Hyundai proves that practical need not mean boring with the new Kona Electric, with its head-turning style and cool interior

Photos: Hyundai

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

It’s incredible to think that of all the carmakers today, Hyundai is arguably the one that has been coming up with the boldest designs in recent years. Their latest products, from the mainstream Avante and Tucson, to their new Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 electric vehicles, have all pushed the envelope in terms of what can be achieved style-wise. And whether you like it or not, there’s no denying that the latest fleet of Hyundai cars are rather eye-catching indeed.

In the new Kona Electric’s case, its striking looks can perhaps be attributed partly to necessity. After all, in the segment that it competes in, the Kona Electric has to contend with Chinese upstarts like the BYD Atto 3 and MG 4, both of which feature equally-bold styling in order to stand out from the crowd. It’s probably a matter of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’, although if anyone has the capability to take the fight to the Chinese, it’s likely to be the Koreans.

In any case, there’s no denying that the design of the Kona Electric is certainly quite a head-turner indeed. The slim LED light strip that stretches across the front is something that’s copied over from the futuristic Staria MPV, and is copied at the rear as well. Bulging and squared-off wheel arches gives the car a slightly rugged profile, complemented by various slashes across the bodywork, and while some may find the overall design messy, at the very least the car does look rather different even among the new wave of new electric crossovers on the market.

Inside, the Kona Electric offers a good balance of usability and uniqueness. The now-ubiquitous large double screen setup that stretches across half the dashboard makes its presence known here, and in the Kona consists of two 12.3-inch screens for the driver instrument display and infotainment system. But Hyundai has also included a good number of buttons on the centre console for various functions like the air con and drive modes, which gives the car a decidedly old school feel, and makes it a breath of fresh air compared to the touchscreen-heavy experience of many EVs today. 

There’s some bright-coloured highlights featuring on the steering wheel, seats and air con vents, which tries to inject some youthful vim into the cabin, and while it’s not quite for everyone, the effect is striking to say the least. At the minimum though, the Kona works quite well as a family-oriented crossover, with plenty of head and legroom for passengers, and a pretty generous 466-litre boot.

The car we test drove in Korea was the single motor front wheel drive variant with 201hp and 255Nm of torque, which performed adequately enough on the Korean highways. However, Hyundai revealed that Singapore-bound Kona Electrics will be detuned to 143hp in order for them to slot into COE Category A, although the company claims that performance will be unaffected, with 0-100km/h standing at 8.1 seconds. Range will likely go up from the claimed 490km of the more powerful model, although they will share the same 64.8kWh battery, and charging time from 10 to 80 percent on a 92kW DC fast charger will take about 43 minutes or so.

For now, what we can tell is that the car’s strengths lies mainly in its refinement, with a smooth and comfortable ride paired with remarkable silence even at highway speeds. We’ll reserve judgement on the car’s handling and performance until we can get a full test drive, most likely when the car arrives in Singapore in the last quarter of 2023.

In the meantime, the new Kona will make its local debut soon in hybrid form, and join a whole slew of other electrified Hyundais like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 in the lineup. All of them follow the same bold design philosophy that Hyundai has been pushing out in recent times, and it’s a clear demonstration of how the Koreans are breaking the mould and delivering cars that are not just class-competitive, but also leading the pack in style.

Hyundai Kona Electric

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