October 18, 2021
The crossover Hyundai Kona landed on South Africa’s shores adorned with a new facelift and other improvements. But will this facelift bring in more sales in this segment? Read on further to see what the test driver had to say.1
The Kona belongs in the crossover segment where it meets with opposition from Mazda CX-30, Volkswagen T-Roc, and the Mini Countryman. However, since the Kona’s original launch 3 years ago, sales figures have been acceptable, considering that Hyundai holds 4th position in new passenger car sales in the South African market.
Hyundai redesigned the front end of the Kona by adding a 2-tier front bumper while removing the slit above the grille.
To be in line with the new front end, Hyundai also changed the rear bumper, including alterations to the car’s general design. A 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol turbocharged engine replaces the previous 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol turbocharged engine. In addition, the new Kona is 40 mm longer than the previous model, while Hyundai increased the length of the N-line version by 50 mm.
Hyundai cars built in Korea and Europe are well known for their high structural quality, with hardly any problems. Both the Executive and N line of the new Kona now have climate control, two USB ports in the front, a wireless changing pad and multiple drive modes. The infotainment system is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible. The Executive has standard dialogue dials, including a trip computer, whilst the N line has an entirely digital instrument cluster. However, the overall interior design is not spectacular.
You sit lower in the car while the roof is also lower. Even so, headspace is still acceptable, allowing passengers not exceeding 1.85 metres in height to sit comfortably in the front or back. Moreover, due to the car’s increased length, the Kona’s boot capacity has expanded by 50%, from 361 litres to 544 litres, which appears to be close to the boot size of the Mini Countryman or Audi Q2.
Besides the adaptive cruise control, the N Line has forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-maintenance assist.
The larger 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine generates 146 kW of power and 265 Nm of torque transmitted via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This engine and gearbox combination makes the Kona considerably ‘nippier’ than the previous model, enabling it to do a claimed 0 – 100 km/hr in 7.7 seconds with a top speed of 210 km/hr. But the test drive of the 1.6T TGD revealed a disappointing performance.
Because car insurance is a complicated matter, this article can only serve as information. If you would like further information on car insurance, contact a registered financial service provider.
If you have become the proud owner of a new Hyundai Kona, don’t forget to buy adequate cover, which, by law, will have to be comprehensive car insurance if a bank is to finance your new car. Enjoy affordable, comprehensive car insurance, including unique benefits such as fixed premiums* and reduce-to-zero excess*. T’s and C’s apply.
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November 7, 2023
November 7, 2023
