Australia confirms, hybrid likely – but what about Kona N? – Dubai Car News

Update: 2024 Hyundai Kona detailed for Korea

next generation 2024 Hyundai Kona Launched in Korea this week, additional specifications have been announced for the petrol and hybrid variants.

Hyundai said more information for global markets, including the Kona Electric, will be announced in March.

Our disclosure story, below, has been updated to reflect the latest details.

Jordan Hickey

Hyundai has revealed the 2024 Kona ‘SX2’ which is expected to be launched in mid-year in Australia, with the entire range focused on a battery electric variant.

The Kona’s design has been taken further, picking up the broad, but slim, LED lighting details and futuristic wheel design cues from the brand’s Ioniq range.

“Kona has evolved in every way to embrace a wide range of diversity, becoming a true lifestyle advocate,” said Sung-yup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Design Center.

Jump ahead.

Will the 2024 Kona be petrol and electric in Australia?

Exact powertrain details and the exact timing of the Australian release are still unconfirmed, but it’s likely we’ll receive every variant on offer globally this time around. Including EVs and hybrids – with a local launch mid-year.

With the small SUV segment becoming increasingly competitive, the potential addition of a hybrid powertrain with the new model will help Hyundai’s Kona compete with the likes of the Honda HR-V, Nissan Qashqai and Toyota Corolla Cross.

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2024 Kona increases in every direction.

The new Hyundai Kona rides on a much longer wheelbase, making it a more practical option for buyers looking for space in their small SUV.

The new Kona will share its platform with the i30 Sedan and Kia Niro, but its dimensions are slightly different, with a wheelbase of 2660mm. 60 mm longer than beforebut still 60 mm shorter than the corresponding vehicles.

Overall length increases to 4355mm – up a significant 150mm – while the width increases by 25 mm to 1825 mm.

The brand claims this equates to 77mm of legroom and 11mm of headroom in the second row, which is said to be best in class.

For the local context in the small SUV segment, popular Toyota Corolla Cross It rides on a 2640mm (-20mm) wheelbase and measures 4460mm in overall length (+105mm) and has an identical 1825mm width.

Hyundai designers first penned the Kona Electric, followed by the regular Kona and sportier N Line variants. The result is a unified range and crisp detailing, such as the ‘horizon lamp’ daytime running lights at the front.

The Kona EV and regular Kona have aerodynamic front ends without grilles, reminiscent of the previous electric model, while the Enline adopts a more aggressive stance with squared-off air intakes and grille.

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Underneath, the new Kona takes cues from the Tucson and i30 sedan’s wide, origami-like sheet metal on the doors.

Around back, there’s a single LED light bar, with high-mount brake lights hidden under the rear spoiler. The electric version can be easily distinguished by the broken LED bar, while the combustion-powered Konas have a solid glow.

Additionally, the Kona Electric can be identified by the ‘Pixel’-inspired 19-inch alloy wheels, which are an inch taller than what’s currently available. The N Line will also wear the big 19, but the N Line is likely to be the toughest corner, with the future of the N Performance model in doubt in light of tightening emissions standards in Europe.

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Inside the cabin of the new Hyundai Kona

Kona’s interior offers many clues. Ioniq 5. It has available light-colored leather upholstery with a manually adjustable front passenger seat, and in front of the seat, a clever in-dash storage cubby with ambient lighting.

Although the platform is supposed to support electric, hybrid and pure internal combustion engines (ICE), Hyundai has done its best to create an airy, EV-like cabin – and even if the front footwell is completely But not as smooth as the Ioniq 5, the rear seems to be the floor. The Kona is shaping up to be a more generous family car than ever before.

In terms of technology, the Kona sports a pair of 12.3-inch digital screens set in the same housing, as seen in the Kia Niro GT-Line.

It appears to be running the brand’s latest ccOS operating system, with support for over-the-air software updates and a digital key, allowing owners to connect their Kona to a compatible smartphone or smartwatch for near-field communication. Can lock and unlock through

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Power trains

Hyundai says the new Kona will feature electric, hybrid and petrol engines.

It’s likely that Europe will get mostly electric and hybrid models, while Australia will see more action from the combustion engine – although if Australia continues to prioritize emissions reductions it’s likely to be hybrid power. Will reverse in favor.

At the lower end of the Kona range, the current Atkinson Cycle will carry a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 110kW and 180Nm, mated to a CVT automatic transmission.

The new 1598cc turbo-petrol four-cylinder found in the i20 N and Tucson will feature in the new, all-wheel-drive Kona Enline. 146kW/265Nm Tune, replacing the existing 1591cc unit.

We’d expect the updated 1.6-litre turbo Kona to follow the Kia Seltos by replacing its seven-speed DCT auto. A conventional eight-speed automatic – which will be good news for DCT detractors.

As for the hybrid powertrain, it’s the same as that found in the Kia Niro, meaning 104kW and 265Nm are fed to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This time too, the possibility of an Australian arrival of the hybrid is looking high.

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Safety

The next-generation Hyundai Kona will offer an updated suite of active safety technologies, including new additions; Intelligent speed limit assist, blind spot view monitor, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, lane following assist, and highway driving assist.

Its autonomous emergency braking system will now support junction turning and reverse detection, while remote smart parking assist will be available on flagship variants.

Front center airbags are almost certain to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating, but this has yet to be confirmed.

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The current petrol-powered Kona N will be the last of its kind.

How about a new Kona N Hero?

A gasoline n? No chance. A corner n electric..? Now that’s food for thought.

Again, we can only speculate, especially as there was. No mention of the N model. Nowhere in Hyundai’s announcement – and the company’s local arm – could not be reached for comment on the matter.

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Our impression of what the new Ioniq 5 N is likely to look like, and the spy photos (linked above) suggest we’re spot on!

Here’s what we’ve learned in recent weeks. Hyundai will no longer produce combustion-powered N models.that is, any possibility for a new corner n must come in the form of a only. Kona N Electric – No ifs, ands or buts.

Of course, we can see The upcoming Ioniq 5 N To encourage it, and we would expect it to be much more meaningful than that. Current N modelof 206kW/392Nm output and 5.5 seconds to 100km/h.

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The new Kona Electric already looks tough – imagine it in N shape!

2024 Kona Electric: What Can We Expect?

As the flagship, the electric Kona will likely arrive in Australia with similar changes to the latest ‘SG2’ Kia Niro, namely less torque from a single electric motor – now 150kW/255Nm – and improved driving range.

Kona Electric is already a strong performer. When it comes to performance, recently achieving a real-world driving range of 490km from its 66kWh battery. which car EV test. Expect the new car to be better again.

Full details for 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric An announcement will be made in March, so stay tuned The wheels For the latest information.

What will the new Hyundai Kona cost in Australia?

It’s too early to know what buyers will be asked to pay for the new Kona range, but its larger and more practical dimensions are likely to increase its price.

The current Kona range is priced. $26,900 before on-road costs – but the Toyota Corolla Cross, a major competitor of this new Kona, starts $33,000 plus on-road. Prices for the regular Kona range currently top out at $43,200, while the petrol Hero Kona N kicks in at $49,200, and the Kona Electric starts at $54,500.

There’s no electric or GR performance hero in the Corolla Cross range, but the cheapest hybrid variant is just $35,500 before on-road costs, and the range-topping Atmos hybrid with AWD tops out at $49,050.

The new Kona range is expected to debut with pricing set to challenge the Corolla Cross, although trim grades and standard equipment levels will obviously drive price differences.

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The Toyota Corolla Cross will be the main competitor to the new Kona, especially in the popular hybrid space

When will the new Hyundai Kona go on sale in Australia?

As mentioned above, the new Kona range is set to arrive in Australia in mid-2023, although we can expect at least one surprise launch, with the electric variant arriving later in the year or early 2024. I am likely to start.

The hybrid, on the other hand – as a key variant to compete with the Kona’s Corolla Cross – could be part of the initial launch lineup. Whether Hyundai can deliver enough models to satisfy Australia’s growing interest in hybrid vehicles is another question.

Look for more on the 2024 Kona range in the coming months.