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The Hyundai Kona is now officially launched in Malaysia. The B-segment crossover, named after the West Coast region of the Big Island of Hawaii, is a CBU import from South Korea and is priced at RM 115,888 for entry level 2.0. The highest 2.0 Active specification is yours to RM 130,888, while the top-end 1.6 Turbo goes for RM 143.888. These prices are on the road, excluding insurance, with the exemption of the 2020 sales tax. Next year, the price list will be RM123,888, RM138,888 and RM151,888 respectively.
As you may have gathered, there are three variants with two engines available. The 2.0L models come with a naturally aspirated Nu MPI Atkinson cycle engine with 149 hp at 6,200 rpm and 180 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Mated to a conventional six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels, the Kona 2.0L does 0-100 km / h in 10 seconds.
Reducing 2.3 seconds from the reference sprint time (7.7 seconds) is the 1.6 Turbo, which is powered by a 1.6L Gamma T-GDi engine that generates 177 hp at 5,500 rpm and 265 Nm of torque from 1,500. at 4,500 rpm. Like every other compact SUV these days, it’s front-wheel drive too, but the gearbox is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It is the fastest car in its class and outperforms the Proton X50 1.5 TGDi. All Konas have Comfort, Eco and Sport riding modes, but only the 1.6T has automatic start and stop.
Size wise, the Kona is a European-sized B-SUV, which can read more on the compact side of things. At 4,165mm long and 1,800mm wide, it’s 169mm shorter than a Honda HR-V but 28mm wider. If it seems planted and muscular it is because of the width and 1,550 mm in height, which is 55 mm less than the Honda. However, the Kona’s 2,600mm wheelbase is just 10mm below the H-RV.
The smallest B SUV that everyone knows is the Mazda CX-3. Compared to the junior CX, the Kona is 110mm shorter but 35mm wider. Its wheelbase is 30 mm longer. The Mazda is proof that not everyone wants space in a small SUV, which seems to be the favorite of young urban women these days. The Kona’s boot capacity is 361 liters before folding the seats 60:40; While this is a long way from the HR-V’s cave, it’s still 21 liters more than the CX-3. Proton X50? The smallest in its class with 330 liters.
In the chassis department, the Kona rides on front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion beam, which is normal for the course. They are disc brakes all over the place, but the 1.6T has larger discs at both ends: 16 “versus 15” at the front and 15 “versus 14” at the rear. The base model comes with 17-inch multi-spoke alloys with 215/55 rubber, while the 2.0 Active and 1.6 Turbo have 18-inch two-tone wheels with 235/45 tires.
We move on to the equipment. The exterior of the base car comes with halogen projection headlights and LED daytime running lights, plus auto-folding rearview mirrors. This means that the Kona’s standout looks are best seen from the 2.0 Active up: both it and the 1.6T have bi-LED headlights with flex lights, fog lights and LED taillights. The two-tone look with a floating roof and roof rails are unique to the Turbo, as are the front parking sensors.
Inside, the base car has keyless entry and push start, automatic headlights, cruise control, tire pressure monitoring system, steering buttons, manual and cloth seats, manual air conditioning, and a gauge panel. monitoring group with 3.5-inch multi-information display.
The main unit is a 7.0-inch factory touch screen with physical buttons and knobs on each side. It comes with AUX, USB, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto support, which means Waze and Google Maps navigation can be displayed on the main screen. It is connected to six speakers and a reversing camera with dynamic guides. This head unit is standard across the board.
Moving to the 2.0 Active medium spec gives you a bit more. Benefits include leather / cloth combination seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, automatic single-zone air conditioning, a 4.2-inch multi-information display, automatic windshield wipers, and a head-up display. The exclusive features of the 1.6T are the leather seats, the electrochromic rear view mirror and the Qi wireless charger.
In the safety department, the Kona comes with six airbags, ESC, hill start assistant, and two Isofix child seat mounts across the board. The 2.0 Active receives a Blind Spot Warning with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, but Hyundai’s SmartSense driver assist technology suite is reserved for the 1.6 Turbo. This package includes Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and High Beam Assist.
Lastly, color combinations, which are notable for Kona. Available colors are Chalk White, Lake Silver, Phantom Black, Pulse Red, Blue Lagoon, and the pretty 1.6T Ceramic Blue you see here. The black roof is a turbo exclusive affair.
From the 2.0 Active onwards, the Kona comes with a dash of color on the inside – red stitching and seat belts can be found on red and black cars (see gallery below), while white cars have Lime green seams and seat belts. Blue cars have gray stitching and regular black belts. Interior accent colors, if applicable, will repeat across AC rings, starter button, and shift lever area.
Once again, the Hyundai Kona from CBU Korea is priced at RM 115,888 for entry level 2.0, RM 130,888 for 2.0 Active and RM 143.888 for the 1.6 Turbo. It comes with Hyundai’s standard factory warranty of five years or 300,000 km.
So what do you think of the Hyundai Kona in terms of design (if you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, don’t count on the Proton X50) and the package? I’ve done a short lap with the 1.6T and found it to be very fast, and the NVH is good. See more in our video on first impressions. You can also compare the specs and equipment in this very crowded class here.
GALLERY: Hyundai Kona 1.6 Turbo
GALLERY: Hyundai Kona 2.0 Active
GALLERY: Official images of the Hyundai Kona
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