Hyundai Kona N review
The Hyundai Kona N is a small SUV that majors in exciting hot hatchback handling and performance. Practicality isn’t outstanding though, and it looks dull inside
- Cash
- £33,056
- Monthly
- £492*
- Used
- £31,995
What's good
What's not so good
Find out more about the Hyundai Kona N
Is the Hyundai Kona N a good car?
The Hyundai Kona N is the sort of car you’d end up with if you threw sports car performance, hatchback-sized dimensions, and a jacked-up SUV driving position into a massive blender and hit the ‘mix’ button.
Alternatives such as the Ford Puma ST are cooked up using a similar cocktail of ingredients; but where that car makes just 200hp and costs from around £28,000, the Kona N turns things up to 11 with 280hp and a price tag of over £35,000. Talk about a stiff drink.
Unsurprisingly, it’s based on the regular Hyundai Kona – and much of that small SUV’s quirky styling still shines through in a clearly recognisable fashion. But for the N version, it’s been garnished with a tonne of additional performance touches to lend it an even meaner, feistier image.
So there are big exhaust pipes at the back, three nostrils on its bootlid, a sporty bodykit and aggressive looking 19-inch alloys beneath its puffed out wheelarches. It’s an acquired taste, perhaps, but there will certainly be plenty of people who take a liking to its sharpness.
It’s a pity, then, that the interior is so bland. Sure, you sit in comfy, supportive sports seats that give you a good view out and let you easily get a handle on all the main controls; but lots of dark, drab looking plastics means there isn’t much to stimulate the senses in here.
There’s just about enough space in the back for two adults to sit in reasonable comfort, but the 361-litre boot is considerably smaller than what you’d get in the cheaper Puma ST. Meanwhile, the infotainment suite is easy to learn and features plenty of useful features such as satellite navigation, voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; but the graphics are a bit basic.
The Hyundai Kona N is seriously quick in a straight line, and really good fun on a twisty road. It’s just a shame its interior is so dull.
The biggest source of annoyance, however, was the fact that the dashboard creaked and groaned like an old cupboard door for the entirety of our test route. We’d hope that this problem was unique to our early test car, because you should get a far smoother finish at this price point.
So it’s a good thing it’s such a hoot on a twisty road. The steering is quite heavy, but the Kona N is super light on its feet, and thanks to its electronically-controlled limited-slip differential it changes direction with a huge amount of enthusiasm, grip and stability – particularly in its sportier driving modes. It’s bloomin’ fast, too.
On its firm sports suspension there are certainly comfier ways to travel around town, but it’s forgiving enough over bumps and there’s plenty of visibility front and rear. Helpful driver aids such as a reversing camera, all-round parking sensors and adaptive cruise control with lane-keep and lane-change assist are all fitted as standard, too.
It’s a fun car this, even if it’s not quite as sweet to drive as similarly-priced hot-hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI or Ford Focus ST undoubtedly are. But if you want that slightly taller driving position, then the Kona N certainly isn’t a bad shout – even if it’s not quite as spacious as its SUV-shaped exterior suggests it should be.
Ultimately this particular cocktail might not appeal to everyone, but if the Hyundai Kona N sounds like it’s right up your street, then keep an eye on our Hyundai deals page.
How practical is it?
You’ll be comfy if you’re sat up front, but there isn’t acres of space in the second row, and the boot is on the small side
What's it like to drive?
The Kona N is fairly firm around town, but get it on a good road and it’s a huge amount of fun
What's it like inside?
There’s not a lot going on in here that’ll really stimulate the senses. The infotainment system is well-equipped and easy to use, though
Hyundai Kona N colours
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- Free
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- From £300
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- From £565
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- From £565
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- From £565
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- From £565
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- From £565
- Cash
- £33,056
- Monthly
- £492*
- Used
- £31,995
Build your own Kona N on carwow
Save on average £2,350 off RRP
*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.