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Okay, so I know this car. Well, not this car exactly. But I know the Hyundai Kona.
The last-generation Kona Electric was one of my favourite EVs, I’ve driven the Kona N on racetracks, I just reviewed the Kona Hybrid, and I’m currently – as in right now – driving the Kona petrol on a long-term loan.
In short, when it comes to Hyundai’s not-so-small small SUV, I’m generally all over it.
Except for this one, the all-new Kona Electric, which is supposed to act as a stepping stone between Hyundai’s regular electric models and its more premium Ioniq family.
But the big question I have, of course, is whether this electric one is actually the version you want? And has full electrification helped or hindered the Kona formula in this generation, especially in the face of stiff competition from Tesla, BYD, and even from Hyundai itself, in the shape of its Ioniq family?
So, let’s go find out.
Honda Australia has gone through a bit of a transformation in recent years, shedding its top-10 sales ambitions for a new approach that focuses on slimming down the range with high-spec grades.
The first new-gen model to launch with that approach was last year’s Civic, but it’s the latest launch, the HR-V, which might make or break Honda’s new strategy.
And that’s because the HR-V is a small SUV – playing a space dominated by Toyota, Mazda and Kia – that also offers up a so-hot-right-now hybrid powertrain for the first time in Australia.
No doubt, the HR-V will prove more popular than the Civic in sales as the market shifts preferences, but is it any good?
This is all you need to know about the 2022 Honda HR-V.
It hardly feels cutting-edge in the world of EVs, but it is refreshingly familiar to look at, sit in and drive, and it shrinks the jump from an ICE vehicle to your first EV into something that feels entirely manageable. This is easy, breezy, fuss-free electric motoring.
You could look at the 2022 HR-V and think that Honda has taken a step back.
After all, there’s less space in the boot, there’s one less seat and the prices have – at first glance – gone up.
In reality though, the HR-V, especially in this e:HEV L form, offers up a genuine rival to Toyotas, Mazdas and Kias that dominate the small SUV space.
The 2022 HR-V is a properly handsome car, the hybrid powertrain is miserly on fuel, and the handling characteristics are honestly pretty fantastic.
Hyundai has made a big deal about designing the new Kona as an EV first, so it doesn't matter if you buy the petrol, the hybrid or the full electric, they all share styling cues.
But for mine, the Electric is the pick of the bunch, looking modern – futuristic even – without pushing it too far.
Some EVs look like they will age like a glass of milk, but the Kona isn't one of them. I suspect it will still look plenty sharp five years from now.
Even the sharp body creases along its flanks don't look overly in-your-face, and the design of the alloy wheels, the lightly flared wheel arches and the swept-back roofline all give the Kona Electric a relatively sleek and sporty profile.
But the Kona Electric looks best from front-on, where the slim light bars, pixelated grille and rounded snout look great.
Inside, the Kona Electric is a little more predictable, coming across as any other internal-combustion SUV, rather than delivering some future-facing cabin of surprises – albeit with the Drive selector shifted from its usual place between driver and passenger to a stalk to the right of the steering wheel.
If you close your eyes for a second and think of the best-looking Hondas of all time, I bet the likes of the first-generation NSX, S2000 and two-door Integra come to mind.
And while this new HR-V design doesn’t quite match the heights of Honda in the 90s, it’s certainly a significant step in the right direction compared to the car it replaces.
Gone is the slightly derivative styling and pudgy proportions, replaced with a much more taut, muscular and confident body.
The new grille design is of particular note, as it melds the intakes with the bumper and, when combined with the sleek headlights, makes the HR-V look like it could be from the future.
From the side, the new HR-V retains the hidden door handles of its predecessor, which pays homage to the three-door SUV shape available in the first-generation car.
The long bonnet, short overhangs and sloping window line also give this Honda a particularly athletic appearance, while the 18-inch wheels are also just about big enough to fill the arches, and feature an interesting enough design.
The rear end is dominated by the latest automotive design trend of connected tail-lights, but the relatively flat bootlid and clean aesthetic give the HR-V a really modern look.
The bootlid spoiler is also a nice touch, while this car’s contrasting kick plate adds to the illusion of its off-road credentials.
Inside, the HR-V also adopts a cleaner aesthetic – much like its Civic sibling – centred on a large 9.0-inch central touchscreen multimedia system, which thankfully features a physical volume control knob.
There are some cool design touches here too, like air vent switches with settings for open, close and diffusion, and touch-operated roof lights.
The best part of the interior, however, is fit, finish and feel. All the touch points are soft and there’s just a solid weight to everything. It’s probably no coincidence that all new Australian HR-Vs are now sourced from Japan.
To us, the new HR-V is a stunner. The styling is more mature and confident than before, and between this and the new-gen Civic, Honda’s design department seems to have rediscovered its mojo.
It's bigger than its ever been, this new-generation Kona, measuring just over 4.3m long, 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall – 30mm taller and 145mm longer than the model it has replaced.
And yes, that's most notable in the back seat, where my 175cm frame fits with ease. Hyundai tells me there's now 77mm more legroom, 17mm more shoulder room and 15mm more headroom, but what you really need to know is there is space aplenty for second-row riders.
The boot is bigger, too, now 407L to 1241L, and there are ample storage cubbies, bottle holders and console storage, including pop-out cupholders between driver and passenger.
From the outside, aside from the styling, the 2022 Honda HR-V doesn’t seem like its changed all that much – it’s still a practical five-door small SUV, right?
And from the front seat, the new HR-V paints a very familiar picture.
There is plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, the seats have plenty of adjustability, and there’s storage for your water bottle, wallet and phone.
There’s even an underarm storage cubby that’s deep enough for you to lose some spare change or throw a charging cable or two into.
However, from the second row, the story really starts to change – especially compared with the outgoing model.
Whereas the old HR-V was classed as a five-seater, the 2022 version has seating for only four.
This is due to the middle ‘seat’ fouling Australia’s unique design rules for what can be classified as a seat, and does not have a seat belt.
How much would you’d actually use the middle seat if there was a seat belt there? That’s for you to decide, but it’s certainly a deal-breaker for some families.
Regardless, the two outboard seats offer heaps of leg- and shoulder-room, and our head can just about squeeze in comfortably without hitting the roof.
It’s certainly comfortable enough, and there’s a bottle holder in the door and air vents here to keep you comfortable, while the lack of centre seat means second-row passengers can have a full-time armrest with extra cupholders.
There’s also USB ports and backseat map pockets with a handy phone sling, so you don’t have to go reaching all the way down to get your mobile.
One saving grace for the rear seats, however, is the inclusion of Honda’s versatile ‘Magic Seats’, which allows you to fold the base of the rear seats up to accommodate taller objects like house plants.
The rear seats can also fold flat, creating a 1274 litre boot space, which measures just 304L with the rear seats upright.
This makes the 2022 HR-V’s boot smaller than the outgoing model, which could accommodate about 100-130 litres more, and even smaller than rivals like the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-30.
In fact, so small is the new HR-V’s boot, it’s even smaller than the Jazz light hatchback that was discontinued in 2020 – so don’t expect to see this small HR-V hauling timber from Bunnings or flat-packed furniture from Ikea.
Fun fact. We drove the Hyundai Kona Electric some time ago, but refrained from writing about it because the Korean brand couldn't yet tell us what it would cost. And in the increasingly competitive world of electric vehicles, the price is a big factor.
And yes, that's unusual. Car companies usually have every possible duck in a row before launching a vehicle. But with the Kona Electric, Hyundai was fighting over the price, trying to get it as low as it possibly could.
So, where did it end up? Cheaper than the last one.
The Kona Electric can be had as a base model or Premium, with the entry-level then able to be had in Standard Range or Extended Range guises (the Premium is Extended Range only).
So, the base Kona Electric Standard Range is now $54,000, before on-road costs, which is $500 cheaper than the model it replaces.
The Extended Range version of the same car is now $58,000, some $2500 cheaper than before. The only bad news is for the Kona Electric Premium, which lists at $68,000, or $4000 more than its predecessor.
For the record, that makes the Kona slightly more expensive than the BYD Atto 3 ($48,011 to $51,011), and cheaper than a Tesla Model Y ($65,400 to $78,400, not including the Performance).
What separates the base-model cars is the battery (48.6kWh or 64.8kWh), so both share 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instruments and multimedia touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a wireless phone charger, dual-zone climate, keyless entry and push-start ignition, as well as a full active safety suite.
The Premium grade then gets 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather interior trim, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, a Bose premium audio system, remote smart parking assist, a sunroof and a powered tailgate.
You might be shocked to see the new-generation HR-V kicks off with the Vi X grade for $36,700 driveaway, while this top-spec e:HEV L is positioned at $45,000.
With the previous-generation car kicking off from $31,300 and topping out at $41,000, it would seem like the new HR-V has jumped up quite substantially in price, right?
Well, Honda Australia’s new strategy is to slim down the range, and offer a few, highly-specified grades that it knows are more popular than others, hence the number of options for the HR-V going from five to just two.
Also keep in mind that these are driveaway, no-more-to-pay prices, whereas its rivals, like the Toyota C-HR, Mazda CX-30 and Kia Niro that all start at around $30,000, are quoted before on-road costs.
Once you do the math, you’ll find the cost of all these small SUVs to be surprisingly close.
Honda Australia has tried to offset the increased pricing with a boat load of equipment though, with standard features that include automatic headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, fabric interior, LED daytime running lights, rear privacy glass, push-button start and a 7.0-inch drive display.
Handling multimedia duties is a 9.0-inch touchscreen that allows for wireless Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, for Android users, you’ll need a cable to make use of Android Auto.
The multimedia set-up in the base car also features satellite navigation, but there are only four speakers throughout the cabin.
Stepping up to the more expensive e:HEV L nets buyers a powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, leather-accented cabin, automatic wipers, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, active cornering lights and an extra two speakers to better pump the tunes.
Of course, it’s the hybrid powertrain that makes the top-spec HR-V jump up so much in price, but we’ll go into more detail about this in the powertrain section of this review.
While the equipment list is long and extensive for the Vi X, there are some notable omissions on the top-spec e:HEV L that make its $45,000 pricetag a bit harder to swallow.
Namely, where are the cooled seats, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, sunroof and electronic seat adjustment?
Browsing the optional extras, at least one of these things can be added in, but the wireless phone-charger kit will add another $640 to the pricetag. Come on, Honda!
Both Kona variants are single-motor propositions, but you do get more grunt when you opt for the bigger battery.
Base-model cars get a single, front-mounted electric motor, producing 99kW and 255Nm, while the Premium and Extended Range models deliver 150kW and 255Nm.
Neither, though, are particularly fast, reporting a 9.9sec or 8.1sec sprint to 100km/h, respectively.
Under the bonnet of the HR-V e:HEV L you’ll find a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but Honda has also thrown in two electric motors to make this car a hybrid.
In total, there is 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque available, making it competitive against its rivals for potency, but the bigger benefit of this hybrid set-up is in its lower fuel consumption figure.
Meanwhile, the Vi X forgoes the electric motors and is powered exclusively by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The entry-level HR-V manages to muster up 89kW of power and 145Nm of torque – and if that sounds a little underpowered, it’s because it is.
Compared to rivals like the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-30, the cheapest HR-V is well down on power and torque as all its competitors make use of larger engines or a turbocharger for a bit more grunt.
Whichever HR-V engine you end up with, both are paired to a continuously variable transmission that sends drive to the front wheels.
We know already that the Kona can be had with two battery sizes, and the first (48.6kWh) will deliver a theoretical driving range of 370km on the WLTP cycle.
The bigger battery, now 64.8kWh, ups that number to 505km, but with a catch.
See, the Premium arrives with 19-inch alloy wheels, which look great, but also reduce efficiency, dropping your range to 444km. To get the full 505km, you need to stick with the 17-inch alloys.
It's also not the fastest-charging EV on the planet. The on-board AC charger is now set up for 10.4kW (though most home chargers are more like 7.0kW), but DC charging is limited to less than 100kW, meaning a 10 to 80 percent charge takes 45 minutes – or over an hour if you're using a 50kW fast charging station.
The Kona Electric also introduces an interior V2L plug, the same kind you might find in your kitchen, meaning you can plug in thirstier electronic deceives like laptops when on the move.
Officially this HR-V e:HEV L will return a fuel consumption figure of just 4.3 litres per 100km, helped by its petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.
This figure not only beats out the petrol-only Mazda CX-30 line-up, but also matches the Toyota C-HR Hybrid for frugality.
In our time with the HR-V e:HEV L, we actually managed to match the 4.3L/100km claim with a healthy mix of inner-city and freeway driving.
Very rarely do fuel consumption claims translate to a real-world setting, so it's heartening to see that the Honda HR-V living up to what’s promised on the box.
The petrol-only Vi X meanwhile, wears an official fuel consumption figure of 5.8L/100km, but having not yet driven that car, we cannot comment on the accuracy of that claim.
What's it like to drive? Bloody easy, to be honest. What I loved about the old Kona Electric still rings true here, and that is that it this feels like a very easy step to make if you're moving into your first electric vehicle.
It looks familiar, it feels familiar, and it's immediately familiar to drive.
You know how some EVs feel mega-futuristic, pushing you back in your chair every time you poke the accelerator, all silent and slightly discombobulating aggression?
Well, this isn't one of those. It's smooth, sedate even, with fairly leisurely acceleration, smooth steering and a ride that's comfy enough, too.
But as I was cruising back from Canberra to Sydney (which required a charging stop, btw), I was pondering what it is people want from a small SUV. Mind-bending performance? Or practicality and comfort?
I suspect it's the latter, and the Kona Electric delivers on that front.
That said, the time it takes to charge is punishing. To have to stop for 30 minutes on the drive between Canberra and Sydney (granted, it was only 80 percent charged when I got in it) is tough, but it's made tougher still when the time stationary is half an hour plus.
How do you think a small SUV should drive on the road? To us, I want something that is easy to use with great visibility and a minimal number of rattles and squeaks.
And this Honda HR-V absolutely delivers.
Let’s start with the powertrain. On paper this HR-V e:HEV L’s outputs are nothing to write home about, but out in the real world, there is plenty of gusto to come off the line briskly.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s not going to blow away hot hatches or even most turbocharged cars, but accelerating up to 60km/h isn’t an exercise in testing your patience.
The powertrain is also a smart one, able to switch EV, hybrid and engine mode depending on what is required in any given situation.
The switchover from EV to petrol power is also smooth and seamless, there’s no jerkiness or clunkiness here, it all just works exactly how, and when, you want it to.
In fact, if you had your music pumping at head-bobbing levels, we’d wager you wouldn’t even know whether the petrol engine or electric motors were at work, save for the ‘EV’ indicator light on the instrumentation.
The CVT in this HR-V also does a fairly decent job, and for the most part fades into background of the driving experience – which is a good thing.
When flat-footing it, the HR-V does get a bit revvy and harsh, but for the most part, and especially during inner-city journeys, this car is a delight.
The steering is also very nicely weighted, and there’s a connection between the wheel and what’s happening underneath that’s rare to see in this class of car.
It means the HR-V is genuinely fun to pilot, whether ducking into an on-street park or navigating a series of S bends on a country road. What a pleasant surprise!
It's officially a four-star ANCAP vehicle, this Kona, owing mostly to the performance of some of its active safety kit, like AEB, which ANCAP described as "adequate".
How much that bothers you is an individual thing (I can tell you it bothers me exactly not at all), and the Kona is fitted with a whole bunch of safety kit, including seven airbags, 'Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2.0' (AEB) with human and bike detection, lane change and junction assist, 'Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist' and 'Blind-Spot View Monitor', intelligent cruise control and auto lights.
Each third-generation HR-V comes fitted as standard with Honda’s Sensing suite of driver-assist technologies.
This means advanced driver assist technologies like autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning are included.
However, buyers will need to step up to the e:HEV L grade for rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring – two features that should really be included across the range, especially because some rivals, like the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota CH-R include them as standard.
At the time of filming, Honda’s new HR-V is yet to be tested by ANCAP, but Euro NCAP has handed it a four-star crash-test rating.
While scoring a respectable 82 per cent in the adult occupant protection test, the HR-V scored less in the child occupant, vulnerable road user and safety assist categories.
While a four-star rating certainly doesn’t make the new HR-V unsafe for you and your family, it lags behind the five-star safety of rivals, such as the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR.
The Kona Electric is covered by Hyundai's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km.
Servicing is a strong point, with the intervals pegged at 24 months or 30,000km, and capped at $520 per visit for the first three services, or up to six years.
Like all new Hondas sold in Australia in 2022, the HR-V comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first, which is a bit less mileage than the industry standard of 12 months/15,000km.
However, all of Honda’s vehicles now fall under its ‘5 Low Price Services’ scheme, which means each service for the first five years will only cost $125.
This means that the first five years of ownership should only set buyers back $625 – and this price applies to the hybrid and non-hybrid engine of the HR-V.
What’s even better, however, is that this makes the 2022 HR-V cheaper to maintain than the CX-30, C-HR and Niro.