2024 Hyundai Kona: Low Country test reveals some highs and lows
The new version of Hyundai’s smallest SUV enjoys a dramatic growth spurt, and still keeps much of its fun Kona-ness. The only downside was a testing location that left some driving dynamics a mystery.
2023 Kia Soul GT-Line vs. 2024 Hyundai Kona: Battle of the tiny, low-priced SUVs from Korea.
This week: Hyundai Kona.
Price: The SE starts at $24,100; SEL, $25,450; N Line, $30,650; Limited, $31,000. All-wheel drive comes on any trim for $1,500.
Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes the “cool new look, spunky road manners, roomier cabin than previous-generation model,” but not the “poky acceleration with base engine, mediocre fuel economy with optional turbo, more expensive than last year.”
Marketer’s pitch: “The mighty SUV that does it all.”
Reality: Growing up can be a good thing.
Catching up: Last week we tried out the Kia Soul for a typical week of testing at home, and it remains a Driver’s Seat favorite.
Now the new Hyundai Kona gets its turn during an event in and around Charleston, S.C.
What’s new: Introduced in 2018, the Kona grows up for 2024, adding 6 inches in length and more legroom and cargo space. It was designed around the EV version first, Hyundai officials say. Bigger wheels and the seamless horizontal headlamp and taillights make it look like the rest of the Hyundai family.
Competition: In addition to the Kia Soul, there’s the Buick Encore, Chevy Trailblazer, Jeep Renegade, Mazda CX-30, Volkswagen Taos, and many more.
Up to speed: The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine standard on the two lesser models creates 147 horsepower, while the 1.6 turbo four makes 190. Emissions reduction cost the turbo 5 horses, Hyundai officials say.
The 1.6 turbo accelerated nicely. Passing is a breeze, especially when Junior and Nikki’s Ram pickup is hogging the left lane of Route 17 outside Charleston. (The names were in decals on the back window, so I’m not making these people up. As if I could.)
No numbers are available for the new models, but Car and Driver reported 0-60 times of 7.3 seconds for the turbo and 9.2 for the base engine.
A Limited model for the return trip was a little more shaky when accelerating.
And even though it was designed around the EV model, that’s not coming until late 2023. A Hyundai spokesman said they wanted to give the EV its own launch. Since it will be available in limited numbers at first, Mr. Driver’s Seat sees the wisdom of starting with the gasoline version.
Shifty: The new Kona gets a steering column shifter à la Hyundai Ioniq 6; twist the direction the wheels roll for Drive or Reverse.
The dual-clutch 7-speed is gone, and good riddance to that thumpy thing. The Kona now gets an 8-speed with the turbo and a CVT with base engine.
On the road: We drove through South Carolina and saw a lot of pine trees and soggy, flat ground. Perhaps it was to take the emphasis off the vehicles’ hillclimbing shortcomings.
The Kona snaked through Charleston’s tight streets and sharp corners very well, and handled highways comfortably and smoothly.
The cobblestone streets of the Charleston French Quarter and the parts of the historic city were nice, without a lot of vibration. Deeper ruts and seams were a little more challenging for the little vehicle, where it became as bouncy as an old Kia Soul.
I’d love to tell you it snakes through winding roads with zest, but we never found winding roads.
Driver’s Seat: The cockpit would be nice enough even if you were paying more money, so it’s a definite win here. Features are easy to find and follow, although turning off the lane-keeping assist challenged Mr. Driver’s Seat. Hold down the button for a while until it turns off.
The huge iPad-like screen stretching from speedometer to infotainment that sparkles in the Ioniq 6 graces the Kona’s upper trim levels as well.
The N Line’s digital gauges were clear, while the clarity of the analog dials in the Limited was more limited.
The steering column shifter frees up lots of console space, and the cupholders will bring along plenty of sweet tea.
Friends and stuff: Hyundai officials effused over the “sofa-like rear seats.” There is far better rear legroom, and I’d say it’s about on par with the Soul now.
In the cargo area, the new design adds 6 cubic feet, for a total of 25.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats. With seat folded it measures 63.7 cubic feet, up a whopping 17.9. That’s a lot more containers of shrimp and grits or fried green tomatoes.
Play some tunes: The 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is easy to follow. Sound from the system is not bad, somewhere in the B+ or A- category. There were some obvious changes as I adjusted the equalizer settings but the true sound really only existed in a narrow range.
A volume knob and tuning knob make things easy. Buttons allow you to get from place to place but the tabs on the touchscreen work nicely after a bit of getting used to. Still, a simpler home row across the top would have been nice.
Keeping warm and cool: Toggles control fan speed and temperature and buttons handle everything else.
Safety: For readers put off by the TikTok challenge thefts of Konas and other Hyundai and Kia models, Hyundai offers assurances that an engine immobilizer is standard, and that the ignitions are all keyless now. (Vehicles with keyed ignitions had the theft issue.)
Fuel economy: I averaged about 27 mpg in my flatland testing, some country, some highway, lots of stop and go.
Where it’s built: Ulsan, South Korea.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Kona reliability to be a 2 out of 5, where it’s been for most of its existence. The 2021s received a 4 out of 5; the 2019s a 3; the rest 2s.
In the end: I’ve always been a fan of both the Kona and the Soul. The choice was difficult because the smaller Kona had all-wheel drive.
Now that dilemma has been resolved, so I’d have to throw my money behind the Kona. After I try the winding roads.