Just when we thought that the SUV market was oversaturated and that there was nothing to surprise us with the auto industry, she appeared. It didn’t take us long to realize that this model of the famous Korean manufacturer will easily cope with its competition – yes, we are talking about the new Hyundai Koni.
We had the opportunity to test this urban city SUV thanks to the Marić Center, an authorized distributor of Hyundai vehicles for Serbia. However, as luck had served us from the beginning, we had the opportunity to test the Kona in the best edition, ie the Ultimate package and with the most powerful unit on the market – 1.6GDI turbo gasoline of 177 hp, all-wheel drive.
Although it is definitely an urban car, it was named after an attractive part of Hawaii, which is why Hyundai intended this model for people with an adventurous character. With this in mind, we had no doubts that part of the driving and photography will take us to where the beauty and wild character of this car will come to the fore – the nature of Kosutnjak.
If we start from the analysis of the external appearance, at first glance, Konu stands out from other SUVs on the market with its futuristic design, sharp lines and a powerful front grille, the design of which is directly due to the famous Peter Schreier. Namely, in Kona, he managed to combine uniqueness, luxury and modern style into one, which resulted in the car getting a car that, unlike the sea of others, does not look like others. As we have already mentioned, this Hyundai model is conceived as urban, among other things, because of its dimensions. Namely, the total length of this car is 4.16 meters, and the wheelbase is 2.6 meters, which makes it one of the smaller but not more cramped models for passengers. Interesting topic to know more about polovni automobili.
The interior of the vehicle is designed in the same spirit as the exterior – modern design and accentuated aesthetic details and technological accessories that will delight you. First of all, when entering the car, it is difficult not to notice that the high position of the window makes you somehow tucked away and safe. When it comes to safety, it should be noted that this model received 5 stars for safety from EuroNCAP. When we mention aesthetic details, we mean the edges in vehicles that are marked with the same color, as well as the exterior of the vehicle, which gives a special flair to the vehicle. The 7-inch navigation is located at a height that will allow you to drive safely and briefly take your eyes off the road, and in this regard we can add that the Head-Up display that reflects the speed of movement of vehicles, speed limit warning and vehicles that are dead corner right hit. There are other technological accessories that you will surely like, such as a bluetooth mobile phone charger, sensors that monitor the lane you are in, a steering wheel and seats with heaters. In addition, you can enjoy a pleasant ride in the summer, because, look, the seats have built-in cooling. All the buttons in the car are properly arranged, so we are sure that you will get used to them after a couple of rides.
As we tested the Kona with a seven-speed automatic transmission, throttle response and consumption itself varied depending on the mode activated – Comfort, Eco or Sport. Of course, we should not ignore the fact that consumption is influenced by the driver’s habits, as well as driving style. When Eco mode is activated, the Kona rides steadily and safely. However, the response to gas is not immediate, as we might like. Of course, this is not a disadvantage because you can change and improve the same with one click and switch to “Sport”, which turns a quiet SUV into a wild beast that will delight you with fantastic sound in addition to acceleration. The average consumption during our test drive was 10.5 liters, which is quite fine, considering that the vehicle was driven in city conditions.
However, the only objections we found to this car are related to part of its interior, ie functionality. First of all, it’s a bit of a lack of space on the back seat and a 361-liter trunk, so you’ll have to compromise on the choice of things if you’re preparing to go on a long journey. Of course, there is a solution for this, so we should not forget that its size, ie volume, you can always increase by lowering the backrest of the rear bench, which increases it almost three times.
At the end of testing, we have to admit that it was not easy for us to part with this unusual and in every way fantastic car. Based on the complete analysis, we can conclude that Kona was created according to the younger population, ie the segment that wants to drive a car that is different from the sea of other similar ones. Therefore, comparing it with the competition, we can conclude that the price-quality ratio is more than good. Namely, the price of this four-wheeler in our country ranges from 16,490 euros and goes up to 25,790 euros, which is the price of the most powerful model we tested. In addition to this engine, there are also two 1.0-liter petrols with a capacity of 120 hp and four equipment packages.
What sets Hyundai apart from other suppliers is the extended warranty that also applies to this model, which is 5 + 2 years.
If Kona gets under your skin like we do, what you need to do is contact the Marić Center and schedule a test drive to begin with, don’t worry about the rest – Kona’s charm will do its thing.
