Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona () is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The Kona debuted in June 2017 and the production version was revealed later that year. It is positioned between the Venue or Bayon and the Tucson in Hyundai crossover SUV line-up. The battery electric version called the Kona Electric (or Kona EV) was first launched in South Korea during the first half of 2018 and rolled out gradually worldwide afterwards. Naming. The Kona is named after the western district of the island of Hawaiʻi. The company stated the name "reflects  the lifestyle of modern customers", in line with its "progressive design" that it adopts. The Kona naming also continues Hyundai’s tradition of naming crossover SUV models after famous travel destinations, including the Creta, Santa Fe, Tucson and Veracruz. The vehicle is sold in Portugal as the Hyundai Kauai, as Kona is too similar to "cona", a slang word for the female genitalia in European Portuguese. Like Kona, Kauai is a place in Hawaii. It is also Hawaiian for "lady". In China, the vehicle is sold as the Hyundai Encino. Overview. The Kona was revealed in June 2017 in Seoul , South Korea. Positioned below the Tucson, it was the smallest crossover SUV in the Hyundai global line-up until that position was taken by the Venue in 2019. The Kona is built on a newly developed B-segment SUV platform derived from the Hyundai i30 platform which is designed to accommodate a range of powertrains, including fuel cell and electric variants. While it is developed as an urban-oriented crossover SUV, the Kona is available in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants; the rear suspension is a torsion beam for the former and a dual-arm multi-link  configuration for the latter. For the North American market, the Kona was launched at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2017 and was available at Hyundai dealers in the first quarter of 2018 for the 2018 model year. Engine options offered are 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine capable of and , paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Higher trims are powered with a 1.6-liter "Gamma" turbo engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission producing and . Generally, the Kona is not intended to be sold (or only sold in low volumes) in markets where the  larger but simpler Creta is offered, which include Latin America, India, and Russia. Indonesia is one of the few countries that briefly sold the petrol-powered Kona, along with the Kona Electric, before the former was indirectly replaced by the locally-built Creta in 2022, with the latter remaining on sale. The Chinese market had both the Kona and Creta, named there the Encino and ix25 respectively. Kona Electric. The Kona Electric is a battery electric version of the Kona. It is the second electric car from Hyundai after the Ioniq. Sales started in Korea and Europe in 2018, with  a market debut in the United States in 2019. Kona Electric is available in two battery capacities: 39.2 kWh and 64 kWh. The 'ultimate' trim features adaptive cruise control and along with lane centering means the vehicle meets the SAE standard for Level 2 driverless. The Kona EV has a range of with the 64 kWh battery. Real-world range tests conducted by "What Car" in early 2019 found that the Kona EV had the highest real-world range among electric cars for sale in the United Kingdom. On 26 March 2019, Hyundai launched the Kona Electric in Thailand. On  9 July 2019, Hyundai launched an Electric Lite version as Kona Electric in India. In 2020, Hyundai started producing the Kona Electric in its European factory in the Czech Republic, where there are plans for an annual production of 30,000 vehicles. The Kona Electric reached 100,000 global sales in June 2020. Hyundai Encino EV was launched on the Chinese car market in November 2019. The electric motor of the Encino EV has an output of and . The motor is powered by a 64.2 kWh battery with a NEDC range of . In November 2021, the facelifted Hyundai Kona Electric was launched  in Malaysia. With three variants, two battery packs are on offer - 39.2 kWh and 64 kWh - with battery ranges going from 303 km in the smaller pack and going up to 484 km in the larger pack. In 2021, the Hyundai Kona Electric was the 6th best-selling electric vehicle in the UK having achieved a total of 7,199 registrations throughout the year. Facelift. In September 2020, Hyundai unveiled a facelift version of the Kona, for the original SUV as well as the Kona Electric and N Line models. The facelift primarily had exterior aesthetic changes, alongside extra cargo capacity  and rear seat legroom. Kona N. Released at Hyundai N Day on 27 April 2021, the Kona N is Hyundai’s first high-performance SUV under the Hyundai N division. A 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI engine features flat power that maintains maximum output from about 5,500 rpm. The engine is capable of an output up to and maximum torque is about . The output can temporarily reach up to when in the N Grin Shift mode. In the front, an N logo and a dark chrome-color Hyundai logo are attached to the grille. At the side and rear, a front  lip spoiler, double-wing rear spoiler and side sill moulding offer added downforce, improving grip force and high-speed stability. The N-exclusive triangular third brake light gives a dynamic look. Inside, seats, steering wheel, gear knob and hand brake are tinted with Performance Blue while suede seats come with side bolsters. An N-dedicated color Sonic Blue was added and N Grin Shift, N Power Shift, N Track Sense Shift and Variable Exhaust Valve System come as standard. Powertrain. From launch, the Kona became available with a 1.0-litre, turbocharged direct injection petrol engine producing , or a 1.6-litre  turbocharged direct injection petrol engine producing , with all-wheel-drive option available on selected models. In 2019, Hyundai released a special Iron Man edition Kona (co-branded with Marvel) to promote "". The limited edition Kona was finished in matte gray with red accents and features blue daytime running lights, Stark Industries graphics, an Iron Man-themed instrument cluster, arc reactor imagery, and Tony Stark's signature on the dashboard. In the UK, 300 of the version were planned to be available. Safety. The Hyundai Kona body is made from 51% advanced high strength steel with 'hot stamping' and adhesives for  added rigidity. Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, lane keeping assist and a driver attention monitor. Other features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot detection and a rear cross traffic alert. Awards. At the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, both the electric and non-electric versions were announced as the winners of the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, the first for a subcompact crossover SUV in its award history. "U.S. News & World Report" ranked the Hyundai Kona at No. 1 (tied with the Kia Soul and Mazda CX-30) on its list  of Best Subcompact SUVs for 2022, giving it a score of 8.4 out of 10.