Hyundai’s first-generation Kona Electrical was one thing of a darling. It was environment friendly, seemed good, and made electric motoring a bit of extra accessible for these with out Tesla cash to play with. Now 2023’s new Kona Electrical (2024 for US punters) goals to maintain the nice occasions rolling with a brand new look, contemporary tech, and extra luxurious than you’d count on from a B-segment crossover.
For the reason that first Kona Electrical’s debut in 2018 (in Europe, 2019 within the US), Hyundai’s been working onerous on its EV sport. The launch of the Ioniq 5 and 6 have taught the corporate useful classes that, it says, knowledgeable the event of its newest electrical child. As a consequence, this guarantees to be a much more full package deal than earlier than, at a eager worth level.
Within the UK the vary kicks off at £34,995, and beneath $35,000 within the US. That’ll get you a “customary” automotive packing a 48.4-kWh battery with a claimed 234-mile vary, a 154-bhp motor able to getting from 0 to 62 mph in 8.8 seconds, and as much as 101 mph. A Lengthy Vary Kona Electrical sits above it within the lineup, boasting a 65.4-kWh battery, claimed 319-mile vary, a perkier 215-bhp motor that’ll crack 0-62 mph in a brisker 7.8 seconds, after which on to 107 mph. Each vehicles get the identical 188 lb ft of torque.
Hyundai’s 400-volt structure is unfortunately not the 800 volt you get within the Ioniq 5 or 6, however greater than a bit of amusingly it is the identical as that within the Rolls-Royce Spectre EV. It permits the Kona Electrical to cost from 10 to 80 p.c in a bit of over 40 minutes. Irrespective of which battery you go for, you get useful vehicle-to-load tech to energy something you may plug right into a family wall socket on the fly.
Ahead-Wanting Design
Courtesy of Hyundai
Hyundai’s design group has (as soon as once more) performed a blinder with the automotive’s look. It cuts a positive determine and can little question be the darling of grocery store parking heaps everywhere in the world. The agency’s newest design language is delightfully futuristic (if a bit of First Order Stormtrooper stylish), and it comes with tech to match. Its body-width gentle bar on the entrance attracts the attention neatly, and the automotive’s assorted sensors are hidden unobtrusively within the entrance bumper.
These sensors are host to a complete suite of lively security know-how to maintain you on the straight and slim. There’s lane-keep assists, freeway driving assists, ahead collision avoidance assists, a blind-spot collision avoidance help, rear cross-traffic assists, a 360-degree parking arrange … and way more. The Kona additionally reads highway indicators to test the pace restrict, watches you to verify your eyes are on the highway, screens your driving to see for those who’re drowsy, and checks to verify each of your arms are on the wheel. You’d need to work mighty onerous to crash.
Sensory Overload
The security equipment on board is complete—it must be to stick to varied laws—but it surely’s additionally extremely irritating and in some instances flawed. Pull as much as a junction and dare to look away from useless straight down the highway for quite a lot of seconds—to, say, be sure to’re not about to drive into the trail of a lorry—and also you’re handled to an offended “bong” with a flashing gentle telling you that you just’re not paying sufficient consideration.
Relaxation your arms too evenly on the wheel and it thinks you’re going hands-free, so that you get one other bong. If it thinks you’re sleepy, it’ll bong at you and inform you to take a break. Point out to alter lane with a automotive close by? That’s proper, an enormous ol’ bong, as a result of it thinks you may hit one thing. Each time the pace restrict adjustments, the automotive will bong, exceed the restrict by a single mile per hour … bong.
