Not even a month after the arrival of the new Creta, Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) has now unveiled another crossover just in time for their 3rd anniversary. The Hyundai Kona is back in the Philippines and this time, it has hybrid power for all its variants while retaining its iconic color they now call Neoteric Yellow.
The new Hyundai Kona ditches the old angular front and rear end for something more rounded. Up front is now a strip of slim Daytime Running Light while the headlight is now in a smaller housing on both ends of the front bumper. There are still angular accents like the 3D garnishes on the low grille but they aren’t dominating anymore.
The contours it removed from the front and rear now all went to the side profile. It now has more character lines than its previous iteration making it contemporary to its brothers like the Tucson and Elantra. What makes it distinct are the body cladding that’s connected to the front and rear bumpers. Wheels are at 17 inches for the GLS while the Premium has 18. The rear has the same theme as the front face – a light strip running the width of the tailgate, and the taillight housings low on both ends of the bumper. Both variants also get a Smart Tailgate with Height Adjust but only the Premium has a sunroof.
In terms of dimensions, the Hyundai Kona measures 4,350mm long, 1,825mm wide, 1,585mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,660mm. Its cargo space is up to 1,241 liters with the rear seats folded flat.
Inside is a vastly different cabin than before. The Kona is now fitted with 12.3-inch digital screens (with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the infotainment system) in a twin panoramic layout angled for the driver. There’s now a shift-by-wire shifter on the lower right side of the steering wheel. The space freed up on the center console was utilized for huge cupholders, an obstruction free wireless charger with built-in cooling fan, and charging ports including Type-C. Below it is the knob for the Drive Modes, and the buttons for the Electronic Parking Brake system.
There’s also a Dual Automatic Climate Control, 64-color ambient lighting, 8-way Power Adjustable Driver’s seat with 2-way Powered Lumbar Support, leather upholstery, Rear Air Vents, and a 6-speaker system.
The Hyundai Kona also shares a number of safety features. Both trims get 6 Airbags, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist Control, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The GLS trim also has Cruise Control and Rear Camera. The Premium trim gets Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, a Surround View Monitor, and the whole suite of Hyundai Smartsense. This includes Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot View Monitor, and Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist among others.
Powering the Hyundai Kona is a 1.6 liter engine paired to an electric motor. It has a total power of 141 PS and 144 Nm of torque, with a 6-speed Dual-Clutch Automatic sending power to the front wheels. There’s also Smart Regenerative Braking and e-Motion Drive for smooth performance and handling for the every day drive.
The Hyundai Kona joins the elite hybrid lineup of Hyundai that includes the Santa Fe, Tucson, and Elantra. It comes in 5 colors named Neoteric Yellow, Atlas White, Abyss Black Pearl, Cyber Gray, and Meta Blue Pearl. The Hyundai Kona GLS is priced at PHP 1,528,000 while the Kona Premium is at PHP 1,688,000.
