Test drive of the Kona EV: Is it the best electric car on the market?

We have put the Kona EV, the new Korean electric car that promises a range of more than 450 kilometres, through a thorough road test

The electric era has arrived, and it has arrived with force. We are no longer dealing with laboratories on wheels; electric vehicles have advanced by leaps and bounds, and they are now more than reasonable options in every respect, with ranges that let us get through our daily lives without complicating things.

The Hyundai Kona EV arrived in 2018 to show that owning an electric car was already possible. Its calling card is, to say the least, appealing: good interior space, a different design, an electric motor producing up to 204 CV and a range of over 450 kilometres.

We have already put the Hyundai Kona EV to the test, and it has struck us as very reasonable in many respects. It handles well and is perfectly usable in virtually every situation.

However, what we liked least is not its fault: the electrical infrastructure in our country still has a long way to go before owning an electric car stops being a complication.

An image similar to the rest of the Kona range

The Hyundai Kona EV shares its design with the rest of the Kona range, although it is true that there are some changes compared with the conventional version. At first glance, the easiest way to recognise the electric variant is at the front, since the whole nose is faired to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

In addition, the generous grille of the combustion-engined models has disappeared to make way for a closed grille in which Hyundai has installed the CCS charging point. If we keep looking for differences, the 17-inch wheels also have a specific design, since they have been designed to reduce air resistance.

The rear also differs from the other versions, with a bumper featuring several ribs at the lower part and, above all, the absence of the exhaust outlet. To give the game away completely, the “electric” badge is placed on the right-hand side of the tailgate.

A sober cabin focused on driving comfort

Inside, at first glance we find a design very similar to that of the other versions. However, what has changed completely is the centre console, which has a new layout: the vertical arrangement of the standard versions has given way to a continuous console that connects directly with the glovebox placed between the seats.

In this wide tunnel that divides the front seats we can see the absence of a conventional gear lever, which has been replaced by four buttons (P, N, R and D). Here are the controls for changing the driving modes and comfort features such as the heated steering wheel and seats. In addition, this layout leaves a very generous space at the bottom for emptying all your pockets.

All the cabin materials look good and their fit and finish are outstanding, something in which Hyundai has outdone a great many brands on the market. Furthermore, our test unit had black leather upholstery, a feature that comes as standard on the Style trim level.

The rear seats have enough space for two people to travel comfortably, and the boot has achieved the seemingly impossible: it does not lose space compared with the conventional versions. The boot of the Hyundai Kona EV therefore has a capacity of 332 litres.

204 CV, more than enough

The Hyundai Kona EV reached the market with two electric powertrains available: 100 kW or 136 CV, and 150 kW or 204 CV. In the first case, the battery pack is 39.2 kWh, while the more powerful variant has one of 64 kWh.

We drove the Hyundai Kona EV in the most performance-oriented variant, that is, with the 150 kW motor and the 64 kWh battery pack. With this combination, the Hyundai Kona EV has a kerb weight of 1,729 kilos and achieves a range of no less than 456 kilometres, which places it among the best on the market in this respect.

With this motor, the response is instantaneous under the right foot, and its 395 Nm of maximum torque can even be too much at certain moments. If we floor it, we can hear the Nexen tyres struggling to manage the torque and spinning until we reach 60 km/h, which gives little sense of security and makes us wonder what would happen if we carried out this test on a slippery surface.

Performance with this powertrain is quite good: the Hyundai Kona EV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.34 seconds and reaches a top speed of 167 km/h. In addition, the recovery is also excellent, so we can tackle an overtaking manoeuvre with complete confidence.

Although performance is good overall, it is hard not to wonder why Hyundai would choose to pair the 64 kWh battery with the 100 kW motor. The 136 horsepower of this motor is already more than enough to move the Hyundai Kona EV, and the range would increase even further since the batteries would be paired with a less powerful motor.

The Hyundai Kona EV handles well, though somewhat artificially

The handling of the Hyundai Kona EV has impressed us greatly; once we get used to it, it can even be fun. To drive an electric car we have to rethink things in our heads, since the philosophy and the reactions are quite different.

Specifically in the Hyundai Kona EV, the power is instantaneous and very linear, so it feels as if it never runs out of strength. For this reason, we need a lighter touch when managing the accelerator, since the strong delivery of power to the front wheels makes the car “nose-dive” too much if we overdo the throttle as we exit a corner.

Its batteries are located along the underside of the car, so the Hyundai Kona EV has a low centre of gravity, which gives it very good stability. However, one of the peculiarities of electric cars, which we already noticed in our test of the Mercedes-Benz EQC, is that they give the driver very little information.

The Hyundai Kona EV corners flat and its body barely leans, so realising the dynamic limits of the car becomes the responsibility of the tyres. Therefore, it is only when we hear them squeal that we know we have gone too far. In addition, a rather stiff suspension contributes to this sensation, forcing us to take extra care when encountering a speed bump or similar to avoid bottoming out.

A fully adjustable regenerative braking system

Behind the steering wheel there are paddles, but these are not like those we are used to in automatic cars. In the Hyundai Kona EV they are used to manage the regeneration of its batteries, which we perceive as the intensity of engine braking. There are up to three levels of regeneration: pressing the left paddle lowers them until the system is completely disengaged, and the right one does the opposite.

Once we get used to this, driving the Hyundai Kona EV can become an enjoyable task, since we can manage the regeneration with the paddles according to the needs of each moment. For example, on the motorway it is highly advisable to disengage the system so the car coasts and does not use up battery. Conversely, on roads where we have to brake frequently, it is worth setting the regeneration system to level 3, so we can drive with just one pedal.

3+1 driving modes

The electric version of the Hyundai Kona has three visible driving modes and one hidden: Comfort, Sport, Eco and Eco+:

• Comfort mode is the default for most occasions, balancing engine response with energy efficiency, and the regenerative braking is automatically set to 1.
• In Sport mode, the engine response is more aggressive, the suspension firms up and the steering gains weight and precision. In this case, regenerative braking remains set to the first level.
• Eco mode has been designed to optimise range, so the climate control is set to Eco and regenerative braking automatically increases to level 2.
• ECO+ programme is intended for those moments when we are running short on range: it switches off the climate control and does not allow speeds above 90 km/h, with regenerative braking at level 2. It is activated by holding down the driving modes button for a few seconds.

Range and charging of the Hyundai Kona EV

One of the most interesting features of the Hyundai Kona EV is that its batteries are made of lithium-ion cells with a solid electrolyte, which means that charging the car to 80% gives you almost 400 of the 456 kilometres of range it claims under the WLTP cycle.

We can say that the range is quite realistic, and depending on how you use it you can even extend it further, since it is hard to see the kilometres dropping when driving in town. Unlike cars with combustion engines, the Korean electric car consumes most on the motorway.

As for charging times for the Hyundai Kona EV, these depend on the power of the supply to which it is connected: if you plug it into a domestic socket, where it charges at 2.1 kW, it takes 8 hours for every 100 kilometres of range.

It is therefore almost essential for the owner to install a wallbox at home, which is usually either 3 kW or 7 kW. In the first case, the batteries can be charged to full in 9 hours and, in the second, in 4.

Furthermore, the Hyundai Kona EV comes with the CCS connector needed to plug into ultra-rapid charging points, so it takes half an hour to charge to 80%. However, it is not advisable to rely on these too often, since the useful life of the batteries may diminish.

How much does the Hyundai Kona EV cost?

The test unit we had came with the Style trim level. This is the highest in the range, although above it sits the Style 2C, which has the same equipment but with the particularity of allowing the bodywork to be painted in two tones for an extra 450 euros.

The price of the Hyundai Kona EV Style starts at a daunting 46,300 euros. It is a high price, although we must bear in mind that the standard equipment is already very complete, so it includes features such as Full LED headlights, a wireless phone charger, an infotainment system with a 7.2-inch touchscreen, a Krell sound system with 8 speakers, a parking camera and a head-up display.

Conclusion

Electric cars have arrived, and the Hyundai Kona EV is clear proof of it: the Korean brand has managed to bring to market one of the most well-rounded electric vehicles available.

However, what does not yet seem to be ready is the Spanish infrastructure, since charging the car away from home often becomes a frustrating experience.

In our case, we made several trips to shopping centres on the outskirts of Madrid where the navigation system of the Hyundai Kona EV itself indicated the presence of charging points. Indeed, they were there, but whether they worked is another matter: at one of these shopping centres there were four charging stations, of which only one was working and, moreover, it was occupied all day by a Nissan Leaf like the one we tested previously.

There is therefore still much to learn and develop if we want electrification to be truly feasible. It is clear that manufacturers have already done their part, but now it is the turn of public institutions to foster the development of better infrastructure through initiatives such as Ionity, to make possible what they so strongly encourage: electric mobility.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverHyundai Kona18 versions · from 30,190 €