Kona cute but capable

Hyundai sells the Kona in five colours. Acid Yellow, with matching interior trim, actually looks very good.

 HYUNDAI has launched the Kona, a very neat crossover with all the trimmings and a choice of two engines.

Selling from just under R380 000, Hyundai SA’s sales and operations director Stanley Anderson said the Kona is an important milestone in Hyundai Motors’ journey, with looks as well as fit and trim levels that shows Hyundai is now one of the top automotive brands in the world.

“We are launching the Kona with a 2-litre naturally aspirated engine and the punchy new 1-litre, 3-cylinder turbo engine that is frugal, yet powerful enough to make a drive in the Kona an exciting
experience.”

That Acid Yellow highlights looks a lot better than it sounds.

Designed by Daniel Kim, senior designer at Hyundai America’s Design and Engineering Centre in Irvine, California, the Kona comes across (in the eyes of this beholder) as cute but capable.

It rides 17 cm off the ground, which is ample for most dirt roads and even middelmannetjies, while Hyundai makes its own steel, ensuring a strong, light body with 51% ultra-high-strength steel that enhances the dynamic performance and increases passive passenger safety.

Engines

The Kona 1.0 T-GDI Executive (manual) enters the local market at a launch price of R379 900, while its sibling, the Kona 2.0 NU Executive (automatic), comes with a price ticket of R399 900.

Wheels drove both at its KZN launch in Umhlanga and our vote goes to the 998 cc turbo-engine, which makes a very impressive 172 Nm between 1 500 rpm and 4 000 rpm, with peak power of 88 kW at 6 000 rpm.

Hyundai achieved 6,8 litres/100 km while testing the vehicle in SA and a top speed of the 1.0 TGDI is 181 km/h.

We recommend not to push the little engine to 6 000 revs to get to this speed, as all that low down torque, combined with long ratios in a six-speed manual gearbox, makes for an relaxed driving, be it between traffic lights or up on KZN’s steeper hills on the open road.

That said, the 2-litre engine is no slouch, with an automatic transmission that shifts smoothly between its six cogs. The 2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine makes 110 kW at 6 200 r/min. and 180 Nm at 4 500 r/min. Top speed of 194 km/h, and recorded fuel consumption of 7,2 litres/100 km on a combined urban/open road test cycle. A button on the centre gearshift console offers a choice between Comfort, Eco or Sport driving modes.

Interior

Inside, smooth, contoured surfaces fold around the occupants. Four presses of a button connects Bluetooth and the backlit AUX and USB plug points are both aesthetically pleasing and very practical in the dark.

The detailing is quite ... something in the Kona. 

The onboard computer offers a wide variety of information, including instant and average fuel consumption, and the tyre pressure, which is standard equipment on both models.

A seven-inch touchscreen controls the navigation, infotainment and sound system.

The sound is excellent thanks to four speakers and two tweeters. The Display Audio also allows passengers to mirror their smartphone’s content onto the system’s seven-inch display via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Two blokes fit comfortably inside, in this case Alwyn and Gordon.

Not as small as it looks

In the front, there is over a metre of legroom with the seat all the way back, while the rear offers 880 mm knee space with the front seat pushed forward.

The boot swallows a respectable 361 litres with the seats up, and more than double this with the 60:40 split rear seat back rest folded down.

The exterior rear-view mirrors can fold in with remote control to protect from damage in tight parking spaces. The sun visors include vanity mirrors with illumination, and the centre roof console includes a sun-glass holder.

In the boot hides a space saver tyres, not good when the puncture happens on one of South Africa's longer drives, but at least there is one. 

Safety

The Hyundai Kona achieved a five-star safety rating in the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). Active safety features include an Anti-skid Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Downhill Brake Control, Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Passive safety features include two front, two curtain and two side-impact airbags. All models are sold with Hyundai’s seven-year or 200 000 km manufacturers’ warranty (comprising the five years/150 000 km warranty with a two-year/50 000 km drivetrain warranty); a five-year or 90 000 km service plan; and five years or 150 000 km roadside assistance.

Kona prices

1.0 T-GDI Executive Manual — R379 900

Kona 2.0 NU Executive Automatic — R399 900