This is the car Hyundai (and I suspect many of you) has been waiting for.
It’s the Kona, of course. But this is the hybrid version, which was delayed for a few months after the launch of the regular petrol-powered models earlier this year.
And as you probably know, hybrids are pretty damn popular in Australia. And that makes Toyota pretty damn popular, with the Japanese giant accounting for somewhere north of 80 per cent of all hybrid sales in Australia.
But with this new Kona, Hyundai now has an answer for models like the Toyota Corolla Cross or C-HR Hybrids.
So, how does the Kona Hybrid stack up?
Hyundai Kona 2024: Hybrid
| Engine Type | Inline 4, 1.6L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | |
| Fuel Efficiency | 3.9L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $36,000 |
| Safety Rating |
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Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
8 / 10
There are two, and kind of four, ways to have your Kona Hybrid, which begins with the aptly-named Kona, which is $36,000 plus on-road costs. That same model can be fitted with an N Line pack, which lifts the price to $40,000.
Alternatively, you can spring for the Kona Premium, yours for $43,500, or again equip the N Line pack, which will set you back $46,500.
The base cars get a pretty handy spec offering, including 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, heated and powered wing mirrors, satin chrome exterior flourishes, and a cool EV-led design ethos which includes the light bar that spans the bonnet and boot.
Inside, there's a 12.3-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED interior lighting, dual-zone climate control and push-button start. Also new(ish) is Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity with over-the-air updates.
Ticking the N Line box gives you a second 12.3-inch screen, this time a digital instrument cluster, as well as the better headlights which are standard on the Premium. Most of all, though, you get N Line styling, inside and out.
Step up to the Kona Premium and you add some extra safety kit, which we'll cover in a moment, as well as a powered boot, a second 12.3-inch screen that acts as the driver display, better headlights, a better eight-speaker Bose stereo, heated and ventilated front seats (that are heated in the rear, too), and standard navigation – which you won't use, because Google Maps.
Waving the N Line wand over the Premium adds only the N Line styling tweaks, without really impacting the equipment list.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
8 / 10
Design is subjective, I know. But this subject reckons the Kona looks fantastic. Mostly because it doesn't look like it's trying too hard.
Sure, the light bar at the front and rear are stand-outs, but beyond them, you've got a pretty understated and stylish SUV.
Even the cheapest Kona's carry a certain design flair, owing mostly to those twin light bars and 18-inch alloys, and there's clever EV-led cooling up front, with the plastic covers that sit where a slatted grille might usually open automatically when the engine bay needs extra cooling. So EV looks with ICE functionality. Clever.
Inside, design cues meet practicality perks in a cabin that leans a little too hard into hard plastics in places. The centre console, for example, is free of a traditional gear selector, with that function moved to a stalk behind the steering wheel, which does free up a heap of space between the front-seat riders.
Elsewhere, the twin-screen setup of the Kona Premium looks the business, and I'm always grateful for physical buttons or dials to control the twin-zone climate and other core functions.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 8/10
8 / 10
This new Kona is 30mm taller and 145mm longer than the model it has replaced – now just over 4.3m long, 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall – with the packaging improvements felt most in the backseat.
I'm 175cm tall, and I have absolutely no problem sitting behind my own driving position, with ample legroom and headroom. Sure, three adults across the back won't be overly fun, but the Kona stretches the definition of "small SUV", and so this is about as good as you're going to find in this segment.
Elsewhere in the back, there are twin cupholders in the pull-down seat divider, bottle holders in each door, and big central air vents.
Connectivity is another Kona perk, with twin USB points in the rear, more connection points up front (including one that you can direct to Apple CarPlay, or just to charge, so your passenger can plug in without having their phone pop up on the central screen).
The boot opens to reveal 407 litres of storage space, growing to 1241 litres with the rear seats folded flats. Plus you can tailor the space with an adjustable floor height and shopping-bag hooks.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 7/10
7 / 10
Hybrids don’t take much explaining these days, and this one pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a front-motor and a 1.32kWh battery to deliver a total 104kW and 265Nm, which is channeled through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic and sent to the front wheels.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 8/10
8 / 10
The magic of any hybrid is in its fuel use, and this one promises fuel use of just 3.9L/100km. That’s better than the Corolla Cross, by the way, which is more like 4.3L/100km.
That means not only is its 38-litre tank pretty cheap to fill, it should get you almost 1000kms, provided you are gentle with it.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 7/10
7 / 10
Much like the petrol-powered Konas we've already driven, this hybrid-equipped model is a bit of a treat from behind the wheel.
The real skill, I reckon, isn't necessarily making a car feel sporty, or soft, or super sharp. It's in making a car feel fit for purpose, whether it's a sports car, a family hauler, or a small electrified SUV.
And the Kona fits the bill on that score, with steering that is direct without being too sharp, a ride that's supple enough to be comfy while still inspiring confidence, and NVH levels that are solid when up to speed, too.
In short, it does pretty much exactly what you want a car in this segment to do.
There is clever stuff afoot, though. The flappy paddles behind the steering wheel don't just control regenerative braking levels, but – when Sport mode is engaged – also the gear shifts, allowing you to make the most of that six-speed DCT automatic. That's one of the benefits of having a six-speed 'box, rather than a CVT.
It also might be one of the smoothest-transitioning hybrids I've driven, with no clunky, thrumming engine startup, just seamless shifting between the two power sources.
Downsides? It's really not the most powerful vehicle out there. You don't notice in the city, where there's enough grunt on offer to keep you moving easily enough. But you do notice when you go to overtake on a country road, where you kind of have to take a run up to get the move done quickly.
It also lacks a little bit of refinement from take off, when, if you're too heavy with the accelerator, you can definitely hear the engine and gearbox working hard.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
8 / 10
It's a pretty comprehensive safety offering, even for the entry-level Kona, which arrives with blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning, forward attention warning, forward collision-avoidance assist (AEB) which includes oncoming traffic and crossings, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, high-beam assist, lane following assist and lane-keeping assist, as well as intelligent speed limit assist, which sadly isn't intelligent enough to know what time it is when you're crossing a school zone, for example, so you end up switching it off.
Premium cars then add a blind-spot view monitor, parking collision-avoidance assist-reverse, a 3D surround-view monitor, and remote smart parking assist with side parking sensors.
The current Kona five-star ANCAP rating applies only to the now defunct model, but the current model has been tested, with the results due before the end of the year. So watch this space.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 8/10
8 / 10
Expect Hyundai's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty here, with service intervals pegged at 12 months or 15,000kms. The brand's capped-price service schedule limits your maintenance costs to $399 per service for the first five years.
Verdict
Can Hyundai disrupt Toyota's hybrid dominance? You bet it can, with the Kona a small on the outside, big on the inside, hyper-efficient hybrid which will tick plenty of boxes.
Pricing Guides
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Electric EXT Range | Electric, 1 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $58,000 |
| Electric N Line | Electric, 1 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $62,000 |
| Electric Premium | Electric, 1 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $68,000 |
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