Hyundai Kona Electric
RRP $ 43,685.00
"With a range of 258 miles and a lot of technology, the Kona Electric is a great entry point for electric vehicles."
advantages
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Impressive range
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Functional interior
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Intuitive infotainment system
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Available digital key
disadvantage
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Charging with low power consumption
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Poor driving experience
Electric cars based on existing gasoline models can feel half-baked, but the Hyundai Kona Electric 2022 appears to be the exception to that rule. The gasoline Kona was already a good subcompact crossover SUV, and the Kona Electric adds an impressive range of 258 miles. To find out if this electric vehicle was as good in real life as it seems on paper, we spent a week driving one.
The Kona Electric was launched as the 2019 model and is receiving some notable updates for the 2022 model year. Highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Digital Key functionality, and the same new touchscreens found in other Hyundai models be used. Hyundai also made some changes to the exterior but made no changes to the powertrain so the range stays the same.
Hyundai offers the Kona Electric in the base SEL and our test model Limited, which start at $ 35,185 and $ 43,685, respectively (all prices include a mandatory target fee of $ 1,185). The Kona Electric is also eligible for the full federal tax credit of $ 7,500 and may receive state and local incentives based on where you live.
Design and interior
Hyundai has promised a line of electric cars based on a dedicated platform, but right now the Kona Electric shares its basics with gasoline models. That means it has largely the same exterior design as gasoline Kona models, with stacked headlights and daytime running lights, a plastic trim, and a shape that's somewhere between an SUV and a traditional hatchback. Whether gasoline or electric, the Kona looks like nothing else on the road.
Electric models are characterized by a dimmed grille (which also houses the charging port) and model-specific wheels that, according to Hyundai, optimize aerodynamic efficiency. The styling optimizations for the 2022 model year include functional ventilation openings on the front bumper, revised lighting and a new rear bumper. The changes are pretty subtle, however.
The interior is practically identical to that of the gasoline Kona. The main difference is a series of buttons that replace the shift lever on the gasoline model. The interior design is clean and functional, with a convenient storage compartment under the center console. The only drawback was the quality of the material. Almost everything was plain black plastic, and while that would be fine for the price of a simple gasoline Kona, it didn't seem appropriate given our test car's MSRP of roughly $ 43,000.
Whether gasoline or electric, the Kona looks like nothing else on the road.
The Kona Electric has a little less head and legroom in the rear than the already cramped gasoline Kona. The small size and relatively low seating position of this vehicle doesn't feel particularly SUV-like, but the passenger compartment is similar to that of competing electric vehicles. The Kia Niro EV and Chevrolet Bolt EV / EUV offer similar headroom, although the Chevys offer more legroom in both rows. The Volkswagen ID.4 offers more headroom in the front and rear, as well as more legroom in the rear seats, but long-legged drivers won't notice much of a difference.
At 19.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 45.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, the cargo space is identical to the gasoline Kona models. With the rear seats folded up, the Hyundai offers more cargo space than the Kia Niro EV and Chevy Bolt EV / EUV, but loses that advantage when you fold the rear seats. Conversely, the Nissan Leaf has more cargo space when the rear seats are folded up, but less when the rear seats are folded down. Only the VW ID.4 offers more cargo space in both cases.
Technology, infotainment and driver assistance
The standard 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher equipment variants receive a 10.25-inch touchscreen with coupling of several devices, but only wired CarPlay and Android Auto.
Our test car had the larger touchscreen that was carried over from other Hyundai models. This is not a problem as we have had positive experiences with the same device in the past. The reasonable layout of the screen, well-designed graphics (including old-fashioned vacuum tubes for the radio menu), and responsiveness have made it one of the best from a mainstream automaker. That's still the case here.
The Kona Electric does an exceptionally good job of displaying charging information. A tab on the right side of the screen shows the battery level, an estimated range, and locations of nearby charging stations. You can also set up the charging station search by station type and even by large networks such as ChargePoint or Electrify America. It's an intuitive setup that should put first-time EV drivers at ease, while also offering the functionality that more experienced drivers are likely to appreciate.
The reasonable layout of the screen, well-designed graphics, and responsiveness make it one of the best from a mainstream automaker.
All Kona Electric models also get a standard 10.25-inch digital instrument with EV-specific gauges for things like state of charge and regenerative braking. Everything was easy to read and the information was well organized, but we found the default white on black to be a little too bright (there is a night mode too).
The Kona Electric can also be equipped with Hyundai's Digital Key function, which allows the driver to use a smartphone instead of a traditional key fob. Drivers can lock or unlock the doors, start the car and drive with just a connected phone. However, this feature only works with Android phones.
The standard driver assistance technology includes blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic warning, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane following assistant, safe exit assistant and a driver attention monitor. The Kona Electric Limited adds adaptive cruise control and automatic high beam. That's a pretty good range of features, but the Kona Electric doesn't have the clever camera-based blind spot monitoring system available in other Hyundai models that shows a camera view in the instrument cluster when a turn signal is activated.
Experience at the wheel
The Kona Electric's single engine produces 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque. That's roughly the same horsepower you get in a base VW ID.4 or Chevy Bolt EV, but the Hyundai has a lot more torque.
While the gasoline versions of the Kona are available with all-wheel drive, the Kona Electric is only front-wheel drive. That's not ideal for a vehicle billed as an SUV, but most of the Kona Electric's competitors don't offer all-wheel drive either. You can buy a four-wheel drive VW ID.4 or spend more money on a Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, or Volvo XC40 Recharge.
The lush torque provides more kick off the line than the Kona's petrol sibling.
That luscious torque gives you more kick off the line than the Kona's gasoline siblings, or leads to pointless wheelspin if you're not careful. Robust acceleration, however, is a feature of every electric car as electric motors provide instant torque delivery. The driver can choose between different levels of regenerative braking using paddle shifters. The lowest setting allows the car to roll at highway speeds. The highest setting provides a significant delay in lifting the accelerator, but falls a little short of the single-pedal driving that most EVs aim for.
The Kona Electric couldn't differ from other EVs in handling, as it lacked the solidity of the VW ID.4 and the maneuverability of the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV. The sloppy handling of the electric model also felt like a devaluation compared to the last gasoline Kona we tested. The cab at least kept road noise out (all Kona models get more sound-deadening acoustic glass for 2022) and the ride was pretty comfortable most of the time. However, the suspension couldn't absorb even small bumps and transmit a harsh jolt into the cabin every time.
Range, charging and security
At 258 miles, the Kona Electric offers significantly more range than most other equally priced electric vehicles, beating the Kia Niro EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Nissan Leaf. The Chevy Bolt EV offers 259 miles of range, but that drops to 247 miles for its Bolt EUV sibling. The Volkswagen ID.4 is rated with a range of 260 miles in the basic configuration with rear-wheel drive Pro and achieves this with more SUV-like amounts of passenger and cargo space.
However, when it's time to recharge, you may have to wait a long time. According to Hyundai, it takes the 7.2-kilowatt onboard charger nine hours to fully charge the 64.0-kilowatt-hour battery from a level 2 240-volt AC power source. The Kona Electric is also equipped for DC fast charging with 70 kW, with which, according to Hyundai, a charge of 10 to 80% can be achieved in 47 minutes. However, it took us a little over an hour to go from a 25% charge to 80% charge, and we only got a peak charge of 39 kW. While a single charging session does not allow for a scientific conclusion, that is not encouraging.
Full crash test ratings for the Kona Electric are not available. The gasoline Kona performed well on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, but these results may not apply directly to the electric version. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn't released any crash test ratings for the Kona Electric either, but again, the gasoline Kona did well in the federal agency's tests.
The Kona Electric comes with the same 5-year, 60,000-mile new vehicle warranty and 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty as gasoline Hyundai models, which are some of the best warranty terms in the business. The electric model also comes with a 10-year battery guarantee for 100,000 miles, which is competitive with other guarantees for EV batteries.
How DT would configure this car
As mentioned above, when it comes to tech, you have to make a choice with Hyundai's infotainment systems. The basic Kona Electric SEL gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the Kona Electric Limited gets a bigger touchscreen with better graphics. We'd go for the Limited model with a larger screen, which we think will be more appreciated in everyday use. The Limited also adds other technical features.
This high-end Kona Electric has standard wireless device charging, Hyundai's digital key, and battery heating system. These three features are available as part of a paid convenience package for the Kona Electric SEL, but that adds $ 3,500, bridging the gap on the base price of the Limited. The limited trim also gets adaptive cruise control. There is no such thing with the SEL at any price.
Our opinion
The Kona Electric is bucking the trend of mediocre electric vehicles based on gasoline cars. It offers impressive range for the price while maintaining the well-designed interior and funky styling of the gasoline Kona. However, it is let down by low power charging and a lackluster driving experience.
The Hyundai's cramped interior and cargo area would be a drag compared to traditional crossover SUVs, but it's a similar story with the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt EV / EUV (which are currently undergoing a major recall). Only the recently launched Volkswagen ID.4 offers a true SUV-like experience with more cargo space and an all-wheel drive version on the way.
Marketing categories aside, the Kona Electric stands out as a budget electric vehicle. It offers a lot of tech for the price and sufficient range not to interfere with most drivers, although uneven charging infrastructure deployment might still be inconvenient for some people. The upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be the automaker's true future tech statement, but anyone ready to venture into EV now won't be disappointed with the Kona Electric.
Should you get one?
Yes sir. The Kona Electric doesn't feel like the car of the future, but it's an excellent electric vehicle for today.
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