- The Hyundai Kona is totally revamped for 2024
- Pricing starts at $24,100 | Price it your way
- On sale now | See Hyundai Kona models for sale near you
Hyundai redesigned the Kona inside and out for the 2024 model year, and it enters its second generation fully caffeinated – the sole caffeine-related analogy in this article. But it won’t stop our admiration for this new model because there is much to be excited about.
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact SUV, but it has grown in size to accommodate the needs of more buyers, and it brings remarkable features, the kind of stuff you still can’t find in some luxury cars. The Kona wears a flashy new suit with a distinctive design. One look at its hood-spanning “horizon” lamp tells you this is no wallflower.
The 2024 Kona offers a lot of choices, beginning with its powertrain. The base engine, a workaday 4-cylinder engine, prioritizes fuel efficiency (up to 31 mpg combined). A more exciting 190-horsepower turbocharged engine boosts performance. An all-electric setup delivers an estimated range of up to 260 miles. Where some rivals only offer one engine choice, these three powertrain options make the Kona stand out — especially the choice of an electric one.
But all of this is just the start. Let’s look inside to see what the Kona has brewed up. (Last one, really.)
Passenger Room and Comfort
For its second generation, the Hyundai Kona has grown in length by nearly half a foot. And that exterior stretch translates to more room inside. While the Kona has always had enough room up front, this new generation expands that space to the second row, whose legroom has grown by 3 inches to 38.2. That measurement would be commendable in a midsize sedan, but here it is in a subcompact SUV.
Rear air vents are another uncommon feature in this class, and they come standard on all but the base model. Whether you carry friends or a pet in the rear seat, they’ll appreciate the extra airflow. All but the base model get dual-zone climate control, another unexpected feature in this segment.
Higher trims take climate and comfort to another level with heated and ventilated front seats, plus a heated steering wheel. The new Kona can keep you comfortable whether you run hot or cold.
Features and Tech
Here’s where the Kona takes the baton and sprints away from the competition. Where some rivals make do with one small center touchscreen, the Kona comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display. That’s enormous in this class.
The display can be paired with a second 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster to create Hyundai’s “panoramic” display system.
Higher-end models not only get navigation but navigation-based smart cruise control, in which the system accounts for changes in topography, such as a curved highway. Then there’s the Remote Smart Parking Assist, which lets you stand outside the Kona and have it pull in or out of a tight parking space like a life-sized remote-controlled car.
Other features we love that have trickled down from more expensive Hyundai models include the Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a live video image in the instrument cluster when changing lanes, in-cabin Wi-Fi, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
Materials and Design
The 2024 Hyundai Kona can be had with cloth, leatherette, or Alcantara upholstery. SEL trims and up all get an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat – another pleasant surprise in this class.
Even the shift knob is innovative, with higher trims featuring a twist-to-use selector on a stalk behind the steering wheel. This placement frees up space in the center console and creates a more airy cabin feel.
In addition to the gains mentioned above in room for rear-seat passengers, the Kona comes standard with reclining rear seats.
Cargo Room and Flexibility
With its redesign, the Kona’s cargo-carrying skills have gone from average to among the best in its class. Behind the rear seats, there is now a spacious 25.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Folding the seats opens up 63.7 cubic feet, which is more typical of a size up in class.
The Kona also boasts a dual-level cargo floor and is among the rare SUVs in its class to offer a power tailgate – with hands-free operation, no less.
Build and price your own version of the 2024 Hyundai Kona to see this week’s Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price, or check out Hyundai Kona models for sale near you.
