mReview: Hyundai Kona Electric – A Tough Competitor

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a sensible and stylish option, a firm contender in the fierce electric SUV segment. 

When it comes to EVs, big numbers are easy, every other car seems to have crazy power and torque figures and insane 0-100 times. But big headline figures are not all that important for the everyday consumer.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a car aimed squarely at the everyday consumer, but just because it’s a mass-market vehicle doesn’t mean that it’s lost out on any of the flagship features and appeal. 

The light bar does a great job of beaming down cars in front of it. It also looks cool.

First off, the looks. While the original Kona always looked a little odd, this new Kona follows the rest of Hyundai’s modern design language to give it a clean yet distinctive look. The full-width LED light bar dominates the Kona’s front end and makes it look like Robocop, a selling point that I find very attractive indeed. It also has starfish-shaped 17” rims that are quite cute and definitely unique. 

A premium-feeling, white interior with solid build quality.

The interior is similar to other modern Hyundais, with lots of big physical buttons (hooray!) and a solid fit and finish. It’s well laid out, with the panoramic 12.3-inch integrated dual screen display dominating the dashboard.

You could run a coffee machine off of the outlet in the car.Below the screens, you’ll find several USB Type-C ports for device charging or phone mirroring but cables are not necessary as the Kona has the option for both wireless charging and wireless Apple CarPlay. You’ll also find the buttons for the heated and ventilated front seats and the 360˙ surround cameras, both premium features that are a very nice addition to the Kona. 

The rear cabin is spacious and comfortable with a completely flat floor and way more legroom than the previous Kona. It even has a household 3-pin power socket for you to plug in chargers and appliances and the like. The power comes from the Kona Electric’s battery, of course, made useable through the V2L capability of the car. 

Speaking of the battery, in Standard Range trim like our test car, the Kona Electric is fitted with a 48.6kWh battery that can take you up to a claimed 456km on a single charge. The more expensive Long Range variant has a larger, 64.8kWh battery with up to 625km of range. The Kona Electric is also able to recharge at up to a lightning-fast 350kW on a DC fast charger, although no charger in Singapore can do that at the moment.

One of the best interior layouts in the market.

Though their battery sizes differ, both variants have the same Cat-A-COE-friendly motor that produces 99kW (133hp) and 255Nm of torque. 100km/h will take 9.9 seconds to arrive and the Kona will top out at 162km/h. However, it is still an EV which means it still has that instant poke from all that torque, letting you flit through traffic with ease. 

The Kona Electric’s one pedal driving mode also works brilliantly. It feels very natural to use and you get used to it very quickly, letting you drive around with just some modulation of the accelerator. 

After my drive in the Kona Electric, I found myself having very little to complain about at all. However, the fact is that the compact electric SUV segment that the Kona is in is one of the toughest in the business. Thanks to Hyundai’s excellent work though, I believe the Kona Electric can stand up to the best of its competitors. 

Read More: mReview: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Inspiration 77kWh – Too Good For Its Own Good

Download the Motorist App now. Designed by drivers for drivers, this all-in-one app lets you receive the latest traffic updates, gives you access to live traffic cameras, and helps you manage LTA and vehicle matters.