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Hyundai Kona N Finally Revealed, Is an FWD "Hot SUV" With 276 HP

Hyundai has been teasing the sportiest version of the Kona subcompact crossover like it is about to revolutionize the entire automotive industry with a never-before-seen segment.
2022 Hyundai Kona N 13 photos
Photo: Hyundai
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In some regards, the South-Korean carmaker wasn’t exactly wrong, as the all-new 2022 Hyundai Kona N is in a class of its own, with no direct rivals as far as its capabilities are concerned.

Essentially an i30 N or a Veloster N on stilts (it shares its platform with the two cars), the Kona N is one of Hyundai’s most powerful crossovers and definitely the sportiest one so far.

Kona N is a true ‘hot SUV’ with the performance level of a hot hatch. It breaks the rule that SUVs cannot be fun to drive. As an N model, it goes beyond the limits of an ordinary SUV. Kona N can carve corners on the racetrack and bring excitement to everyday driving,’ said Albert Biermann, President and Head of R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Group.

Many will remember Biermann as the former head of BMW's M Division during the golden era that spawned legendary models like the E46 M3 and E39 M5, so you shouldn’t take his words as just marketing gibberish.

Like its non-SUV brothers, the all-new Kona N is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops a hefty 280 PS (276 HP) and 392 Nm (289 lb-ft) of torque, sent to the front wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Thanks to a launch control function and the more than adequate output, the "hot SUV" can go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in just 5.5 seconds, and onward to a top speed of 240 kph (149 mph).

A new N-developed chassis, which includes an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, takes care of the model’s corner carving capabilities, with increased front and rear disc brakes engulfed by 19-inch forged alloy wheels that are hugged by specially designed Pirelli tires as standard.

We already knew how the Kona N would look thanks to some all-revealing spy shots from last month when Hyundai was filming some ads for the model on a road near the famous Nürburgring, where the car has gathered thousands of testing miles. Unlike other N models, the sports SUV should become available in the U.S. as well later this year.

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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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