Hyundai Kona N (2021 – 2023) Review

Hyundai has delivered on several fronts in recent years, with an increasingly attractive range of passenger cars complemented by the introduction of the N performance brand. The Hyundai Kona N is a performance-focused small SUV designed to take on rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Roc R and excellent Ford Puma ST. Read on for our full Hyundai Kona N review.

The Hyundai Kona N is distinguished from the standard car by 19-inch alloy wheels, a bold front grille, rear spoiler, lower body kit and large twin exhaust pipes poking out from beneath the rear bumper.

Inside, there are more upgrades, including a chunky leather steering wheel with shift paddles and additional buttons to activate the various drive modes.

Underneath, the Hyundai Kona N owes more to the Hyundai i30 N than the regular Hyundai Kona. It uses the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine offering 276PS rather than the 1.6-litre unit found in the Hyundai i20 N.

There is also electronically controlled suspension, an electronic limited-slip differential, extra body welding to increase the stiffness of the shell, a more responsive steering rack and additional engine mounts.

The result is serious performance. The Hyundai Kona N can reach 62mph from rest in just 5.5 seconds, and go on to hit 149mph - quicker on both counts than the Ford Puma ST, but behind the more powerful and four-wheel-drive Volkswagen T-Roc R.

This is a genuinely quick car, with strong acceleration even from low engine speeds, helped by the limited-slip differential boosting traction in tricky conditions.

An eight-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox is fitted as standard, but this suits the dual purpose nature of an SUV, enabling fast shifts and manual control when required but with the convenience and comfort of a regular automatic when cruising or driving in traffic.

The Hyundai Kona N comes with multiple drive modes as well as the option to create custom settings, so you can adjust the suspension, engine, limited-slip differential, gearbox and engine sound to suit your specific requirements.

The most aggressive N mode turns everything up to the maximum, which may be too much for a bumpy B-road. But changing each setting individually allows the driver to achieve the right balance to suit the conditions.

New prices start at £35,000, which is not cheap for a car of this size, but not unreasonable for a car of this performance with a high standard specification. It is worth serious consideration if a hot compact SUV is on your shopping list.

Considering the basic Hyundai Kona delivers a fairly unexceptional driving experience, the Hyundai Kona N is impressive and stands up well against the Ford Puma ST and Volkswagen T-Roc R.

This is due in part to the fact that it adopts several key components from the Hyundai i30 N hot hatch designed to improve handling and grip.

One of the most important factors is the electronically controlled suspension, which gives the driver the option of changing the mode depending on the conditions or the desired driving experience.

The driver can also independently adjust elements such as the steering, gearbox and electronic limited-slip differential.

In the softest Comfort mode, the Hyundai Kona N still rides significantly more firmly than the regular car, partly due to the suspension, but also because of the larger wheels wearing low-profile performance tyres.

It is not unacceptably firm, but prospective owners will need to accept that it is a compromise compared with a conventional Hyundai Kona.

On more challenging roads, the higher specification suspension comes into its own, with increased control over bumps that keeps body roll to a minimum and gives the driver confidence.

The stiffer Sport mode is likely to be too firm for bumpy roads, while the most extreme N mode is best reserved for driving on tracks.

Similarly, the Hyundai Kona N’s steering is adjustable to suit the driver’s preferences, ranging from light but responsive in Comfort mode, all the way up to firm in N mode.

Regardless, it offers an engaging and fun driving experience, and certainly lives up to the reputation established by other Hyundai N models.

The single engine option available in the Hyundai Kona N is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, shared with the Hyundai i30 N and offering 276PS and 392Nm of torque, which are substantial figures for a car of this size.

It is also mated to an eight-speed dual clutch automatic as standard, with no option of a manual gearbox.

The Hyundai Kona N is impressive in how civilised it behaves in normal driving. Leave the gearbox in automatic mode and the drive mode in Comfort, and unless you give the accelerator a significant prod it is docile, comfortable and easy to drive.

With a significant amount of torque available from low engine speeds, it is easy to pick up the pace, with the automatic gearbox offering quick and seamless shifts up and down the ratios.

Switching the drive modes into a more aggressive setting increases the sound from the exhaust, the engine response and the speed and aggression of the gearshifts, with the result that the Hyundai Kona N comes alive.

It never feels short of power and is happy to reach high engine speeds without complaint, and whether you shift manually or let the gearbox do the work, it is always ready to accelerate with genuine pace.

The limited-slip differential works well at limiting wheelspin out of corners, but on bumpier roads a firm hand is sometimes required as the front wheels work hard to deliver the power.

The standard Hyundai Kona was tested by Euro NCAP in 2017 and received a full five-star rating, but it is worth noting that the testing program has become more strict since then.

It scored 87% for adult occupant protection, 85% for child occupant protection but only 62% for pedestrian protection and 60% for safety assist.

However, the Hyundai Kona N does benefit from an increased specification in terms of safety systems.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, a driver attention alert system, ESP, lane keeping aid, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot detection, which is a substantial package for a car in this class.

The Hyundai Kona N offers an unbraked towing capacity of 700kg and a braked towing capacity of 1600kg, which is impressive for a car of this size.

It should prove sufficient for anyone using a small SUV to tow on a regular basis.

The Hyundai Kona N is based on the original version of the regular Hyundai Kona, which offered reasonable, but not exceptional, interior space. The same is true of this hot version.

The space available in the front should be sufficient for those around average height, with a good range of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel position.

The Hyundai Kona N also provides the raised driving position which is a key factor for many buyers when looking at an SUV.

It’s in the rear that the Hyundai Kona N performs less well, with legroom in particularly short supply.

Adults of six feet in height or more will find insufficient room to get comfortable, even if headroom is adequate. The centre seat is usable, but far from comfortable, either, and the limited rear space lags behind key rivals.

Storage is good, however, with a reasonably-sized glovebox, useful door bins and a generous space in the centre armrest.

The Hyundai Kona N certainly feels well constructed, and the additional features that the N package brings over the regular Hyundai Kona help to lift the feeling of quality.

The comfortable sports seats are covered in a mix of leather and Alcantara, while the chunky sports steering wheel and gearlever are also leather wrapped.

Flashes of the N signature blue are dotted around the cabin too.

However, you don’t have to look too hard to find elements of the cabin that are shared with the regular Hyundai Kona, which means a fair amount of harder plastics and plain black finishes.

It’s a similar story with its main rivals, but the Volkswagen T-Roc R, for example, has a more premium feel that goes further in justifying the price tag.

It feels like it will last, but it also could do more to disguise its relatively humble origins.

As standard, the Hyundai Kona N gets a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with a good specification including Bluetooth, DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and even a head-up display.

This is backed up with a digital instrument display, too, which helps to lift the cabin as well as providing the driver with all the information they could need.

The display itself is clear and well laid out, with crisp graphics, quick responses to inputs and a sensible menu layout.

A further bonus is that the screen has a series of hard keys across the bottom for quick navigation to specific menus, as well as rotary knobs at either end, so you can make quick changes or selections without having to glance away from the road for long.

The Hyundai Kona N gets the highest specification infotainment as standard, so navigation is included as well as Hyundai’s live service called Bluelink, which allows you to control some features via a mobile phone app.

It also comes with an upgraded audio system, which boosts the premium feel thanks to its impressive sound quality.

The Hyundai Kona N was on sale for a limited time, arriving in the UK market in 2021. It is now no longer available to buy new following the introduction of the second-generation Hyundai Kona.

It was originally priced at £35,000, but a quick online search revealed some nearly-new examples available that are either ex-demonstrators or with under 10,000 miles.

We found a 2023 example with under 1,000 miles for £30,000, which is a significant saving over the new list price.

At the other end of the scale, we also tracked down an early 2021 example with 10,000 miles for sale at £25,000, which seems like excellent value for a car still within its manufacturer warranty period.

The Hyundai Kona N has a claimed fuel consumption figure of 33.2mpg, which is far from exceptional for a car of this size, but is more reasonable when you consider it has a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and can almost touch 150mph.

Urban driving is likely to result in consumption below 30mpg, but driven with restraint it should be capable of getting over 30mpg on a motorway run.

The Hyundai Kona N attracts the standard £180 annual VED rate, while the insurance group of 27 is not unreasonable for a car of this performance, and should make it a viable option for a wider audience.

As standard the Hyundai Kona N is fitted with wireless device charging, parking sensors and reversing camera, smart key, adaptive cruise control, a Krell eight-speaker premium audio system, climate control, electronically adjustable suspension and a head-up display.

There is also Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Alert, Safe Exit Warning and Smart Cruise Control.