The second generation Hyundai Kona Electric has officially touched down in Australia, with the brand's local arm announcing the sales launch. The model is available in two trim levels with standard and long-range setups and promises to be better than its predecessor in every aspect.
The most affordable version of the electric subcompact crossover starts at AU$54,000 (equaling US$36,212) when ordered with the 99 kW (135 ps/133 hp) electric motor and 48.6 kWh battery pack and AU$58,000 (US$38,894) when chosen with the 150 kW (204 ps/201 hp) motor and the 64.8 kWh battery.
Both have 255 Nm (188 lb-ft) of torque and front-wheel drive. The better-equipped Premium starts at AU$68,000 (US$45,600) and comes with the punchier motor and larger battery pack. In terms of range, Hyundai quotes a WLTP-rated 370 km (230 miles) when it comes to the smaller battery. With the 64.8 kWh unit, you're looking at 505 km (314 miles) on 17-inch wheels and 444 km (276 miles) on 19-inch alloys.
As for the onboard gear, the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric features 17-inch alloys as standard, a temporary spare wheel, heated side mirrors, LED lighting units, a smart key, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, DAB radio, navigation, Bluelink, over-the-air updates, six-speaker audio, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, cloth upholstery, and a plethora of safety systems.
Photo: Hyundai
Ordering the Premium trim level will up the ante with 19-inch alloys wrapped in 235/45 tires, privacy rear windows, electric tailgate, electrically-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation functions, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel, Bose premium audio, a head-up display, ambient lighting, a sunroof, and leather appointments. This model also adds additional safety systems that make the daily commute more pleasant.
Now, since we mentioned the safety gear, we might as well tell you that the entry-level Kona Electric gets blind-spot collision avoidance assist, driver status monitoring, evasive steering assist, lane-change assist, smart cruise control with stop&go, speed limit assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, safe exit warning, and a few other things. The Premium adds a blind spot view monitor, parking collision avoidance, surround-view monitor, remote smart parking, parking distance warning, and others.
Hyundai's second-gen Kona Electric is also available in the United States. The model comes in three grades called SE, SEL, and Limited, which carry respective MSRPs of $32,675, $36,675, and $41,045. The most affordable version features the base powertrain, and the other two get the punchier electric motor and the larger battery pack. The range is rated at 200, 261, and 261 miles (322, 420, 420 km), respectively. A 10-80% recharge at 100 kW takes 45 minutes, regardless of the battery size, a time that drops to 65 minutes at a 50 kW connection. With the standard 11 kW onboard charger, a 10-100% recharge takes 4 hours and 55 minutes.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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