Hyundai Kona Electric (2018-2023) review

• Overview
• What is it?
• That was years ago, what about now?
• Which one should I go for?
• How long does charging take?
• Our choice from the range
• What's the verdict?
• Kia e-Niro (2018-2022)
• Volkswagen ID.3
• Driving
• What is it like to drive?
• Hyundai Kona Hybrid review: crossover tested on UK roads
• Hyundai Kona review: new hybrid crossover tested
• Hyundai Kona Electric review: new BEV tested
• Interior
• What is it like on the inside?
• Buying
• What should I be paying?

Overview

What is it?

The EV landscape was different in 2018, when the Hyundai Kona Electric first went on sale. Right-hand drive Tesla Model 3s were still a long way off, so the only EVs on offer with more than 200 or so miles of range were the Tesla Model S, Model X, Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron at £70,000 (or more) a pop.

Then along came the Koreans with the Kia e-Niro and this, the Kona Electric. Two small, front-wheel drive crossover SUVs – obviously – that claimed 300 miles of range in their bigger-batteried forms, for not much more than £30,000.

That was years ago, what about now?

That was all but unbeatable back then, and even now that there’s a bit more choice (and more to come – the VW ID.3 will soon get a 77kWh battery with up to 336 miles of range, for example) and prices have gone up slightly, you’ll struggle to go further on a charge for less money.

The Kona Electric, which has recently been gently facelifted, comes in two flavours. You can have one with either a 39.2kWh battery and a 134bhp e-motor, giving a claimed 189 miles of range, or one with a 64kWh battery and a 201bhp e-motor for a whopping 300 miles of WLTP range.

Which one should I go for?

You’ll pay around £30,000 for the base-spec 39kWh unit, but Hyundai has also reduced prices for the entry-level 64kWh to ensure that it’s just about eligible for the stingier £2,500 government grant on cars costing under £35,000. PCP/leasing costs are very reasonable too.

Looks quite a bit different to the regular Kona, which is available with straight petrol (note: not diesel) or hybrid power. There’s no front grille, because it doesn’t need one, and there are reprofiled front- and rear-bumpers, new side-skirts and special alloy wheels that make it more aerodynamic than the standard car. The charge port is up front, and the surfaces are much cleaner after its recent facelift. Strong work, Hyundai.

How long does charging take?

For the full-fat 64kWh version, a 100 per cent charge on a 7kW home wallbox takes just under ten hours, while a 10 to 80 per cent charge on a 50kW public charger should take about 64 minutes. The 39kWh Kona can charge in six hours from a wallbox and the same 10 to 80 per cent charge on a 50kW unit takes 48 minutes. Smaller battery = quicker charging times, natch.

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Our choice from the range

Hyundai

150kW Premium 64kWh 5dr Auto [7kW Charger]

£38,245

The Kona Electric was a bit of a game-changer when it was launched. Now, a couple of years down the line and a facelift in the bag, there’s more competition and it’s possibly not quite as good value. But it’s still top of the class if you want a touch of style with a mightily efficient electric powertrain.

It’s one of the best all-round, reasonably priced EVs you can buy today. If range is your key concern when it comes to all-electric motoring and you can’t stretch to a Tesla, Jaguar I-Pace or similar, the 64kWh Kona has to be on your shortlist. In fact, it could easily be your only car, and the new look means it’s much easier to love.

Kia e-Niro (2018-2022)

Volkswagen ID.3

£29,565 – £40,495

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Driving

Driving

What is it like to drive?

Hyundai claims a full 300 miles of range for the 64kWh Kona Electric (up from the 289 miles that was quoted when the Kona first launched), and that’s really very good indeed. Range anxiety isn’t a problem, not just because there’s a lot of it to begin with, but because Hyundai has nailed the algorithm that informs the range computer.

It’s not perfect of course, but for the most part you can trust the Kona’s indicated range in a way you can’t with a lot of other EVs because it doesn’t fluctuate wildly if you clog it down a slip road or crank the air conditioning up a notch. Most of the time, the little number on the dashboard ticks down as it should, and is how far you can expect to travel before you need to plug in.

I managed two 125 miles journeys in the 64kWh Kona, involving a long motorway slog, without charging. I got home that evening with eight per cent left in the battery – enough, said the car, for another 20 miles. My average was over 4 miles/kWh, which is very good. Day-to-day, you can reasonably expect it to cover 250 miles between charges. Some cars can’t go that far on a tank of petrol.

The Kona is a comfy cruiser – quiet at speed, with a reasonably placid ride and road manners if you’re not in any kind of hurry. The steering is well-weighted and precise enough but not involving. It’s not a car you’ll relish driving along your favourite B-road – push and things start to get a bit messy – but it acquits itself well given its hefty 1,685kg kerbweight (the 39kWh car is 150kg lighter thanks to the smaller battery).

0-62mph takes 7.9 seconds in the 64kWh car, which is more than quick enough. Though the Kona does suffer from a bit of torque steer and could do with more sophisticated Mini Electric-style traction control, as it has a tendency to light up its front tyres when you put your foot down. Especially if the road is greasy or you’ve got a bit of steering angle on.

The 39kWh Kona is a bit less powerful, but still hits 62mph in a smidge under 10 seconds and is more than quick enough. Ought to be enough performance for anyone who doesn’t leave town much, anyway. Venture out of the city limits and a real-world range of around 150-ish miles does become a bit, well… limiting. Despite a similarly efficient powertrain, you won’t be taking it out of Eco mode very often, let’s put it at that.

Of course there’s regenerative braking. Paddles on the steering wheel let you adjust the level, ranging from quite a lot (so you seldom need to touch the brakes) to none at all (minimal rolling resistance means this thing will coast for MILES). It’s a perfect system and even manages to add a bit of extra driver involvement to the experience.

Hyundai Kona Hybrid review: crossover tested on UK roads

£26,980

Hyundai Kona review: new hybrid crossover tested

£24,080

Hyundai Kona Electric review: new BEV tested

£38,545

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Overview

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Interior

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

It’s a bit different from the normal Kona in here, with a more prominent centre console that rises up to meet the fascia just under the physical climate controls (hurrah). There is storage and a couple of USB slots in the void underneath, and up top cupholders, a cubby with wireless charging for your phone, controls for the heated/ventilated seats and steering wheel, plus the push-button gears. A 10.25-inch touchscreen sits atop the dash, above the air vents, with a handy row of shortcut buttons and a pair of knobs for volume and map zoom.

This is a good cabin. Materials should probably be better in a car costing this much, but they feel solid enough and hard-wearing. We prefer it to the interior of the closely related Kia e-Niro and Soul EV. With all those buttons you might think it looks a bit old-fashioned alongside the minimalist VW ID.3, but we reckon it’s much easier (and safer) to operate on the move.

The big infotainment system (which is now standard fit on all trim levels – there’s no smaller option) has crisp graphics and a thoughtful user interface, but there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included if you’d rather do it that way. It’s hooked up to an eight-speaker hi-fi that sounds rather good too. The dials are also displayed on a 10.25-inch screen and change colour/display based on your drive mode.

The Kona’s rear seats aren’t the biggest, but two average-sized adults will be fine back there, any more and it’ll be a squeeze. The boot is 332 litres with the rear seats in place, or 1,114 litres with them folded. The e-Niro has substantially more cargo space (451 and 1,405-litres), and the Kona even lags a bit behind the ID.3, which has 385 litres of luggage space with all the seats up.

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Driving

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Buying

Buying

What should I be paying?

The line-up starts with SE Connect, which is only available with the smaller 39kWh battery. It misses out on some good tech – no heated seats or steering wheel, no LED headlights, no wireless phone charging and no useful head-up display, but with prices starting at £27,950 after the current government grant it really is good value. You still get 17-inch alloys too.

It’s fine, but you’ll want to step up to Premium if you can. Then you can have your pick of the battery options (go with the big 64kWh unit for maximum range and minimal stress), plus almost the full range of tech for not much more money. Top-trim Ultimate (formally Premium SE) is loaded – heated steering wheel, heated AND cooled seats, head-up display, leather seats etc – but pricey at £37,200 with just the 64kWh battery. A top-spec Kona Electric isn’t that much cheaper than an entry-level Tesla Model 3.

All models get loads of safety kit, including front, side and curtain airbags, autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. The SE misses out on blind-spot detection and the rear cross traffic alert system.

Now, let’s talk charging. All Konas are supplied with two cables – one for a wallbox, the other for a normal three-pin plug. If you have off-street parking you really ought to get a 7kW wallbox. It’s worth it, we promise. Your Hyundai dealer will help you get set up.

It can charge the bigger battery to 100 per cent in a little under ten hours – plug it in when you get home, and it’ll be full by the time you leave for work in the morning – or the small one in a shade over six hours. Meanwhile charging on a three-pin, which Hyundai says is “intended for emergency use only”, takes 28 hours for the 64kWh car and 17 hours for the 39kWh car.

All Hyundais come with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. The Kona Electric’s battery is warrantied for eight years or 100,000 miles.

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Interior

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Specs & Prices

Keyword: Hyundai Kona Electric (2018-2023) review