Hyundai has previewed its new Kona Hybrid in Singapore, which is expected to go on sale here by the end of 2023
SINGAPORE
Hyundai held a special preview of its new Kona Hybrid in Singapore at an event held at their showroom last week, which also saw the official launch of its new Ioniq 6 electric sedan here. While the Kona Hybrid is not yet officially on sale in Singapore yet, official distributor Komoco Motors says that the car should be available here by the end of the year.
Part of the reason is that Hyundai is aiming to have a version available that will slot in under COE Category A, which means a power output of less than 130hp. Currently, the Kona Hybrid is available in overseas markets with a 1.6-litre engine that produces 141hp and 265Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. In that iteration, the car is good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 11.2 seconds, and a top speed of 165km/h.
Hyundai is targeting the youthful crowd with the Kona, and to that end the car is available in a variety of bright colours, including the Neoteric Yellow shade seen here. The car will also be displayed in a special Klub Kona section of the Komoco showroom when the car is launched, which features a Hawaiian theme with photo booths and surfboards, as well as information about the car on the walls. Komoco adds that the electric version of the Kona is expected to arrive in Singapore some time early next year, shortly after the launch of the hybrid model.
Along with the Kona Hybrid, Hyundai also officially announced the launch of the new Ioniq 6 here in Singapore. For now, just one variant is available, namely the all-wheel-drive version with 320hp and 605Nm of torque, which retails for S$257,888 inclusive of COE. CarBuyer has already had a short preview drive of the car in Korea, which you can read about here, but we understand that Hyundai are also working on developing a Cat A version of the Ioniq 6 for sale here as well.
That version is likely to be based on the standard range rear-wheel-drive model, which currently develops 151hp and 350Nm of torque, using a 53kWh battery as opposed to the 77.4kWh battery of the long range all-wheel-drive model. Hyundai also revealed that there are plans in the works to assemble the Ioniq 6 at its Singapore facility in Jurong as well, joining its fellow locally-assembled EV sibling the Ioniq 5.
Keyword: Hyundai Kona Hybrid drops into Singapore for a preview