Proof That EVs Don’t Want To Be Difficult

One fixed, although, is the assumption within the supremacy of a “devoted EV platform” versus a “transformed gasoline automotive.” It is the distinction betweenanautomobileve designed from the bottom as much as an EV like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or, say, the Audi Q8 E-Tron, which is closely tailored from its gas-powered counterpart. And to the social media and discussion board warriors, the previous is all the time the finest method to go.

I’m right here to inform you that it’s by no means been that severe, and the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electrical proves that. Some EV lovers won’t just like the EV Kona sharing a fundamental platform with its gas-powered sibling, however, I feel the reserve is sufficient to keep its detractors quiet. Actually, I appreciated the Kona Electrical greater than the Hyundai’s dedicated-platform EVs. Sure, actually.

Let me go put my flame go well with on, y’all.

Driving The Hyundai Kona Electrical

There’s not a lot particular concerning the Kona’s guts. Take away its Robocop-esque styling, and also you’ll discover the identical small automotive and crossover platform that underpins the Kia Niro and Hyundai Elantra. It would not even look radically completely different from the common Kona, which is powered by an alternative of four-cylinder gasoline engines.

Have a look beneath and it’ll resemble any small crossover made prior to now 15 years ago, save for the large boxy battery that sits in the entrance of the multi-link impartial rear suspension setup. The Kona is front-motor, front-wheel-drive, and is about up in an approach that’s just like the small four-cylinder engines that might have sat within the motor’s place within the automotive’s ICE model.

To some, that’s an enormous step again from the skateboard-like chassis and tiny rear-mounted, RWD motors discovered on fashionable EV platforms. However, in application, the Kona’s typical guts make for a traditional driving expertise—and that is not a nasty factor. Shoppers purchase crossovers as a result of they’re straightforward to drive and comfy.

By and huge, the Kona Electrical retains that very same normal crossover power going. On the street, the crossover is cosy, quiet and straightforward to drive.

Like all EVs, the Kona Electrical is of course heavier than its gas-powered sibling. But, Hyundai saved that weight-acquired verification. In common, the Kona Electrical is just about 500 kilos heavier than the ICE mannequin and about 150 lbs heavier than its predecessor.

Should you’ve pushed the outdated Kona Electrical, you’ll discover the 201-horsepower motor and 64.8 kWh acquainted, however, there are a couple of modifications this time round. It might need identical energy, nevertheless, it misplaced greater than 100 lb-ft of torque, from 291 lb-ft to merely 188 lb-ft.

On paper, the dearth of torque exhibits. The Kona Electrical is slower this time round. Its 0-60 mph time grew from 6.2 seconds to 7.0 seconds flat. But, in applying, I truly desire the diminished torque of the brand-new mannequin. Regardless of being numerically slower than its predecessor, I by no means felt like Kona Electrical was ever out of its depth.

Like most EVs, throttle response is prompt, so the Kona nonetheless feels swift, albeit not quick. To me, the automotive by no means felt prefer it wanted extra energy, however, should you’re looking for the neck-jerking acceleration of different EV crossovers, then look elsewhere.

Actually, the Kona Electrical follows its gas-powered sibling, buying and selling outright velocity for smoothness and refinement. This new motor feels prefer it’s a part of that concept; Hyundai has modified how the Kona EV delivers its energy. The outdated automotive was vulnerable to chirping its tyres; tipping the throttle in too arduous, and it could burn using its tyres like a 12-year-old burn busing his allowance.

This time although, the Kona Electrical rolls onto its energy. It’ll nonetheless spin its wheels when pushed, however the low to moderate-pedal demand energy supply feels way more progressive this time around.

Equally, the Kona has three ranges of regenerative braking plus one-pedal driving. Like different Hyundai and Kia autos, the implementation is easy and progressive. No head bobbing and irritation from the passengers when the motive force lets off the throttle right here.

However, unlike different Hyundai EVs, doesn’t keep them in one-pedal mode whenever you restart the automotive. It must be enabled each time. I don’t thoughts it although, a fast faucet of the lefthand paddle on the steering wheel and it’s again on once more.

As an entire, the automotive’s further bodily girth feels preferred including the notion of an extra matureautomobilee. I appreciated the outdated Kona Electrical, however, at instance, it felt like it was a small automotive whose chassis and suspension weren’t coping all that nicely with the additional weight of its newfound electrical drivetrain. The thbrand-newew one is a big enhancement; the experience is easy, and it glides over bumps with no shudder and bounces.

The bounce was a telltale signal that the outdated Kona’s shocks and derived couldn’t sustain with a giant field of electrons mounted beneath the seats. In my view, the Kona Electrical felt smoother over the street and behind the wheel than its bigger Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 stablemates.

In comparison with its mechanical cousin, the Kia Niro EV, the Kona Electrical feels extra like a crossover whereas the Niro is extra akin to a standard-sized hatchback. For some, that’s a dealbreaker, however, for those seeking the heft and top of a crossover, they’ll be extra at dwelling behind the wheel of the Kona Electrical.

Vary, Battery Measurement, Noticed Effectivity

The Hyundai Kona Electrical’s fundamental powertrain is available in two varieties; base SE trimmed fashions are powered by a 133-horsepower motor fed by a 48.6 kWh battery good for a 200-mile EPA vary.

Our Restricted trim got here with the bigger 64.8 kWh, which feeds a 201-horsepower motor. That is additionally the usual powertrain for the mid-tier SEL trim. This mixture is sweet for a 261-mile EPA ranking. For 2025 Hyundai has launched a brand new N-Line trim utilizing the bigger motor and battery. Its vary is between the SEL/Restricted and base SE, at 230 miles.

Over 1,070 miles, I averaged 4.0 miles per kWh in response to Hyundai’s onboard journey pc. That’s a distinctive effectivity determinant We didn’t do a full vary take a look, but when we extrapolate its common consumption numbers in opposition to the automotive’s 64.8 kWh usable battery dimension, we might have achieved a most vary of 259.2 miles, nearly hitting the EPA’s marketed very proper on the top.

The Kona was pushed about half freeway, half metropolis, throughout ultimate situations. Throughout my two weeks with the automotive, temperatures averaged about 85 levels. These aren’t dangerous numbers for an automotive that’s technically not constructed on a ground-up EV platform.

By comparability, the final time I had pushed an Ioniq 5, (AWD, Restricted) its effectivity numbers stayed nearer to the low 3 miles per kWh vary.

Charging Expertise

On paper, the Kona Electrical’s DC quick charging speeds aren’t all that sturdy. It doesn’t have the newfangled 800-volt structure of its E-GMP cousins, the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, and thus, can’t contact the triple-digit charging speeds of these vehicles.

It’s not all dangerous, although. The Kona Electrical’s battery is comparatively small and its charging curve is powerful. It might solely do a max of 85 kW, nevertheless, it holds near its max velocity for much of its cost time. Hyundai says our Restricted mannequin with the bigger 64.8 kWh battery will zip from 10% to 80% in 43 minutes.

I truly beat Hyundai’s time in my take a look at. When plugged into an Electrify America station, my tester Kona did the 10-80% sprint in 41 minutes and 16 seconds. Some spec-sheet racers may say that is too gradual, however, in my expertise, the Kona’s charging instances felt completely agreeable. I imply, on an extended street journey, is an additional 20 minutes that huge of a deal?

Each of the Kona Electrical can AC cost at speeds of as much as 11 kW.

Inside

The inside of the Kona is generally identical to its gas-powered sibling, save for a barely increased ground now that there’s a giant battery beneath the automotive. So, like its gas-powered sibling the Kona Electrical grew in bodily dimension for this era, paying huge dividends in inside room and luxury.

The outdated Kona’s inside may very well be described as cosy, however, this new mannequin lastly has a class-competitive inside the house. The Kona’s rear seat gained practically three inches of legroom. There’s ample house for 4 adults on this automotive, though do be mindful it’s nonetheless technically on the smaller aspect of the compact SUV phase—a Mannequin Y has extra legroom nonetheless.

As an entire, the Kona Electrical feels comparatively spacious and girthy for what it is, without working into the trope of going overboard with its bodily dimension. The Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 are additionally spacious vehicles however their intelligent, trompe l’oeil styling fools folks into considering they’re much smaller vehicles than they bodily are. The Kona’s dimensions are nonetheless tidy and fairly small, which is refreshing in a period of super-sized crossovers.

There’s simply an enormous soar in refinement for the Kona. Like different Hyundai merchandise, the Kona’s buttons and switches really feel nicely weighted and damped. Heck, it’s good to see precise buttons and switches in a contemporary inside. Hyundai confirmed restraint and opted to not make each interplay touchscreen-only.

There are devoted buttons for quantity, drive modes and heating and cooling. Hyundai’s considerate design and materials selections, like the material door inserts and neon inexperienced accent trim, make the Kona’s inside look futuristic. But Hyundai didn’t fall into the Tesla Mannequin Y or Volvo EX30 route; nothing within the automotive feels sterile, barren or oversimplified. Add within the heated and cooled leather-based seats of the Restricted trim, and most drivers will discover it arduous to complain concerning the Kona’s inside.

Tech Options

Tona Electrical is not on the chopping fringe of technological development, however, Hyundai doesn’t declare it’s, both. It might probably drive itself and it doesn’t have any fancy LIDAR sensors.

That doesn’t imply it’s for Luddites. In top-of-the-line Restricted trim, the Kona Electrical comes with rather a lot.

All trims include Hyundai’s Bluelink Plus, which incorporates niceties like distant begin (aka distant heating and cooling), and the power to see wherever the car’s location is at any time. The Kona additionally has Hyundai’s Digital Key 2, which permits the motive force to make use of their smartphone as a key—and even share it with as many as three different folks.

All Kona Electrics get Hyundai’s navigation-based good cruise management in addition to Freeway Driving Help as normal gear. With the navigation-based good cruise, the automotive will robotically decelerate and velocity up for curves and observe velocity limits.

I assumed the system was too conservative. It might typically decelerate an excessive amount of for even essentially the most modest of banked freeway turns, to the ire of each myself and different drivers on the street. Fortunately, it may be simply turned off, and the Kona’s regular radar cruise management works nicely.

Should you’re sport to observe an automotive awkwardly amble backwards and forwards out and in of a parking house, then check out Hyundai’s distant park help. This gimmicky function is normal on the Restricted trim—it permits the automobile to drive ahead or backwards right into a parking house (or parallel into an area) without the necessity for the motive force to be contained in the car. Some could discover it cool. It’s actually enjoyable to make use of a contemporary automotive just like the world’s largest and slowest remote-control RC automotive. However like with different Hyundai, Kia and Genesis merchandise, the implantation feels extra like an intelligent occasion trick than a helpful function.

The distant park help wants a variety of room to function, to the purpose that if a standard driver couldn’t manoeuvre in considered one of these areas, then they in all probability shouldn’t have a driver’s license. This enormous berth severely limits the usefulness of the function, too. If the automotive thinks an individual or object is just too near the automotive (which regularly means “not very shut in any respect”), the car will quit and flash its hazard lights, signalling defeat. Plus, the entire course of strikes at a glacial tempo, and it’s by no means clear from the surface of the automotive will have the ability to full the method.

It looks as if each third time I attempted to make use of the function on the Kona, the automotive would bail. If it did succeed, it mainly meant me holding down a tiny button on a key fob for a minute, watching the automotive slowly inch out of a parking house that was sufficiently big for a GMC Hummer EV.

Should you actually want this, then maybe it’s time to take a category on parallel parking.

Infotainment & UX

Like different Hyundai and Kia autos, the Kona makes use of a tandem-mounted twin display screen setup working with Hyundai Motor Group’s present software program suite. It’s a stable expertise. My two weeks with the automotive had been usually flawless, apart from a few small glitches and a little bit of lag as soon as whereas pawing using menus. It solely occurred a few times.

I’ll admit that Hyundai’s system is beginning to seem considerably fundamental within the period of accelerating connectivity from different manufacturers. It additionally lastly has wi-fi Android Auto and Apple Carplay, however, should you be searching for a strong app retailer like Polestar or GM’s Google Automotive-based system, then look elsewhere.

However fundamental isn’t dangerous. The system is straightforward to make use of and well-organized. Hyundai’s UX and graphic designers clearly put a variety of time and thought into the design of the interface. It’s fairly, but skilled. There’s a constant design identification with the car’s capabilities and icons, however, nothing is so over-designed to the purpose that the place of any motion or pictogram is distracting or cryptic. The fonts are straightforward to learn, and there isn’t an overabundance of menus obligatory for fundamental capabilities, like turning the air con off or altering the radio station, because of the Kona’s bodily controls.

Security and ADAS

My Kona Electrical tester got here with Hyundai Smartsense, which features a gaggle of acronyms and security options, all of them normal throughout all trims. One of the vital attention-grabbing options is Ahead Collison Help with Pedestrian Detection, Junction Turning and Direct Oncoming Visitors).

This alphabet soup acronym mainly means if there’s a pedestrian, object or different automotive within the car’s path it’ll warn the motive force and apply brakes if obligatory. It’s a bit extra superior than normal collision help as a result of it could possibly do it whereas the car is popping using an intersection. Furthermore, there’s an entire smorgasbord of three and four-letter acronyms that come normal on the Kona EV.

• Blind Spot Collison Warning Blind Spot View Monitor
• Lane Maintain Help
• Lane Observe Help
• Excessive Beam Help
• Driver Consideration Warning
• Secure Exit Warning
• Rear Cross Visitors Alert

The Hyundai Kona Electrical has not been examined by the IIHS or NHTSA.

Pricing and Trims

For 2025, the Kona Electrical is available in 4 trims: SE, SEL, N-Line and Restricted. There have been some minor pricing changes for 2025, however by only some {dollars} on every trim.

The SE begins at $34,270. It has a smaller 48.6 kWh battery, a much less highly effective 133-hp electrical motor and may solely do 200 miles at a full cost.

The SEL jumps to $38,270 and provides the bigger 201-horsepower motor and 64.8 kWh battery. The vary jumps to 261 miles. Alongside the upgraded battery and extra, the SEL provides heated entrance seats, an influence driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and roof rails.

The N-Line is new for 2025. This trim is all beauty however provides a racy physique package, a distinctive entrance bumper and distinctive wheels. Hyundai additionally threw in Alcantara seats and an upgraded Bose sound system. It begins at $39,670. Sadly, the outside upgrades and wheels damage the vary. The N-Line solely can do 230 miles, down from the 261 of the SEL and Restricted fashions.

On the high of the Kona lineup sits the Restricted trim. At $42,445 this trim has all choices, together with heated and cooled leather-based entrance seats and a power-operated liftgate. All costs embody the $1,395 vacation spot charge.

Some would insist that Kona’s pricing is a bit lofty, and its form is. Our Kona Restricted’s $42,000 price ticket is on the heels of the bottom VW ID.4. The bottom-model VW could cost faster than the Kona, however, it could possibly not go as far.

The bottom mannequin Kona Electrical SE is dearer than the Nissan Leaf, nevertheless, it goes approach additional and may DC quick cost at stations that aren’t utterly outmoded. Nonetheless, in contrast to the U.S. market Leaf and ID.4, the Kona is imported from the outdoors of North America. It’s subsequently ineligible for the federal $7,500 clear car tax credit score for purchases, although the credit score nonetheless applies to Kona lease offers.

Verdict

When the newest era of the Hyundai Kona Electrical first dropped, I actually questioned the knowledge of Hyundai’s perseverance to supply an EV based mostly on a gasoline automotive platform. I figured the corporation would simply port every little thing over to its E-GMP platform. Absolutely that might be a greater base, no?

Two weeks with Kona Electrical taught me that this so-called reality isn’t essentially true. The Kona may use a gasoline automotive platform, nevertheless, it doesn’t matter as a result of its delivery so strongly in the actual world. This small crossover is pleasant, easy, charming and straightforward.

Through a variety of methods, I discovered the Kona Electrical extra likeable than the ground-up EV efforts from Hyundai, just like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Perhaps do not decide on an ane-book by its cowl—or an EV from simply its platform.

Contact the creator: kevin.williams@insideevs.com