Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
Hyundai’s “N” vehicles are considered high-performance vehicles that are built for adrenaline filled fun. I was excited to get some review time with the Kona N because it is created for enthusiasts who crave high performance. I am that enthusiast, so this was a special treat.
The Kona N is a SUV that falls in the subcompact crossover class. This small SUV takes over from Veloster N hatchback that is no longer in production. Released at Hyundai N Day on 27 April 2021, the Kona N is Hyundai’s first high-performance SUV under the Hyundai N division. The vehicle is produced in Hyundai’s Ulsan Plant located in Ulsan, South Korea. The Kona is named after the western district of the island of Hawaiʻi in which the company states the name “reflects the lifestyle of modern customers”.
Upon first look you will notice the exclusive front and rear fascias, N badging, a wing-type spoiler, roof side rails and LED headlights. The Kona N has a blacked-out grille, large air intakes and a growling dual exhaust. The Kona N is sporty and sleek in design and sits on exclusive 19-inch lightweight forged wheels.
In the interior you will find a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, sport seats finished in suede and leather, contrast stitching, mode buttons, and shifter knob all in N-dedicated color Sonic Blue. Passenger space in the rear is tight but two adults can fit comfortably in the front. As for space, the Kona N serves up 19.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats and 45.8 cubes with those seats folded. The 60/40 split folding rear with center armrest comes in handy. Overall the Kona N is fairs reasonably well in terms headroom and legroom.
The infotainment system in the Kona comes with a digital gauge cluster measures 10.25 inches along with a dash-mounted head-up display showing a speedometer. The 10.25-inch touchscreen offers navigation, track maps and lap-monitoring information. The eight speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system fills the cabin crystal clear tunes.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI 4 cylinder engine that puts out 276 hp and 289 lb⋅ft of torque. It is a different ballgame when press the NGS (N Grin Shift) button on the steering wheel and 10 additional ponies are at your disposal for a 20-second burst. The Kona N also comes with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and electronic limited-slip differential. You can also use a variety of performance features such as N Power Shift, N Grin Shift, and N Track Sense Shift. The Kona N is fun to drive. It is peppy, handles the corners well and will get up to speed when needed.
Safety is high on Hyundai’s priority list and this is evident with the Kona’s safety and driver-assistance features such as standard lane-keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring, standard automatic high-beams, standard adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, highway driving assist, safe exit warning, rear view camera, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, rear occupant alert, pedestrian detection and driver drowsiness monitoring.
The Kona N will receive the same impressive coverage as Hyundai’s other vehicles. This includes the Limited warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles, the Powertrain warranty that covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, Anti-Perforation Warranty that covers 7 years or unlimited miles, 24-Hour Roadside Assistance that covers 5-Year / Unlimited Miles and the Complimentary maintenance that is covered for three years or 36,000 miles.
The 2022 Kona N has a powerful engine, a growling exhaust, a sporty design with aggressive styling. The Kona N is decent on gas delivering 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined. The Kona sits in a competitive class going up against the Kia Niro, Ford EcoSport, Chevrolet Trax, Jeep Renegade, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks and the Subaru Crosstrek. The model that I tested came in at $35,445.00. The 2022 Hyundai Kona N is fun to drive, quick and appealing to the eye. The N and N Line of Hyundai vehicles will definitely make an impact on the industry. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
