By Ian Strachan
Hyundau wants to be the leading Asian brand selling in Europe by 2021. And if its new medium SUV, the Kona, is anything to go by, it’s well on the way, writes motoring editor Ian Strachan.
The Kona was only launched in Europe last year, but already it is setting standards in safety and environmental performance.
The Kona is an attractive and capable alternative in the SUV B-segment, with sleek, eye-catching design, four wheel drive, a comfortable interior and more than adequate performance. It is both pleasant to drive and frugal.
The 120 bhp 1.0 litre petrol engine in my test car delivers an impressive 52.3 miles to the gallon in mixed driving. And if you really want to cut down running costs, you could opt for Hyundai’s new electric version of the Kona.
The host of safety features on the Kona includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian recognition and lane keep assist. The Kona has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
I test drove the Kona SE 1.0T GDi, which comes in at £17,745 on the road, and is very well-equipped.
The interior of the Kona is light, pleasant and spacious. Load carrying capacity is excellent, and can be improved still further by dropping down the split rear seats, which gives you a flat loading floor. The cargo area has a false floor with more space beneath it.
Equipment is impressive, with remote central locking, dual-zone air conditioning , all-round electric windows, cruise control, parking aid with rear camera, DAB radio and MP3/Bluetooth compatibility.
This being a Hyundai, it comes with their five year 100,000 warranty. This is a great peace-of-mind package which, sooner or later, all manufacturers are going to have to match or exceed.
I enjoyed the Kona, which moves this ambitious Korean brand further up the SUV choice lists.
