- Unique and compelling styling stands out amongst small SUVs
- Great interior space for a small exterior footprint
- Excellent infotainment and connectivity, if you’re ok with wires
- Best not to think of this as a “sport” trim from a driving perspective
- A truly ripping Kona N can be had for a few grand more
- Less expensive Kona AWD trims don’t give up much that you’ll want in a small SUV
Overview
– Ann Arbor, MI
The 2024 Hyundai Kona lineup offers something for a wide range of car shoppers in the ever popular compact SUV segment. From the entry level, front-drive Kona around $24,000 to the red-blooded Kona N sports SUV, Hyundai offers a variety of equipment, styling, and the option of all-wheel drive (on most models).
My most recent test car – the 2024 Hyundai Kona N Line AWD – offers an interesting blend of those available attributes. With 190 horsepower produced from its turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, all-wheel drive, a very complete suite of technologies and comfort features, and “sporty” styling, the N Line would hope to split the difference between outright practicality and a fun-to-drive character. But with a sticker price just over the $30,000 mark, it also enters the realm of some pretty serious SUV competition.
Why It’s Great
From a visuals and vibes perspective there isn’t a lot like the Kona N Line on the roads today. Hyundai has punched up the small SUV box shape with a visually arresting front end here – I think this is a case where slim lighting elements and a minimalist approach pay big dividends. And, in what’s becoming somewhat of a brand staple for the Korean company, the 19-inch “N Line” alloy wheels are super attractive.
The cabin offers a remarkable blend of style and practicality, as well, and stands out in terms of accommodations for a family guy like me. Seats are trimmed in a blend of leather- and suede-like surfaces that are both attractive and easy to clean (thanks to my filthy four- and two-year-old boys for the help “researching” on that front). A tasteful dash of red accents can be found along the dash, instrument panel, steering wheel, and seats, helping to subtly message that this is a sportier version of the Kona.
Far more important for someone of my size (I’m 6-foot-5), there’s plenty of leg and headroom in the cabin for me to sit comfortably behind the steering wheel, with my wife or another adult riding shotgun, and still have two kids in car seats in the back. Better still, the 25.5 cubic feet of storage behind those rear seats mean I can easily accommodate my weekly shopping and errand running without having to reconfigure the cabin. Space is a true luxury for Dads like me.
Hyundai is also at or near the front of the pack regarding tech and connectivity. The only bummer here is the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support. But the central screen is bright, easy to use, and very responsive. I wouldn’t pay extra for the Bose stereo based on the overall fidelity and power of the system, but it comes packaged with the N Line trim and is probably meaningfully better than the base system.
What It’s Missing
While I love the wheels and front view of this Kona, the rear view is almost antagonistic to conventional auto design. The bulbous (and yet edgy) rear fenders seem as though they are borrowed from a different car altogether, with bizarre taillight clusters really poorly integrated with the rest of the rear bodywork. In combination with the N Line’s voluminous, two-part rear wing, this Kona is just an oddball in back. I typically hate making “this looks like that” design comparisons but for some reason when I look at the rear three-quarters shots of this car the words “cyber PT Cruiser” spring, unbidden, to mind.
If you disagree with me about the body kit, or even like it, I think the harder thing to understand is what exactly the N Line trim is seeking to do relative to the rest of the Kona line and competition in the marketplace.
As you’d expect, this isn’t an overly sporting vehicle to drive. There’s a “sport” drive mode that quickens the shift times from the eight-speed automatic transmission. And the small turbo’d engine does ok at keeping the pace up when you want to push a little on a curvy road. But there’s nothing dynamically interesting about driving the N Line hard. Steering feedback is minimal and the response just ok, even compared with other small utility vehicles. There’s practically zero engine note to raise one’s blood pressure, and shifting via the steering wheel-mounted paddles isn’t particularly satisfying or tactile.
More to the point, the front-drive Hyundai Kona N – with its raucous 276-hp, 2.0T engine and crisp handling – is only about $4,000 more than the tepid N Line. I get spending more money for that much more entertaining vehicle or spending less for a more fuel-efficient Kona SEL AWD. But the N Line is a bit of a weird middle between those poles, at least for my tastes.
Also Try
In the very-slightly-warmed-up compact SUV category, I think that both Subaru and Mazda have compelling cross shops to the Kona N Line. The Subaru Crosstrek Sport is a bit down on power (182 hp vs. 190 for the Hyundai), but it’s about $1,500 cheaper, gets 4 more miles per gallon on the highway and 2 more in the city, and it looks less weird. Similarly, you can have a better looking Mazda CX-30 2.5 S Select Sport with almost identical performance and better fuel econ, for $26,500, or a CX-3-0 Carbon Turbo with way more power (250 hp/320 lb-ft) for about $2K more than the N Line.
Is It A Forever Car?
Nah. The Kona N Line feels like an interesting lease that you talk about for the first few months of ownership, more than something that gets handed down to your kids.
Base Price: $30,800 + $1,375
As-Tested Price: $33,695
Engine: Turbocharged 1.6-Liter Inline-Four
Output: 190 Horsepower / 195 Pound Feet
Transmission: Eight-Speed Automatic
Drive: All-Wheel
EPA Fuel Economy: 24 City / 29 Highway / 26 Combined
Weight: 3,483 Pounds
Seating: 5
Cargo Capacity: 25.5 / 63.7 Cubic Feet
