Hyundai Kona SUV launched

Hyundai’s SUV line-up grew by one this past week with the launch of the all-new Hyundai Kona subcompact vehicle.

It was only a matter of time before Hyundai added a smaller, more lifestyle-oriented option to its popular line-up of SUVs, which currently includes the Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Sport, Tucson and the Creta.

At first glance the Kona would appear to share a similar profile to rivals like the Ford EcoSport and the Mazda CX-3, but seen head-on the vehicle’s unique front fascia – including narrow headlights, a thin power slot at the leading edge of the hood, and a broad, trapezoidal grille – gives it a unique personality all of its own.

Hyundai is referring to the Kona’s more extroverted styling cues as being ‘armor’ inspired, which is a term you definitely won’t hear from other automakers more focused on describing their designs in ‘flow,’ ‘wind,’ or ‘fluid’ terms. Hyundai has also loaded the Kona with a substantial number of active safety features, which are quickly becoming must-haves in the segment.

The Hyundai Kona is being offered with a pair of petrol engines – a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder good for around 110 kW at 6 200 r/min, and 1.0-liter unit that pushes out closer to 88 kW at 6 000 r/min. and 172 Nm maximum torque between 1 500 and 4 000 r/min – with the latter swapping the base model’s six-speed automatic transmission for a seven-speed dual-clutch setup. Front-wheel drive is of course offered with the Kona, and it brings with it a more sophisticated rear suspension setup to smooth out the on-road experience.

We’ll be getting behind the wheel of the Hyundai Kona later this year, and we’ll be bringing you full details on the entry-level SUV along with our driving impressions of Hyundai’s newest crossover. Check back soon to find out more about the Kona.

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Papi Mabele

Papi Mabele has a marketing background, he is a digital marketing expert with extensive experience in launching and building global brands in the emerging markets. Papi is also an avid tech writer, enthusiast and all round tech junkie. As a freelance writer and analyst he has been numerously published in Popular Mechanics (SA), GQ South Africa, Premier Magazine, Driven Magazine, Bloem News, Courant, The Weekly, Enthooze Magazine and PiE magazine amongst others.