2023 Hyundai Kona N: High-performance CUV road test review

The Hyundai Kona has proven to be equivalent to Hyundai’s legendary BarƄie doll. While the Kona doesn’t have as strong an emphasis on giving customers a dream home or playset as the iconic doll, the CUV has proven to be good at the other side job that BarƄie is known for: being the ultimate flexible playset for hyundai. sales machine. Whether in its traditional ICE form, a pure electric vehicle or as a hybrid model in international markets. The Kona has proven to be a good chameleon for Hyundai and can easily transform to fit a wide range of its segments in the broader CUV landscape, just as BarƄie can be an astronaut, a nurse or any other profession. The 2023 Kona N looks to take the Kona to a new level of performance, but is the raucous N model enough to make the Kona come full circle in its plans to dominate the CUV wars? The Kona N picks up where the Veloster N left off

2023 Hyundai Kona N-Line Premium 1.6T review

The 2023 Kona N will be the next chapter in the American side of the N brand. The Veloster N was the spearhead in this country, however, with the original three-door hatchback discontinued, the Kona N is now the sole representative of the N philosophy that remains with a shape similar to a hatchback (the Elantra is only four doors). Styling is largely carried over from the standard Kona, but the transformation into an N model has given the Kona N some unique and stylish touches. The front fascia features a reworked front end with the hood featuring three faux holes. The front grille has also been modified and the side profile has improved side sills. The rear has a roof-mounted spoiler and a dual exhaust system with two large tips that provide a loud soundtrack to passersby. More importantly, the Kona N has four traditional doors that help improve entry and exit for rear passengers.

When taken seriously, the exterior styling allows the Kona N to stand out against a sizable group of traditional hot hatch models, as well as other pretenders in its own segment that look sporty but cast aside any additional notions of performance. . We like it, but we encourage buyers to look for other colors in the Kona’s color palette, as the white paint on models like our tester doesn’t pair as well with the N model’s upgrades as a darker color like Ƅlack or black. Ƅlue.

Front-seat occupants rewarded with comfort, rear-seat passengers left in the cold

Upon entering, it’s evident that the Kona N was designed to offer the entire experience to front-seat passengers. The front sports seats in our example offer plenty of support and legroom, which is highly recommended. However, like the stripped-down version of the Veloster, the Kona N is riddled with cheap plastics and its overall appearance feels plain and tacky in some areas, especially the doors and dashboard panels. A 10.3-inch infotainment screen and matching digital instrument cluster help the Kona N feel modern, and the head-up display helps reduce driving distractions. The steering wheel also feels good in the hands and the N-exclusive controls are within the driver’s reach. Front occupants also get two USB charging ports and a wireless phone charging pad.

With all the goodies front seat passengers get, it’s a shame that rear passengers get the same treatment as an economy flight on an airliner. The rear seats are tight for tall adults and there isn’t much to speak of in terms of overall amenities, as passengers only receive a small storage shelf and a USB port to charge their devices. When the rear seats aren’t showing their limitations when hauling people, they do a good job of folding down to improve the Kona’s cargo space, as the rear has 45.8 cubic feet of space (that figure drops to 19.2 cubic feet with the seats raised).

Kona N engine is eager to please, suspension needs improvement

The reason the Kona N exists in the first place is found when you look under the hood. Unlike other Kona models, the N comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 286 hp and 289 ft-liter of torque. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is the only transmission available (sorry, manual fans), but the setup is enough to help the Kona N hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Those figures are when you activate the NGS to provide an additional 10 hp boost, while the engine normally makes 276 hp in other driving situations.

The engine gives the Kona N an impressive amount of acceleration and the small ratios allow the Kona N to be a fun instrument when it comes to the art of cornering. Unfortunately, there’s a price to pay, and it was exposed when the Kona was forced to navigate the metro Detroit area’s patchy, pothole-infested road network. The suspension doesn’t have a formal comfort mode, and the default stiffness of the setting makes going over obstacles a tough test. This is in stark contrast to a Volkswagen GTI or Golf R, which have more refined driving behavior and are smoother on rougher stretches of road. Our tester’s 20 mpg in city driving also highlighted the trade-off the 2.0-liter engine brings to the table, but we suspect it won’t be much of a deal with the Kona N Ƅuyers.

The Kona N’s pricing range is as simple as it gets: the model starts at $36,685 when the $1,335 destination charge is included. Our test vehicle came close to crossing the $37,000 barrier due to two minor pieces of optional equipment. This alternative to classic pricing structure represents great value in the high-performance CUV segment and the Kona N can also fight off some hot hatch entries as well in the price war. While the tatty interior and generally stiff suspension are consequences of this stingy approach to vehicle pricing, the 2023 Kona N remains a potent contender in the performance wars and it’s hard to deny that the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is Fits the Kona. like an elegant style suit.