Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh First Drive Review
03 Jul 2023|7,523 views
What We Like
Eye-catching design
Cabin is spacious and a lot more premium than before
Cabin is very well-insulated
Matured and refined drive
What We Dislike
For Singapore, the car will be slightly detuned because of the COE system
Let's get the elephant out of the way first.
The all-new Hyundai Kona Electric that you see here is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching SUVs in the market today. Yes, you do have more premium electric SUVs, but they tend to be a little bit more "regular", in the sense that they look just like the other models in its lineup.
That's understandable, of course, since bridging customers from internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to full electric vehicles (EV) doesn't just depend on the drive, but also the way the car looks. After all, first impressions count, no?
The small attention to details make the Kona Electric a really good-looking car
Bold new look
And when it comes to that, the Kona Electric aces, and then some. For starters, it looks every bit as futuristic as the ones you see in Hollywood sci-fi movies. From the lights spanning the width and diamond-looking squares at the front, to the angular side view and clean rear end, this new Hyundai SUV will draw stares of envy from onlookers.
Perhaps naysayers will lament that the car is far too futuristic and messy all around, but to this pint-sized writer, being able to stand out in the massive sea of electric SUVs in Singapore is key, more so when you're up against well-established peers like the Kia Niro Electric and the Toyota bZ4X.
Cabin has been revamped and is now more premium than before
Premium new cabin
And it doesn't just end with its good looks. The cabin has been upgraded by a couple of notches that will put the Kona Electric up there with the best, including some of the premium makes.
For instance, like the Ioniq 6, the massive infotainment system is a lovely sight to behold and a friendly system to utilise. It also gets the new multi-functional steering wheel that's similar to the Ioniq cars - four dots appear on the steering now instead of the usual 'H' letter - and similar gear lever at the steering column.
Elsewhere, space is the royal order of the day. You get ample head and legroom all around and a boot space of 466 litres. That's to be expected, really, since the car has grown significantly over its predecessor.
On the move, the Kona Electric impresses with its maturity
Refinement on the go
Speaking of grown, the Kona Electric has also matured in the way it performs on the road. On the go, the car is immediately more refined and flourished than before, with a well-insulated cabin that shuts out all but loudest of external noises.
So much so that you are hardly bothered by the 64kWh battery, the 201bhp, the 395Nm of torque or even the driving range of about 480km. Instead, you'll just end up having a casual conversation with your passengers while cruising along to your next destination in comfort.
The gear lever at the steering column makes for a cleaner centre console
And if you find yourself too lazy to even depress the brakes, the different levels of regenerative braking can be adjusted via the paddle shifters, with an option of a one-pedal drive available at the maximum level.
Nevertheless, the specs of our test car and the one coming to Singapore early next year will be slightly different. In order for the car to fall under the Category A COE, the Kona Electric will be detuned to 143bhp (107kW), with a torque figure of 255Nm and a century sprint of 8.0 seconds.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is a big step up for the carmaker
It's a big step up
Whatever the case is, I don't reckon buyers of the Kona Electric are going to be bothered by the detuned figures. After all, it's space and grace that they should be prioritising. Otherwise, it'll be a Hyundai i30 N that they'll be considering.
Which is why it wouldn't come as a surprise if the Hyundai becomes a common sight on our roads when sales of the car starts. I mean, the Kona Electric is, after all, comfortable and matured to drive, has a spacious cabin and eye-catching good looks.
What's to complain?
What We Like
Eye-catching design
Cabin is spacious and a lot more premium than before
Cabin is very well-insulated
Matured and refined drive
What We Dislike
For Singapore, the car will be slightly detuned because of the COE system
Let's get the elephant out of the way first.
The all-new Hyundai Kona Electric that you see here is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching SUVs in the market today. Yes, you do have more premium electric SUVs, but they tend to be a little bit more "regular", in the sense that they look just like the other models in its lineup.
That's understandable, of course, since bridging customers from internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to full electric vehicles (EV) doesn't just depend on the drive, but also the way the car looks. After all, first impressions count, no?
The small attention to details make the Kona Electric a really good-looking car
Bold new look
And when it comes to that, the Kona Electric aces, and then some. For starters, it looks every bit as futuristic as the ones you see in Hollywood sci-fi movies. From the lights spanning the width and diamond-looking squares at the front, to the angular side view and clean rear end, this new Hyundai SUV will draw stares of envy from onlookers.
Perhaps naysayers will lament that the car is far too futuristic and messy all around, but to this pint-sized writer, being able to stand out in the massive sea of electric SUVs in Singapore is key, more so when you're up against well-established peers like the Kia Niro Electric and the Toyota bZ4X.
Cabin has been revamped and is now more premium than before
Premium new cabin
And it doesn't just end with its good looks. The cabin has been upgraded by a couple of notches that will put the Kona Electric up there with the best, including some of the premium makes.
For instance, like the Ioniq 6, the massive infotainment system is a lovely sight to behold and a friendly system to utilise. It also gets the new multi-functional steering wheel that's similar to the Ioniq cars - four dots appear on the steering now instead of the usual 'H' letter - and similar gear lever at the steering column.
Elsewhere, space is the royal order of the day. You get ample head and legroom all around and a boot space of 466 litres. That's to be expected, really, since the car has grown significantly over its predecessor.
On the move, the Kona Electric impresses with its maturity
Refinement on the go
Speaking of grown, the Kona Electric has also matured in the way it performs on the road. On the go, the car is immediately more refined and flourished than before, with a well-insulated cabin that shuts out all but loudest of external noises.
So much so that you are hardly bothered by the 64kWh battery, the 201bhp, the 395Nm of torque or even the driving range of about 480km. Instead, you'll just end up having a casual conversation with your passengers while cruising along to your next destination in comfort.
The gear lever at the steering column makes for a cleaner centre console
And if you find yourself too lazy to even depress the brakes, the different levels of regenerative braking can be adjusted via the paddle shifters, with an option of a one-pedal drive available at the maximum level.
Nevertheless, the specs of our test car and the one coming to Singapore early next year will be slightly different. In order for the car to fall under the Category A COE, the Kona Electric will be detuned to 143bhp (107kW), with a torque figure of 255Nm and a century sprint of 8.0 seconds.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is a big step up for the carmaker
It's a big step up
Whatever the case is, I don't reckon buyers of the Kona Electric are going to be bothered by the detuned figures. After all, it's space and grace that they should be prioritising. Otherwise, it'll be a Hyundai i30 N that they'll be considering.
Which is why it wouldn't come as a surprise if the Hyundai becomes a common sight on our roads when sales of the car starts. I mean, the Kona Electric is, after all, comfortable and matured to drive, has a spacious cabin and eye-catching good looks.
What's to complain?
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