Review and Test Hyundai Kona 1.0 T-GDI 120 CV, eye-catching and personal

For years now, no new model had stirred up so much controversy over its name in Spain. It is not the first, but this Hyundai Kona has inspired several articles about its unusual name and its meaning in Galician. Unlike the Portuguese market, where it is called Kauai, the brand’s managers in Spain thought it wouldn’t be a problem and kept the name of this distinctive SUV, which takes its origin from an island.

But the name is not the only striking thing about the Kona. The design can be described with all kinds of adjectives, but what nobody doubts is its dynamic personality: it is an original SUV that draws attention. With this as background, the Highmotor test team took the wheel of an interesting Hyundai Kona with the 1.0 T-GDI petrol engine with 120 CV. Is it worthy of the expectation it generates? Read on and we’ll clear up your doubts.

Exterior design: a very personal SUV

Outwardly, the Kona reminds me of an old advert for a Swedish model that said something like “hate it or love it”. The Kona certainly generates opinions of all kinds, thanks to its carefree, youthful and very personal design. The front is the first thing that surprises, with the huge grille and the headlights split into three sections. Not content with that, the main lights are surrounded by a plastic moulding that contrasts with the body colour. The lights are halogen, except for the LED daytime running lights located in the upper part.

From the side, the details that define the SUV character stand out, such as the lower mouldings and the rising line of the windows, with the rear windows being smaller. On the wheels, the plastic wheel arches stand out again as a contrasting feature; the tyres on our unit measured 205/60 R16.

At the rear, the lights are again split into two groups, with some placed in an elevated position (as with the daytime lights at the front) and others lower down, surrounded by a black plastic moulding that once again contrasts with the body colour (which, on our unit, was not even a discreet colour). A positive detail is the ground clearance.

Interior design: harmonious European design with finishes not usual in Hyundai

The dashboard design follows the lines the Korean manufacturer has accustomed us to, and the influence of European taste in the design is evident. All the controls are correctly distributed in an elegant and harmonious way, without saturating the space and with good fit and finish.

However, the quality of the plastics surprised us – all of them hard to the touch – something that does not happen in other models of the brand, and considering the Kona’s segment, it should at least have some soft-touch plastic in the most visible and central areas of the dashboard. Simplicity can also be seen in the instrumentation, although it is complete in terms of information. The screen is the star of the central section, a touchscreen that works correctly.

The driving position is comfortable, slightly high, but with good visibility overall. However, the driver’s seat has no lumbar adjustment, while in its favour is the ease of access to the front seats.

The rear seats are spacious (the predominant sensation in the cabin), with easy access, also thanks to the good opening angle of the door (important for older people, for example). Legroom is more than sufficient, as is headroom, even for tall people. The negative note is the absence of rear air vents.

A correct boot with a capacity of 361 litres, slightly raised thanks to its double floor with very practical compartments.

Engine and performance: 1.0 T-GDI three-cylinder with 120 CV

The Hyundai Kona is only available with petrol engines, that is, it currently has no diesel engine available. Specifically, there is the 1.0 T-GDI with 120 CV and the 1.6 T-GDI with 177 CV (the latter available with all-wheel drive). The one we tested, the 1.0, is a three-cylinder-only powerplant that left us with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is very capable, and thanks to the six-speed manual gearbox we can make the most of every one of the horsepower; but on the other, it is an engine that lacks refinement.

As soon as you start it, the sensation when setting off is strange, as if it is about to stall. This is common in three-cylinder engines, but in this particular one it is much more noticeable. On the other hand, its operation is not as smooth as it should be (compared with the four-cylinder engine, the difference is notable). That said, on the positive side of the balance is its ability to rev and move the Kona with enviable ease, especially around 3,000 rpm, where this SUV shows its most aggressive side.

Handling: agility and lightness

Another point where the dynamics of this Kona pleasantly surprised us: it is a very light car, which is noticeable at the wheel, and extremely agile. Add the performance of the engine, and the Kona handles better than many compacts on difficult roads, being stable and having an enviable cornering ability despite its height.

On the road it is comfortable and stable, even at high speeds. That said, the soundproofing could be improved, as quite a lot of road noise gets through. The braking system fulfils its task perfectly, while the steering is accurate and quite assisted.

Our unit was a 4×2, so we did not test the off-road capability of the Kona. But except in very specific conditions where traction might be needed, this 4×2 version combined with good ground clearance is more than sufficient for driving on off-road tracks, and it has hill descent control.

Consumption

According to our measurements, on the road it can reach 5.4 litres per 100 km, although the norm has been 5.9 litres per 100 km. In the city the figure rises to 7.3 litres per 100 km on our usual test route around Vigo. Finally, on the motorway, thanks to sixth gear and careful driving, good consumption figures can be achieved, averaging 5.9 litres per 100 km.

Equipment

Starting with the safety equipment, from the base trim it has multiple airbags, tyre pressure monitoring, stability control, driver fatigue detection system, emergency brake signal, active headrests, among other features. In the Euro NCAP crash tests, it earned five stars, with a score of 87% for adult occupant protection and 85% for child occupant protection.

The equipment levels are split into four: Essence, Klass, Tecno and Style. Our unit was the Klass, which offers good value for money, with alloy wheels, a multimedia system – without satnav – but with smartphone connectivity, rear-view camera, lane departure warning, six speakers, front fog lights, among other features.

Thanks to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay connectivity, satnav is not necessary and we can display our phone on the system screen. However, the six speakers were insufficient or lacked power, because in my opinion even the Hyundai i10 seemed to have better sound quality.

Personal opinion and price

The Hyundai Kona starts at 18,990 euros for the base trim and the 120 CV engine (before discounts), while the next trim level rises to 20,640 euros, and the 177 CV engine starts at 31,890 euros with all-wheel drive and the highest equipment level. However, applying the current discounts, the price comes down to 13,990 euros.

Finally, our overall personal opinion of the model is quite positive. The Kona, despite its original name, is an interesting SUV from the point of view of its design – very personal – and the interior space it offers, and it has handling that stands out for its dynamism compared with other SUVs on the market. On the negative side is the feel of the three-cylinder petrol engine, which is not refined for smoothness despite delivering every one of its 120 CV; and another area for improvement is the interior finishes, which fall below what other models from the brand usually offer, something that could be better given the segment and price.

Photos | Test team and special thanks to Miguel V.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverHyundai Kona18 versions · from 30,190 €