Hyundai Kona N is Better Than Sex

Now that we have your attention, our Kona review calls the small SUV what it is, a hot hatch. It makes you loins girded and your insides tingle.

The venerable Hyundai N stable has the i30 n, i30 Sedan N, i20 N, and Kona n, and all are track-worthy. Despite our misgivings, Kona was a delight to drive and although we didn’t get it out on the track, we gave it a good seeing to in and around Sydney.

Like most cars owned by townsfolk, they get most of the K’s on freeways, back streets, and in shopping centres. It is also where bogans do burnouts to impress the womenfolk. Personally, I think it is some kind of odd homo-erotic dance that only knobs understand.

In October 2017, Hyundai invited us to the Kona launch and they brought the designer in to sing its praises. It didn’t need much praise. The look was modern, the drive was great, and technology was up to date. Since then, it has had a nip and tuck, and the addition of an electric version.

The Kona N has a 206kw/392Nm 2.0 turbo 4 cylinder, driving the front wheels through an 8-speed wet clutch DCT. The base model is $49,200, and the Premium is an extra $3,000.

As with all N cars, most of what you pay for is hidden from view. Gay buyers like a bit of bling, so the outside has the automotive equivalent of a sequin hat and pearly necklace. In this case, it comes in the form of badges, a skirt, and a mighty fine set of shoes.

NOTE: The DCT has been the subject of a recall, with a dodgy pump causing angst. It has been suggested that the DCTs will be replaced rather than the pump being fixed. This is good news.

Meanwhile, our test car, the “base model”, sans HUD, is little different to the range topper. Those who care not a rat’s for HUDs will be tickety boo with Kona N. The engine is the same, as is the rest of the running gear, so have it it.

There are N badged body has a bespoke N frock. It looks butcher with fatter, bigger tyres, and vents boasting of hidden talents.

We’ve had red N’s, and blue N’s, but this Kona wore a coat of grey with a trendy matte finish. It looks brilliant but must be dire when it comes time to mend.

Video Review: Is 2023 Hyundai Kona N Small Performance SUV BETTER THAN SEX

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Main points:

Pirelli P Zero tyres are not only sticky
19” Alloys
N triangular LED brake light
blacked-out Hyundai logo
black mirror caps

Interior:

The cabin has aged reasonably well considering Kona’s advancing years. Despite the addition of fancy N sports seats, the hard plastic surfaces feel decidedly low rent. i30 N is similarly afflicted particularly when set alongside the much newer i30 Sedan N.

Highlights include:

10.25-inch Satellite Navigation multimedia system
N driving data system
10.25-inch full LCD digital virtual instrument cluster
leather-appointed steering wheel featuring N buttons
paddle shifters
N shift knob with sequential shift mode
Head-Up Display (HUD) in the Premium

We noted the seat material was grippy, and side bolsters deep enough to hold those in the front with the grip of a vice, even in the tightest turns.

The Drive:

The 2.0L has almost as much power as Subaru’s much-lauded WRX. The front wheels scramble in wet weather, but the standard traction control leaves nanny on duty at all times. There are drive modes for snow, sand, mud and other circumstances you may encounter on your Christmas trip, and for the rest of the time, road modes keep things tidy.

Track modes should only ever be used on the track, period. The nannies are there for a reason otherwise.

Steering and brakes are sharp without that awful slap upside the head feeling. It is something you either love or hate, and in many a stratospherically-priced supercar, those inside feel like they’ve been in a blender even on modestly uneven roads. Kona is far better behaved.

Kona N’s suspension is one of many attributes adjustable though the entertainment system. There are buttons on the steering wheel for fast access, and their features are further enhanced by the N Grin button set along low on the wheel, marked with a red anodised finish.

The softest suspension setting is still very firm but some don’t feel they have their money’s worth unless organs are rearranged on every trip. Kona N is a long way off that, but some may still find it challenging.

It is the performance that grips one with a sense of urgency rather than longing that leaves a hole of desolate emptiness. 5.5 seconds to the hundy is good in anyone’s language, but many EVs will equal that these days. Directional changes make the most of a stiff body and super-sticky tyres, and in tight corners, your face feels like it’s making one of those dog-out-window scenes that memes are made of.

As far as the convenience and safety features go, Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto is by USB, and the audio is Harman Kardon, and although adequate, could use an update.

The smart cruise has no queue function, so cuts out below 10kh as you approach traffic stopped at lights.

Low speed parking is something you need to take carefully until you get used to the DCT grabbing and letting go.

Get the full SPECIFICATIONS SHEET HERE: KONA_N_Spec-Table_Sept_2021

Conclusion:

At the tail end of Kona’s lifespan, Kona N still provides drivers with a bunch of fun without the insane prices the Germans charge. In many ways, Hyundai is an enigmatic brand that gives the unpretentious the experience of a European master builder without the appalling reliability issues that tend to dog owners the further up the shekel-ladder they climb.

The extra space afforded by the SUV-style body makes all the difference to taller drivers, but i doesn’t seem to adversely impact on handling.

There are a couple of shortcomings, but given the fabulous drive experience, most people will never notice.

Kona N