Hyundai Kona review

Once upon a time the Kona started below the £20,000 mark. No longer. These days you’re looking at £26,735 for the entry 1.0-litre 3cyl, or £27,685 for the 1.6-litre 4cyl. It’s an extra £1.5k on top if you want the auto.

Or £30,890 if you want the hybrid, which pairs 1.6-litre petrol engine with a small electric motor and battery. That’s your lot. 

On lease, you’re looking at around £265 for the 1.0-litre, £290 for the 1.6-litre, and £320 for the hybrid - that's all on a four-year agreement with a £5k deposit, through Hyundai’s own finance scheme. Shop around and you might do better.

What’s the kit list like?

Right, there are four to choose from: Advance, Ultimate, N Line and N Line S.

Base Advance trim offers 17in alloy wheels (18in on hybrid models), plastic cladding around the wheel arches, roof rails, dual 12.3in displays, front and rear USB-C charging points, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors plus a rear camera and keyless entry. 

The next step up the Kona ladder is the sportier N Line trim, which gets 18in alloys, bespoke front and rear bumpers, body-coloured wheel arches, twin exhaust tips and a powered tailgate. Inside, there’s a heated steering wheel and front and rear seats, aluminium pedals, ambient lighting and a wireless charger.

Above that is the N Line S trim. It adds the full-width daytime running lights (lower trims just get two separate DRLs in each corner), projector headlights, Alcantara and leather-trimmed seats, three-zone air conditioning, and a BOSE premium sound system. Oh, and surround view and blind-spot view cameras.

Top of the tree is the Ultimate trim. It largely mirrors the Advance trim in terms of looks (including the aforementioned plastic cladding around the wheel arches, which we’re not huge fans of), but gets most of the N Line luxuries (including those full-width DRLs) plus an opening sunroof and black leather seats.

As ever, all Konas all will come with Hyundai’s five-year unlimited mileage warranty and a roadside assistance package.