► Self-charging Konda Hybrid driven
► UK road test impressions
► Full tech details and verdict
The Hyundai Kona was a fairly late addition to the smorgasbord of B-segment SUVs when it hit the market in 2017, and has been playing catch-up ever since. This second-generation Kona arrived in 2023 with an evolution of the original’s quirky, multiple-cars-in-one styling, and a wider selection of powertrains. Including the self-charging hybrid variant that’s the subject of this review.
The Mk2 Kona also comes with more room for passengers and in the boot than before. This despite it being one of the smallest Hyundai SUVs you can buy, slotting into the range beneath the Hyundai Tucson and seven-seater Hyundai Santa Fe but above the Hyundai Bayon.
Should you buy a Hyundai Kona Hybrid?
Hate to spoil the rest of the review for you, but probably not. The driving experience is neat enough, but the hybrid system feels weak and rivals deliver better fuel economy.
You can find out more about how we test cars on our explainer page.
At a glance
Pros: Decent tech for the class, surprisingly poised and precise, roomier than before, distinctive looks on the outside
Cons: Hybrid powertrain is punch and efficiency, busy ride, bland interior
What’s new?
The Hyundai Kona Hybrid’s styling won’t have escaped you. With its flush front and rear and lighting bands, it’s yet another Hyundai with bold design. Whatever you think of the way the contoured sides merge with the smoother extremities, good on Hyundai’s team, led by SangYup Lee, for pushing ahead with such a distinctive look.
It sits on the same K3 platform as the Kia Niro, so it’s larger and chunkier than the previous model, gaining 175mm in overall length (to 4355mm), and 60mm in wheelbase (now 2660mm). Passengers feel the benefit of that growth in dimensions, and the overall impression is that this is a much more grown-up car.
What are the specs?
Plenty of powertrain choice here, with petrol, hybrid and fully electric models available. You can read our separate Hyundai Kona Electric review, but the self-charging hybrid we’re testing here is theoretically the middle position for internal combustion.
Using a rather retro naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol and electric motor combo, it’s now rated at 127bhp in total – versus 98bhp for the 1.0-litre turbo and 136bhp 1.6-litre turbo. On paper, the hybrid’s electric motor fully compensates for the lack of forced induction, with a combined system output of 195lb ft, compared with 148lb ft and 184lb ft from its siblings.
As with all Konas, the hybrid is front-wheel drive. However, as well as the 1.56kWh lithium ion battery – which helps the 42bhp electric motor move the car on its own for short periods – you also get a six-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) automatic as standard.
If you must know, 0-62mph in the Kona Hybrid takes 12.0sec; the 1.6 turbo does the deed in 10.2 while the 1.0T requires 13.3. More interesting – ish – is that Hybrid’s top speed is 93mph in Eco mode but a whole 103mph in Sport. It’s still taps out at a lower speed than both of the others…
How does it drive?
Long story short, the bold design story is not reflected under the bonnet. As a naturally aspirated full hybrid, it lacks the muscular feel of a decent turbo, and as such, unless you wring its neck, the Kona Hybrid feels gutless. So, overtaking manoeuvres and getting up to speed on the motorway take a while.
And when you do that, the engine thrashes and howls like a spoilt toddler told to go to bed early. And guess what? If you do drive it like that, fuel economy takes a dive. Still, that’s not really the point: the Kona is a potter-about kinda car, not a hair-raiser.
Dial it back, though, and the powertrain is a little more in its element, keeping quiet and unobtrusive as you nip around town. But, interestingly, larger hybrids from Hyundai – such as the new Tucson – highlight the Kona’s reluctance to switch to electric-only power regularly.
You can switch it to EV mode to engage the electric part of the powertrain in a wider capacity. But as soon as you’re out of town, the engine is woken up with a disgruntled stir. In a week of testing, we managed 40mpg in harder driving and 48mpg in gentle motorway running. That’s someway short of Toyota and Honda’s best hybrids.
After the uninspiring drivetrain’s so-so performance, it’s a good news story for the Kona’s handling. The driving position is highly adjustable, allowing you to sit low if that’s your thing, and it provides good steering wheel reach and rake adjustment. Sitting high doesn’t push you into the roof either, and that puts you in a good place in town.
It hums along the motorway in an undistinguished manner, and won’t offend here. But get it on to a challenging B-road and the Kona wakes up. The steering is sharp and not too light, and body control is impressive – turning sharp corners in a Kona is an exercise in poise and precision.
This comes as a genuine surprise, and we suspect our N Line test car’s sporty setup contributes to this. It would be good to see how a more humble version acquits itself. But if you want to be entertained, and don’t want a Ford Puma (offered only as a mild hybrid), the Kona’s not too bad a substitute.
The ride and refinement are better than before, but it’s not going to challenge the class-leading Skoda Kamiq (no hybrid version available) in this department. The 18-inch wheels – standard on all Kona Hybrid models doesn’t help. It feels pretty busy underneath, though the excellent damping keeps it all in reasonable check.
What about the interior?
The dashboard’s centrepiece is a pair of twin 12.3-inch displays mounted in a single panel that runs across the top of the fascia. This echoes the futuristic interiors of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 electric cars, although the overall effect is far more subdued thanks to restrained colour palettes.
We approve of the mixture of touchscreen, speech and physical controls for its driver systems. Want to make the interior hotter or cooler? Reach for the handily placed toggle controller, rather than stab at the screen. Trust us, Kona drivers will appreciate this. The air vents are nicely hidden (but very effective), and there are lots of places to store your nick-nacks.
Typical family SUV stuff, then. It’s all very 21st century, very functional, even if the interior itself is a tad bland. As for space, the Kona Hybrid’s rear is more commodious than before, with competitive head and legroom, while the boot grows from 374 litres to 466.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
The Kona Hybrid is available across all four of the model’s trim levels: Advance, N Line, N Line S and Ultimate. Standard kit is generous throughout, with all Hybrids riding on 18-inch wheels and fitted with dual-zone climate control as standard. They also get adaptive cruise control, all-round parking sensors, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, factory sat-nav, DAB, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, four USB C ports… the list goes on and on.
Why would you bother with anything but base spec Advance? The N Line models get racier looks and wireless phone charging, and the further up the tree you climb the better the LED headlights and the greater the amount of standard safety kit. For instance, blindspot monitoring is only available on the N Line S and Ultimate, where you’ll also find a 360 camera system.
As for rivals, well there are a hell of a lot of compact SUVs on the market, and you can find out more about the ones you should actually be considering on out best SUVs /best/suv/pages. Key players are the (aging) Skoda Kamiq and the (ruined by the facelift) Ford Puma mentioned above; but see also the Kia Niro, Vauxhall Mokka, Volkswagen T-Roc.
The Toyota C-HR is a decent choice if it’s the hybrid element you’re particularly keen on. We’ve seen better real-world fuel economy from this and the Honda HR-V.
Verdict
We just couldn’t fully get on with the Kona Hybrid. The powertrain is uninspiring, not economical enough, and reluctant to use its electric power to the best effect. The busy ride will also destabilise some families.
The good news is that the interior is very usable, and its B-road poise, distinctive looks, capable chassis, and technology on offer mark it out as being nearer the front end of the B-SUV grid. So, if you’re sold on Hyundai’s ownership proposition and long warranty, you won’t be saddled with a sub-standard car.
Overall, though, there are better self-charging hybrid SUVs options out there, and more accomplished all-rounders, too. The Kona Electric is better as well, so if you like the rest of the package and you can make the EV economics stack up, that’s the Kona for us.