It was first seen during the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) in 2018 and joining the subcompact crossover segment along with EcoSport, HRV, and CX-3, is the little brother of Tucson – the Hyundai Kona.
Call it Kona, Kauai, or even a “Lady” as the name suggests, it doesn’t really matter. Its striking looks is sure to catch your eye in the bustling streets of the metro.
Exterior
The Hyundai Kona is a bit more on the funkier side of the spectrum. With vibrant color options and a cascading honeycomb front grille, it’s like the car wants to say “hey, look at me!” but in a non-intimidating way.
On the front, it features a split headlight design whereas the strip of LED daytime running lights are near the hood while the projector halogen headlamps are adjacent to the grille. In totality, it gives off a concept car vibe you can't miss. For the front doors, there’s a little black button that allows you to lock or unlock the vehicle while your keys are in your pocket, which is convenient if you have groceries in your other hand.
Along the sides are plastic body claddings which acts like a two-tone but it’s actually placed in areas that typically show rusts. We’ve seen cars with rusty wheel wells and it doesn’t look very appealing, right?
Interior
To balance its trendy looks, everything inside the unit is conventional and practical. Personally, I prefer if the inside has trimmings same as the color of the exterior to give a pop of hue in the dark themed cabin. It has a floating type radio display with Mono LCD and you can connect through aux, Bluetooth, or USB. I am surprised the audio system or infotainment is not touchscreen since in this era it is pretty much the standard. Interior quality is good with materials mostly made of hard plastic but thanks to the graining on the surface it does make it look like its soft touch.
For the cabin space, there is no issue with headroom at the front or back. However, the legroom in the rear is limited but seats are comfortable and supportive, enough to fit three average sized individuals. You do not get tons of space for the trunk but it does have adequate room for the size of the vehicle.
Engine
Under the hood, it carries a Nu MPI 2.0L Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) engine combined with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Kona produces 149 HP at 6,200rpm and 18.3Nm at 4,500rpm. It runs on gasoline and has a fuel tank capacity of 50 liters.
Performance
Out on the street, I'm actually surprised at how well it drives. The steering is sharp giving the Kona a playful feel in corners and scoots around town with no problem at all, also the acceleration is brisk as it really feels strong. For handling, the Kona is one of the more enjoyable small SUVs you can drive.
Engaging in sport mode sharpens the throttle response but it also needlessly heavies up the steering. So for best results, leave it on normal mode and then just stab the accelerator aggressively, that’s how the pros do it (not really).
Verdict
Subcompact crossovers and SUVs are all the rage these days and Hyundai does not want to be left out in the party. For an entry level crossover, it is a comparatively capable vehicle that drives finely and not to mention has distinguishing looks. The Kona is full on safety features, has plenty of technology, and is packed with features that other vehicles in this segment does not have; and if you don’t mind about trivialities such as rear passenger space, the Hyundai Kona is an excellent choice.
Locally, the Hyundai Kona comes with only one variant and is priced at 1,188,000 php.
Comments