Getting the N treatment was inevitable for the Kona, and by doing so, Hyundai also gets to swoop on an unexploited segment.
Make no mistake, the 2022 Hyundai Kona N Premium is a serious N car. Despite a borrowed powertrain from the i30 N hot hatch, the Kona N is distinct enough as a compact SUV and deserving of the N badge for reasons of its own.
It’s impossible not the be impressed by modern Hyundai. Confidently they venture into all segments of the automotive market, from EV’s to maniacal performance cars, consistently producing standout vehicles as the heavyweights watch on.
The Kona N sniffs out a little opening where the Europeans and Japanese haven’t fully capitalised – the space for a moderately-priced, utterly mad, performance focussed crossover SUV.
Meanwhile cars like the Audi SQ2 and BMW X2 M35i peer over the fence, refused entry due their price tags and, as it were, unwillingness to live a little. The Kona N immediately presents as a car doing just that – living.
Beyond the flamboyant Performance Blue paintwork, nothing distracts from the audacious N-style exterior reconfiguration of the Kona model.
Loud but functional body kit additions like the roof spoiler, rear diffuser, and front brake-cooling air vents are clear indication that speed and handling are paramount.
Other tweaks like the colour coded guards, blacked out front badge, side skirts and front lip further separate the N car from the base Kona, giving the car a more meaningful stance and balancing some of the harsher aspects of the styling.
Getting the same 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine from the i30 N means the Kona N also benefits from the stronger block and bigger turbo for 2022 models. A solid 206kW and 392Nm is produced as standard.
With Hyundai’s N-Grin Shift feature, for 20 seconds you can do your worst with over boost and a bonus 7kW. To the dismay of many, power is sent to the front wheels only, and an 8-speed dual clutch automatic is the only transmission option.
Launches are forever entertaining and perilously habit-forming. Everything you want in a good launch happens – wheel spin (right up to third in the wet), a beautiful, sharp pull, a bit of a dance, and a fantastic piercing note from the turbocharged four.
Using launch control, Hyundai’s best claimed 0-100km/h time is 5.5 seconds. But it’s not just from a standing start that things are fun. Equally entertaining are rolling launches, especially after caving to the red shimmer of the N Grin button on the steering wheel.
It’s quite ridiculous how quick this thing goes, and worth knowing you’re well clear up ahead. Hyundai also claims 80-120km/h is done in 3.5s, with a top speed of 240km/h. Thankfully the brakes are sublime and make for reliable stopping from a high speed.
Less noise, more driver focus is the order of the day. The Premium spec we’re driving is a bit more jazzed up with suede and leather, heated and ventilated power seats, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, and a head-up display.
An electro chromatic mirror and front parking distance warning also feature. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, sat-nav and Harman Kardon sound system are all standard. Much of the information displayed by the dash is also race oriented, particularly on the N-screen.
Everything from a boost gauge, G-force and tyre-pressure monitor, to a lap-timer and track maps is available. The head up display serves as a well-positioned speedo and shift light. Worth noting that the Kona N Premium is meant to be a functional SUV too.
The rear seats are equally comfortable as the front. Leg room is only fair, but headroom is generous. The cabin then closes in, leaving a 374-litre boot. Outside, the roof-rails remain a fixture.
At $50,500 before on-roads, you’re as catered for in the Kona N Premium as you would be in any compact crossover SUV. You can thrash about like in a hot hatch, but it’s meatier than one and by no means a novelty.
It’s a stunning first edition of the accessible performance SUV.
By Daniel Lucas
Our test vehicle was provided by Hyundai Australia. To find out more about the 2022 Hyundai Kona N Premium, contact your local Hyundai dealer.
This review was first published by Exhaust Notes Australia. Republished by Central Coast Newspapers with permission.