Testers’ notes Hyundai
It’s got some catching up to do, so can dramatic looks and turbo power help new baby shake up the market?
MODEL TESTED: Hyundai Kona 1.0 T-GDI Premium PRICE: £18,795 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 118bhp
THE Hyundai Kona we’re testing uses a downsized 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 118bhp, which is designed for economy, as well as good performance around town. It costs from £18,795 in Premium trim (the car in our pictures is an SE), which makes it the most expensive model in this test, although only by £100 over the Mazda CX-3.
Design & engineering
IT’S a little late to the small SUV party, but the Kona certainly makes an impression with its bold styling. The split headlight design is similar to that of the Citroen C3 Aircross, but the bonnet scoop and heavy plastic cladding give the Hyundai a more rugged image.
Unlike many cars in this class, including the C3 Aircross and CX-3, the Kona is not based on its supermini sibling, in this case the i20. Instead it uses a new platform that’s engineered to allow four-wheel drive on higher-spec diesels, although our 1.0-litre petrol is front-wheel drive only.
The four-wheel-drive models also get a multilink rear suspension set-up, but the front-wheeldrive car we’re testing here features a less complex and cheaper torsion beam system. All models feature Macpherson struts at the front. Similarly, petrol versions use a six-speed manual only, while the diesel gets a seven-speed dual-clutch box instead.
The Kona sits in between its rivals in terms of overall size; it’s 4,165mm long and 1,565mm high. It’s the widest of the three models here, which helps with shoulder room inside.
For £18,795 the Kona Premium comes with 18-inch alloys, sat-nav, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, DAB radio, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, so is very well equipped.
There’s good scope for personalisation, too, with coloured accents around the cabin. These spruce things up, because the standard grey finish looks plain. Yet the quality of the materials isn’t as good as in either rival. Plus, the Mazda feels better built, and the Citroen has a much more interesting design.
Driving
DESPITE its new platform, the Hyundai can’t match either rival for dynamic ability. The Kona’s steering is well weighted and it resists body roll while cornering, but it’s best described as safe to drive rather than fun. The Mazda is genuinely great behind the wheel and much more engaging.
Keen drivers won’t be enticed by the Kona then, but that could be easily forgiven if it was as comfortable as the C3 Aircross, which trades engagement in return for a more supple ride. That’s not the case with the Kona; it deals with most roads acceptably, smoothing out smaller ripples, but potholes and large bumps crash into the cabin.
The 1.0-litre engine is a good unit, with a maximum 172Nm of torque spread wide from 1,500 to 4,000rpm, which means it’s easy to get the best out of it, especially around town.
It’s reasonably refined, with a pleasant threecylinder engine note when you build up the revs. Sadly, it’s neither as characterful as the Citroen’s 1.2-litre three-cylinder, nor as responsive and fun to rev as the Mazda’s 2.0-litre petrol engine. It has a sweeter manual gearshift than the Citroen, although both are way behind the Mazda’s shift.
The Kona performed well in our tests, accelerating from 0-60mph in 10.1 seconds despite heavy rain. That was quicker than the more powerful C3, which struggled for traction off the line. The Hyundai was also a match for the naturally-aspirated Mazda in-gear, despite having half its engine capacity, thanks to that wide spread of turbocharged torque.
Practicality
THE Kona’s 334-litre boot is a good size and shape, but isn’t as useful as the C3’s minimum 410-litre capacity, especially as the Aircross’ rear seat slides forward to create extra space. The Hyundai isn’t as spacious as the 350-litre CX-3, but its wider aperture makes it easier to load.
Raised-up seats in the Korean car mean it’s easy to get in and out of, and there’s a good level of leg and headroom in the rear. The Citroen is more spacious, but the Hyundai is comfortable enough for four adults, which is still better than the cramped Mazda.
Roof rails are standard on the Kona in Premium spec, which could be useful for bikes or a roof box, but they’re mainly meant as a style add-on.
Ownership
HYUNDAI finished a respectable 10th in both the manufacturer and dealer categories in our Driver Power 2017 satisfaction survey. That beat Citroen in both areas, but Mazda came fifth in the makers’ chart.
All Konas get plenty of safety kit, including six airbags, downhill brake control, driver attention alert, hill-start assist and lane-keep assist. You can also opt for a £235 Safety Pack that adds autonomous emergency braking to that list. The Korean crossover scored a full five stars in Euro NCAP’S crash test.
Running costs
THE Kona returned respectable fuel economy of 42.0mpg during its time on test. This puts it ahead of the Citroen and Mazda, which managed 40.3mpg and 34.0mpg respectively.
Yet predicted residual values for the Hyundai aren’t as good as its rivals’, according to our experts. A figure of 40.4 per cent means the Kona will lose £11,202 over three years and be worth £7,593. The C3 has a forecast residual of 42.3 per cent, so it’ll lose less (£10,669), retaining £7,821. The Mazda’s 42.8 per cent prediction means it’ll be worth £8,000; a loss of £10,695. “The Kona is one of only a few small SUVS to be offered with four-wheel drive. Other options in this class include the Suzuki Vitara and Ssangyong Tivoli, but two-wheel drive is adequate and cheaper.” Sa Sam Naylor Senior reviewer