Hyundai Kona Electric Car Review

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…the second generation Hyundai Kona Electric, the Korean brand’s pure EV version of its small SUV.

Loaded with more technology than ever before, the Kona Electric is available in two power/range options. The standard range version has a 48kWh battery and a 156hp motor driving the front wheels, while the long range version has a 65kWh battery and a 218hp motor driving the front wheels.

There are four trim levels, however, the standard range version is only available in the entry level specification.

Advance
N Line
N Line S
Ultimate

Advance includes 17-inch alloys, roof rails, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cloth upholstery, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, auto headlights, auto wipers, tinted front and rear windows, cruise control, power-fold mirrors, heat pump, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, vehicle to load, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 12.3-inch infotainment screen with satnav and 4x USB-C sockets.

N Line adds 19-inch alloys, N Line bodykit, heated front seats, heated rear seats, split-folding rear seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and a powered tailgate.

N Line S adds powered front seats, cooled front seats, alcantara upholstery, tri-zone climate control, uprated headlights, uprated sound system and a luggage net.

Ultimate adds leather upholstery.

Is the Hyundai Kona Electric suitable for my fleet?

The Kona Electric is in every part suitable for fleet use. Obviously the fact it’s pure-EV means it is a company car tax winner. However, what elevates the Kona is that it’s efficient which has the knock-on effect of giving it a good range.

In the 65kW version we tested (there’s also a 48kW model) the official range is 319 miles. A very useful distance. And while we ‘only’ achieved 3.2 miles per kWh which would result in a 208-mile range, the ambient temperature during our driving was close to freezing so we had the aircon going as well as the heated seats for the majority of the time. In essence this figure would be a worst-case scenario.

In terms of practicalities, the boot is an impressive 466 litres, plus there’s small, but useful, front boot of 27 litres for charging cables.

And while the Kona is a small SUV, there’s also decent rear seat legroom too.

Leasing a Hyundai Kona Electric

Due to strong residual values and a competitive list price, lease rates are attractive for the Kona Electric. Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the top specification Ultimate version for £614 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Gensen Reports forecasts maintenance costs at £32 a month on this mileage with a Class 1A NIC coming in at £9.

Driving a Hyundai Kona Electric

All Kona trim levels are very well equipped and it’s this, together with the quality of the cabin construction that creates a positive first impression of the new Kona.

Company car drivers aren’t short of choice in the small SUV segment. So everything needs to be class-leading in order for a new model to succeed and the Kona Electric does just that from the off.

The seats are comfortable and supportive, the screens are clear and easy to read, the software is responsive and simple to navigate and the view out is good too.

Cleverly, Hyundai hasn’t gone ballistic with the performance in the Kona. Where many rivals offer ridiculously low 0-60mph times, the Kona’s 7.8 seconds figure is plenty fast enough for a car in this class that’s going to be used for everything from the school run to motorway work.

Similarly the suspension has been set up to be comfortable, rather than sporty – which again suits the car and the market.

Usefully, Hyundai offers stepped levels of regenerative braking using steering-wheel paddles going from almost non-existent to full one-pedal driving, which means you can either find the level you want and stick to it or vary depending on conditions.

It’s hard to find any serious negatives with the Kona. If we’re being particularly picky, there could be a simpler way of deactivating the legally-required-to-be-on-at-start trio of lane-keeping, driver attention warning and speed limit alert. That aside, the Kona is not only good enough to be a class leader, but could easily attract buyers from other segments.

Verdict on the Hyundai Kona Electric

Impressive, all-electric, small SUV which sits at the top of the class.