Hyundai Kona In-Depth Review 2021 - The Best Small Family SUV?

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'You drive it. You define it.' That's how Hyundai wants us to view this car, their small Kona SUV, here usefully improved. If you like cars of this kind, you're probably going to like this one because it ticks all the usual boxes in terms of style and fashionability. There's more though, to this little Crossover than initially meets the eye...

TIMESTAMPS
00:00​​​​ Introduction
00:34 Background
02:55 Driving Experience
11:55 Design & Build
26:11 Market & Model Range
44:21 Cost of Ownership
52:33 Summary

Background

Every mainstream brand you can think of is investing in SUVs these days. But delve into the detail and you'll find that some are taking this segment more seriously than others. Hyundai is a manufacturer who knows just what a difference a car of this kind can make and their Kona is a product designed precisely for the needs of buyers in the fastest-growing part of this sector - that for smaller 'B'-segment supermini-derived designs. It was first launched in 2017 and 228,000 sales were registered in its first three years on sale prior to the launch of the revised version we look at here.

By the Autumn of 2020 when this updated model arrived, the Kona range had been usefully expanded with Hybrid and full-Electric variants. With mild hybrid tech also added to the mix as part of this facelift, Hyundai can now offer a wider range of powertrain options to customers than most of its rivals. And a much improved showroom propostion. Let's take a look.

Driving Experience

The key news here is the adoption of Hyundai's latest 48-volt mild hybrid technology which features on the most affordable 1.0 T-Gdi 120PS petrol unit that most Kona customers choose. If you want a little more in terms of electrification, the Kona continues to be offered in front driven full-Hybrid form, where you get a 1.6-litre petrol unit with a 105PS power output, electrified assistance and a 7-speed dual clutch auto transmission.

There's also a fully battery-powered all-electric version, available in either a base 39kWh/135PS form or an uprated 64kWh/204PS guise. Hyundai claims a driving range of up to 278 miles for the 64kWh variant. The other variant on offer is the top Kona N which uses a more conventional 2.0-litre turbo T-Gdi petrol unit.

Advanced multi-link rear suspension only features on the top full-Electric and N models. Otherwise, you get the kind of cheaper torsion beam rear set-up that features on less advanced rivals, though Hyundai says it's re-tuned it in order to improve driving comfort, modifying the stabilizer bars and the rear bump stop, bringing benefits for primary ride and lateral body control. As before, there's also an 'Advanced Traction Cornering Control' package to improve traction and damping in bends.

Design and Build

The Kona was always quite a bold looking small SUV: well, it's even bolder now, the facelift update package adding protective cladding panels at the front, while enhanced upper daytime running lights now flank fluted inlets at the front of the bonnet. Updated alloy wheel designs feature and at the rear, the re-styled tail lights feature horizontally-stretched graphics, plus there's a smarter bumper too. As before, short rear overhangs and a low roofline add to the purposeful silhouette, plus contrasting exterior accents and standard-fit roof bars inject a bit of all-important SUV flavour. In its dimensions, this updated Kona is 40mm longer than the previous version, giving it a more sleek and dynamic look to balance out its wide, strong visual stance.

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