundai Kona stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Hyundai Kona
The Kona Electrical is a stable stepping stone from petrol to electrical energy in a small SUV.
The place a few of its rivals exit of their technique to be totally different, the Kona is reassuringly standard in the way it goes about its enterprise.
It’s additionally improved considerably over the first-generation automobile, which had hassle taming its torque, was tight within the again seats and boot, and costly alongside its better-rounded rivals.
You may really feel a however coming, proper? We don’t know that the Electrical Premium makes all that a lot sense, given how effectively outfitted the bottom Prolonged Vary is for $10,000 much less.
It’s nicer inside, and the additional digicam {hardware} and security package is definitely welcome, however the Prolonged Vary is extremely effectively rounded.
There’s no purpose to not purchase the Premium should you actually need the additional package, nevertheless it’s value trying intently on the greater Ioniq 5 given it’s truly $3000 cheaper should you do have nearer to $70k to spend on an electrical Hyundai SUV.
Inquisitive about shopping for a Hyundai Kona? Get in contact with certainly one of CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here
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