Hyundai Kona 2021 Review

It has been a meteoric rise for the Hyundai Kona. Shown to the world in early 2017 before arriving in local showrooms later that year, the original Kona quickly climbed the ranks of Hyundai’s model hierarchy.

Today it is the Korean marque’s third-best seller, increasingly finding favour over sedans and passenger cars.

Hyundai is hopeful the Kona can continue its upward trajectory with the introduction of a new 2021 Hyundai Kona facelift.

Spearheaded by two new N Line variants, the six-model compact SUV range also scores fresh styling and extra technology – along with higher pricing.

Does the value equation still stack up? And just how sporty are these new N Line variants? Let’s get to it…

The 2021 Hyundai Kona line-up starts at $26,600 plus on-road costs – $2300 higher than before – for the standard ‘Kona’ variant that replaces the previous Go model.

There is no longer an all-wheel drive option at the entry, mid-series (Active) or upper-tier models (Elite and Highlander), leaving all-paw traction to the two new N Line variants that crown the combustion-engined range at $36,300 plus ORCs in standard form or $42,400 plus ORCs for the N Line Premium tested here.

Meanwhile, updated Kona Electric models are due to land in March, and a high-performance Kona N is also on its way.

Apart from the higher entry level, the Kona Active is now $2140 more expensive at $28,200 plus ORCs, the Elite similarly starts $1000 further upstream at $31,600 plus ORCs and the Highlander is $1340 dearer at $38,000 plus ORCs.

Entry and mid-grade Kona variants come with an 8.0-inch infotainment unit and a 4.2-inch colour driver’s display and LED daytime running lights (DRLs).

All Kona variants are fitted with Hyundai’s comprehensive safety suite, which includes six airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), driver attention warning, lane following assist, tyre pressure monitoring system and rear occupant alert.

Other standard equipment, even at entry level, includes a reversing camera, downhill brake control, hill start assist, dusk-sensing headlights, wireless phone charging, ‘quiet mode’, luggage net, roof rails and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Moving up to the Kona Active brings 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-appointed seats, leather trim on the steering wheel and gear knob, power-folding and heated exterior mirrors, tinted rear windows, rear park assist and an armrest for the second row.

Driver assistance systems come even more advanced on the Kona Elite, with blind spot monitoring, safe exit warning, remote start, collision avoidance assist and rear cross traffic alert all fitted standard.

There’s also a larger 10.25-inch infotainment system, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights, and carbon grey and gloss black exterior trim.

The fully-loaded Highlander has 18-inch alloy wheels, a glass sunroof, two-tone roof, LED headlights, tail-lights and front indicators, a head-up display, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, and electro-chromatic interior mirror.

For the sportier Kona N Line variants, a multi-link rear suspension set-up is complemented by 25mm larger front brakes, exterior additions and badging as well as N Line front seats, red cabin stitching, piping, trim inserts and alloy pedals.

The rear outboard seats in the N Line Premium are heated (as is the steering wheel), while the front seats are power-adjustable.

The N Line Premium also has various other high-grade features found in the Highlander that are not necessarily included on the standard N Line.

A beige interior can be added to Highlander for an extra $295, while premium paint adds $595 across the board.

Servicing costs will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Hyundai says the 2.0-litre needs to be serviced every 12 months or 15,000km, while the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol in the N Line models has 12-month/10,000km intervals.

All Kona models are backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Along with their all-wheel drive underpinnings and sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, Hyundai Kona N Line variants are also now the only models fitted with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine – uprated to 146kW/265Nm – and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

All front-drive lower-rung variants continue with a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder (110kW/180Nm) that pairs with a CVT auto.

Both engines have been revised to the latest version of Hyundai’s SmartStream family.

The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine features 16kW more power than before and Hyundai claims a combined-cycle fuel consumption figure of 6.9L/100km. Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre engine is said to use 6.2L/100km.

The changes wrought on the 2021 Hyundai Kona are most obvious on the outside, with the revised styling including a new grille, front bumper and stacked headlights.

The front skid plate and cascading grille are also said to “project a low and wide stance”.

Inside, the upgrade helps cultivate a slightly more refined and sophisticated cabin environment. And not surprisingly, this is especially the case in the flagship N Line Premium, which uses a mix of quality materials broken up by splashes of red highlights across the seats, doors and dashboard.

Soft-touch materials adorn the key contact points, while odds and ends storage is quite strong – especially in a segment where some models are still devoid of a basic centre console.

In the Kona, your options include cavernous door pockets and a centre console up front, two centre cup holders, an open cubby behind the electric park brake, and an open tray at the bottom of the centre fascia. Residing in this latter space are two 12-volt outlets, one USB port and wireless phone charging.

Further back, rear seat space is commensurate with the Kona’s 4.16-metre length: adequate legroom, headroom and shoulder-room for a couple of six-foot-tall adults.

The Kona also covers the basics for little ones with two ISOFIX child attachment points and 60/40-split folding rear seats.

Ultimately, Kona’s 361-litre boot and absence of rear air-vents puts paid to prospects of a full-time family chariot – although if your kids are out of the pram phase, it would work at a stretch.

A solitary USB port in the rear seat area and a temporary space-saver spare tyre underneath the boot floor are both noted.

Our first foray in the 2021 Hyundai Kona N Line Premium takes place on a return trip from Sydney to Orange, in the NSW Central Tablelands.

Ordinarily, such rugged roads would pose a bumpy, tiresome trip in a small SUV – but that’s not the case with the latest Hyundai Kona.

Surefooted and stable on open bitumen, the Kona N Line Premium eats up the miles during our 500km two-day adventure.

Ambling out of northern Sydney, it feels as nippy and agile as any other compact SUV doing the rounds, yet it adapts resoundingly well to the twisted, undulating bitumen familiar with country areas.

The turbo-petrol unit fitted to the N Line and N Line Premium feels decidedly spritelier than the lesser 2.0-litre petrol – which, it must be said, still does an admirable job.

Some minor low-speed hesitation eventually segues into a rich and accessible torque curve and meaty mid-range – both accentuated by the quick-thinking dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Even reaching the Kona’s 6500rpm cut-out, the four-pot is never really out of its depth, going some way in justifying Hyundai’s ‘sporty’ positioning.

As a ‘warm’ SUV the Kona N Line is good, though we reckon buyers after a genuinely sporty drive would be better off hanging out for the hotter high-performance Kona N.

The Kona N Line’s all-wheel drive system and clever electronics suite are both welcome accomplices during headier proceedings, endowing the small SUV with excellent road-holding and stability.

The drivetrain’s other key strength is that of real-world efficiency – we saw a 6.1L/100km average on a 250km open-road journey, and yielded about 8.0L/100km in a mix of conditions including stretches of sportier driving.

Even in N Line trim, the Kona’s small footprint isn’t infallible: it is occasionally upset by larger obstacles in the road, and over mid-corner bumps the rear-end will sometimes shimmy or skip – but never disconcertingly so.

The ride is compliant on 20-inch wheels, however, while road noise is moderately insulated, even on extended coarse-chip sections.

At either end of our road trip, the Hyundai Kona N Line Premium enamours with comfortable seats and a considered cabin layout, while its engine belies its small capacity with a comfortable open-road cadence.

For a small SUV, the Kona hardly feels like hard work.

The Hyundai Kona’s rapid rise is proof the compact SUV segment isn’t going anywhere in a hurry.

Thankfully, the Kona N Line Premium refines the formula, offering a slightly sportier and character-filled execution of the brief.

At about $40,000, neither N Line variant is particularly cheap, yet both are a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter compact SUV.

More than anything though, they pose as a tempting entree for the forthcoming, fully-fledged Hyundai Kona N.

Talk about a meteoric rise.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai Kona N Line Premium cost?
Price: $42,400 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 146kW/265Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 156g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)