The Hyundai Kona, the small SUV from the South Korean brand, has been on the road for six years. It was time to give it a facelift. Also, in 2023 we will see the Hyundai Kona called New Generation by the manufacturer. For this new model, the designers first designed the 100% electric version which served as a master standard for the rest of the other engines. There was a time when the approach was reversed.
As a result, this Kona displays a futuristic line, underlined by a front and rear light strip with a pixelation effect from the Ioniq 5 range. The headlights are placed lower, at the level of the wheel arches.
Nevertheless, Hyundai voluntarily wished that the different engines could be recognized thanks to “to stylistic specificities”. Thus, the electric version (VE) “benefits from pixelated graphics on the air intake and rear bumper, 19-inch alloy wheels with a pixel-inspired design, aerodynamic side sills, black molding running all around the vehicle, as well as exterior mirrors and a black roof”.
Versions with hybrid engines (HEV) sport “strong looking bumpers and skid plates, as well as black wheel arch mouldings” hard plastic.
The icing on the cake, there will be a Kona N-Line, using the codes of the N sports versions of the brand. This model will be adorned “optional black exterior mirrors and roof, wing-style spoiler, sharper front and rear design with winged profile fascias, distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels, dual power outlet exhaust and side skirt in silver finish”.
In terms of dimensions, the Kona 2023 is overweight with a length of 4.355 m, or 15 cm more compared to the previous electric version. The width and wheelbase are increased by 2.5 and 6 cm respectively. This suggests that rear passengers will benefit from more space and the trunk volume will be increased.
A very zen and high-tech passenger compartment focused on the driver
If the exterior has undergone profound modifications, the interior is not left out with a “driver-oriented interior layout and particularly practical functions”says the manufacturer.
Unsurprisingly, we find the very zen universe of the Ioniq 5 with this long floating dashboard which supports a double screen of 12.3 inches (diagonal of 31.24 cm) each. As for the gear lever, it lands on the steering console, just like on the Ioniq 5. As a result, this frees up storage space.
For the moment, Hyundai did not wish to communicate more details, in particular on the technical characteristics of the engines. The manufacturer will come back with additional information a little later.