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Magyar2024 Hyundai Kona EV launches in North America with sharp new looks and updated tech
The Hyundai Kona EV isn't Hyundai's best-selling or most appealing EV, but the crossover SUV is relatively affordable, and it skips over much of the retro, high-performance, and gimmicky fluff that its premium counterparts boast about. For 2024, Hyundai has updated the Everyman's electric SUV, although the updates in question aren't much deeper than a surface-level design overhaul.
An updated exterior design with beefier proportions
The first thing you'll notice looking at the new Kona EV is the updated exterior design. Not only has the Kona EV lost its dopey expression, Hyundai has sharpened up the lines and seemingly taken inspiration from the likes of the Ioniq 5. Although it retains its rounded front end, the Kona EV now has simpler graphics, with a few horizontal lines across the front bumper and bonnet.
The lights are also more geometric, and the vented grille now features a chequered pattern that lend it some of the Ioniq 5's retro-futures aesthetics.
Similarly, the rear end of the new Kona EV is updated with familiar pixel-array light bars just above the bottom bumper and across the boot lid. The rear is not quite as minimalist as the front, though, with the angular tail lights terminating in a bit of an odd crease that breaks the simplicity and clean lines.
The Kona EV is also bigger for 2024, at 171.5 inches (4.36 m) long, 71.9 inches (1.83 m) wide, and 62.2 inches (1.58 m) tall. That's almost five inches longer and an inch wider and taller.
Interior changes and feature updates
The interior of the Kona EV has also seen significant changes for 2024. Gone are the split infotainment and gauge clusters and the decidedly old-fashioned metallised centre console. In their place come a panoramic gauge cluster and infotainment display unit that contains twin 12.3-inch displays and a centre console with futuristic looks and classic tactile appeal. Trim pieces matched to the exterior of the vehicle line the dash, steering wheel, and seats of the new Kona EV, much like the outgoing model. These interior accents are likely going to be limited to specific versions of the new model, too.
Instead of going for the cheapest option of moving all the controls to the infotainment screens, Hyundai redesigned the Kona's array of hardware buttons on the centre console, dash, and steering wheel. The control scheme looks busier than what you might find in other EVs, but an abundance of knobs, toggles, and buttons is likely a bonus for first-time EV owners and those that would rather not be distracted.
For 2024, the Kona EV features the same single-motor, front-wheel-drive power trains that deliver up to 150 kW of power (201 hp) and 255 nm (188 lbs.-ft.) of torque. Battery capacity and range now top out at 64.8 kWh and 260 miles (418.43 km), respectively, although the drag coefficient has been reduced to 0.27, down from 0.29.
Hyundai has added Smart Regenerative System to the Kona EV — a feature that allows the car to intelligently adjust the level of regenerative braking depending on the driving conditions and traffic. Additionally, the Kona EV now supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) with an output of up to 1.7 kW in the North American market.
Hyundai has not yet announced pricing for the new Kona EV, but it should be available before the end of 2023, and it will likely cost around the same as, or slightly more than, the US$33,500 of the outgoing model.
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