By Otsile Kadiege

Hyundai South Africa has launched the refreshed Hyundai Kona via a virtual event hosted on the Korean automaker’s local YouTube channel. Since its introduction back in 2018, the Kona has proven to be fairly popular crossover SUV after selling 1,699 units. The new Kona gets a restyled exterior, a host of new features and a new N Line package.

Refreshed exterior design

Styling updates are minor; however, noticeable changes up front include a wider radiator grille, restyled headlights and a restyled front bumper. The new Kona features two-part LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and LED headlights for the high grade N Line. Apart from newly designed wheels, much of the side profile of the new Kona remains unchanged. As standard, the Kona is fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels which can be upgraded to the optional 18-inch alloy wheels. The rear end of the refreshed Kona features slightly restyled tail lights and a sporty rear bumper.

Feature packed interior

Inside, the Kona gets artificial leather upholstery, an 8-inch touch display with an infotainment system featuring wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, reverse camera as well as a 6 speaker audio system. The Hyundai Kona has 544 litres of luggage capacity which can be increased to 1,296 litres.

N Line package

The new N Line package has a unique exterior styling thanks to N Line specific 18-inch alloy wheels, body coloured wheel arches, dual exhaust outlets, N Line badging on both exterior and interior, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, leather seats with red stitching, push start button, electronic park brake and Smart Cruise Control. The model is also 10 mm longer and has 8 mm more ground clearance compared to the standard Kona.

Performance

Customers will have the option to choose between a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre turbopetrol engine. The former develops 110 kW and 179 Nm while the latter makes 146 kW and 265 Nm. The 2.0-litre powerplant is paired to an Intelligent Variable 8-speed automatic transmission and the 1.6-litre is paired to a 7-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT).

Driver assistance systems and Safety features

The refreshed Kona is equipped with the following driver assistance systems and safety features: Parking Assist, Hill Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ISOFIX child seat attachments, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, Forward Collision Avoidance and Lane Keep and Follow Assist.

Pricing and availability

The updated Hyundai Kona is currently on sale. Here’s the pricing:

All Hyundai Kona models are sold with the manufacturer’s 7 year 200,000 km warranty, 5-year / 75,000 km service plan and 7-year / 150 000km roadside assistance.