Hyundai Kona Hybrid
Petrol-electric SUV undercuts Kona Electric. Is it top pick?
THIS is the Hyundai Kona Hybrid – a model that doesn’t offer anything revolutionary, but might just come at the perfect time for the brand’s crossover.
That’s because Hyundai quietly dropped the Kona’s single diesel option not long ago. While the loss of this model was no great tragedy – the 1.6 CRDi was never one of our favourite engines – it meant that the Kona had to rely on a pair of fairly thirsty petrol alternatives until now.
Of course, eco-conscious drivers can still go for the Kona Electric. But brilliant though it is, it costs £35,000-plus and is in such high demand that buyers currently have to wait a year or so before taking delivery. So that’s where the Kona Hybrid comes in. It starts from £22,495 in SE trim and, most importantly, it’s available to buy now.
Under the skin, the Kona borrows its petrol-electric set-up from the Ioniq Hybrid hatch. That means a 1.6-litre engine linked with a 1.56kWh battery and a 32kW motor, which allows for emissions-free driving over modest distances. Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but while the Kona diesel was offered with four-wheel drive, there’s no such option here.
On paper, the Kona could potentially be much cheaper to run than its closest rivals. Emissions range from 90-99g/km, placing the Kona in the 22-23 per cent Benefit in Kind company car tax brackets for 2019/20. By contrast, the most efficient petrol SEAT Arona sits at least three bands higher. A WLTP fuel economy figure of between 52.3mpg and 56.5mpg is also promising.
In reality, the Kona Hybrid’s drivetrain is hampered by the same issues we’ve experienced in the Ioniq. Despite the promise of 139bhp and 265Nm of torque, it feels rather sluggish. Plant your foot to the floor and, once the slow-witted gearbox comes to its senses, you’re left with a loud, unpleasant drone from the engine, without much forward motion to show for it. Although the 1.0 T-GDI offered in the normal Kona is slower on paper, it feels livelier – not least due to the manual box it comes with.
Yet that version can’t compete with the Hybrid when it comes to fuel consumption. On our admittedly smooth, flat, Dutch test route, the Hybrid managed an indicated 56.5mpg; the petrol version will be lucky to achieve 40mpg during everyday driving. Given that the route mainly took in country roads and motorways, we would expect even better numbers if you covered more town miles, where the electric motor should intervene more frequently. However, if fuel consumption matters most to you, then a Toyota Prius is still a much better bet.
The rest of the Kona Hybrid’s driving experience is the same as you’ll find across the rest of the range. A Citroen C3 Aircross is more comfortable, and an Arona more fun, but the Kona goes around corners well enough for most and, save for a jiggly sensation on larger wheels, it rides well. It just doesn’t set any new class standards.
Apart from some special badging and unique wheel designs (16-inch rims for the SE, 18-inchers for the rest of the line-up) there’s little to visually separate the Hybrid from the rest of the Kona family.
Inside, Hyundai has equipped Premium and Premium SE Konas with a refreshed 10.25-inch infotainment screen that has a much wider aspect ratio than before. There’s a split-screen function, too, so navigation and entertainment can be used at the same time. The interface and graphics haven’t radically changed, but that’s no bad thing.
All cars get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, as well as a reversing camera. Other equipment includes rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist and a driver-attention alert monitor. It’s an £1,800 jump to Premium spec, which in addition to the bigger wheels and screen also brings keyless entry, wireless phone charging, privacy glass and an upgraded stereo.
Premium SE tops the range. This adds LED lights front and rear, a head-up display and heated, ventilated leather seats. However, at £27,195, it’s pricey.
“On paper, the Kona Hybrid could be much cheaper to run than its closest rivals”