Autoblog Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski heads to the big island of Hawaii to drive Hyundai's newest small crossover, the Kona.
Transcript[MUSIC PLAYING]
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Hi. I'm Jeremy Korzeniewski from Autoblog, and this is the 2018 Hyundai Kona. Now, if you're in the market for a new car, nobody's going to fault you if you walk into a Honda or Toyota dealership and drive off in a Civic or Corolla. Cars like that just make a lot of sense. But what if you're looking to spend about the same amount of money, but you want a little bit more utility?
Well, that's where small crossovers like this come into play. You get things like a hatchback. You get a rugged look. And you get optional all-wheel drive. So the question is, if the price is about the same, what are the benefits and drawbacks of a small crossover versus a more standard choice, like a compact sedan? We're about to find out.
So there's two powertrain options in the new Hyundai Kona. Base model's got a 2-liter, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission. And if you just really don't care about the power delivery, it's fine. But we'd opt for the 1.6-liter turbo that comes in higher trims. It's got more power. It's 175 horsepower, 195 pound feet of torque.
But more importantly, that torque is spread between 1,500 RPM and 4,500 RPM. That's right where you want the power. And it's hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic instead of a standard six-speed. That kind of transmission allows you to make the best use of the available power.
You can also choose between standard front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, which is important for a crossover. And it's a differentiator over things like the Toyota CHR and the new Nissan Kicks. They don't offer all-wheel drive as an option at all.
Hyundai's known for being a price leader in every segment it competes in and the Kona is no different in the small CUV segment. For its less than $20,000 base price, you get things that you'd expect, like cruise control. But you also get some things that you might not expect, like a 7-inch infotainment system with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Kona Ultimate model we're driving right now comes with things like a leather interior with heated front seats, a sunroof, a heads-up display that we really like, and this model has an optional all-wheel drive system that adds $1,300 to the cost, but it still comes in less than $30,000 and includes a whole host of advanced safety features.
Beauty's in the eye of the beholder. Looks are subjective. Yada, yada, yada. I think that the Kona's probably going to be love it or hate it kind of vehicle, especially the front end. We've seen this look before, most notably in the Jeep Cherokee. There's two headlight units. Up here, these LEDs are driving lamps. There's turn signals integrated in there, as well. These are not the headlights. These are the headlights down here integrated into the bumper.
Going around to the back of the car, you can see that the lighting units mimic that same frontend design. There's two separate pieces. One of them is the brake lights. Another is the reverse lights and the turn signals. Probably the best view of the Kona is in profile. There's a lot of interesting lines that the designers say were meant to mimic the unpredictable flow of lava. I guess you can buy that if you want to. Even if you don't, they're still pretty cool.
So there's this front fender line. It goes and drops down, picks back up here in the front of the doors, flows all the way to the back. And in the rear, there's another set of lines that goes over the rear haunches. I think from the side, the design really works. And if nothing else, the Kona definitely stands apart from the rest of its segment.
Even though the exterior is a little bit polarizing, we don't think anyone's going to have any complaints about the interior of the Kona. It's a really nice place to be. Everything falls easily to hand. The touch screen is right where you want it. And we really like the heads-up display directly in front of the driver. It gives you all the relevant information you need to drive and you don't have to look anywhere for it. It's right in your line of sight.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[VOCALIZING]
So all things considered, we really like the 2018 Hyundai Kona. Compared to something like an Elantra, you're giving up a little bit of rear seat room, but gaining it back in the cargo area. You're giving up a little bit of fuel efficiency-- a couple miles per gallon combined-- but you're gaining all-wheel drive capability. So if you're a potential buyer, you've got to decide what's more important to you. Either way, you're going to end up with a pretty nice car.
For our money, the Hyundai Kona's stylish design, greater utility, and additional capabilities more than make up for the small sacrifice in interior room and fuel efficiency of a compact sedan.
[VOCALIZING]
The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander adds another three-row SUV to its line-up that fits between the smaller Highlander and the larger truck-based Sequoia. It features styling closely related to the RAV4, with a wide stance and crisp lines. Three powertrains are available including a non-hybrid turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a hybrid …
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is a big, lovable luxury beast. Under the hood, it’s packing a biturbocharged 4.0-liter V8 making 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, propelling this three-row SUV from 0-60 miles per hour in a swift 4.1 seconds. But it’s not all about speed. With an …
The winner of Autoblog’s 2023 Technology of the Year competition is Mercedes-Benz’s Dolby Atmos audio system. It defeated a number of impressive other new technologies like BMW’s Theater Screen, Ford’s Remote Rev and more. Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio has been present in theaters and home theater setups for quite some …
The 2023 Lotus Emira is finally here! Arriving now in limited quantities after multiple supply-chain delays, this V6-powered First Edition gets 400 horsepower out of its supercharged Toyota engine, which is mated to an old-fashioned, six-speed manual transmission. The engine's mounted in the middle -- right where you want it …
The 2024 Honda Ridgeline is getting the TrailSport treatment along with a number of key interior updates for the entire lineup. The big news is obviously the new Ridgeline Trailsport, which adapts many of the same elements of the all-new Pilot TrailSport and the recently revealed updated Passport TrailSport. That …
The Maserati MC20 represents a rebirth of the Maserati brand. It’s the Italian marque’s supercar and represents a true flagship product that will get folks excited about every other new Maserati on its way. Everything about the two-door coupe, from how it looks, to how it drives, passes the supercar …
For 2024, the Honda Passport picks up some improvements for the off-road focused TrailSport trim, as well as a style-focused Black Edition. The TrailSport's upgrades include all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels as well as retuned shocks, springs and anti-roll bars for better off-pavement performance. The Black Edition is the new …
The 2024 Honda Prologue will be Honda's first widely-available electric car available in the U.S. While it is based on the Chevy Blazer EV, it has a number of unique qualities, starting with its unique exterior and interior styling that are much cleaner and more reserved than the Chevy. Honda …
The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the Acura branded variant of the Honda Civic Type R. It gets the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission with 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It does have a number of differences, though. The design is different with a …
The F150 is a significant refresh for 2024 and features a new tailgate, bed dividers and an updated design. The tailgate can now swing out -- Ford joins the tailgate wars with Ram and GM -- and the headlights give the F150 a fresh look. The Tremor and Raptor are …
Ford brought three trims of its refreshed 2024 F-150 to the Detroit Auto Show, including the Tremor, Raptor R and Platinum. The Tremor shows off Ford’s fancy, new Pro Access Tailgate and a new modular bumper with a Ford Performance winch kit on it. Meanwhile, the Raptor R showcases Ford’s …
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is the most extreme Mustang and also one of the most extreme road cars ever made. Its body is largely made out of carbon fiber, and it's rocking a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 under its hood that is promised to make over 800 horsepower. Ford created …
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic SUV is a very pleasant luxury EV to pop around in, and while it isn’t particularly sporty to drive, it sure is a relaxing space to spend time in. The EQE SUV is a similar size and class as the gas-powered GLE, though its …
