Hyundai extends Kona Electric range with facelift

HYUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) is primed and ready to launch an updated version of its Kona Electric small SUV in the first half of 2021, some 12 months after news of the update first broke in Europe.

As reported by GoAuto back in March, the Kona Electric is being treated to a couple of range-extending upgrades, connectivity updates and styling tweaks, the most significant of which being the upgraded tyre combination courtesy of Michelin which has added a claimed 35km to the car’s effective driving range, now rated at up to 484km on the WLTP cycle.

A series of other still-unspecified chassis tweaks were also tipped to be made however there has been no confirmation of those from HMCA.

What has been changed however is the Kona Electric’s styling, which has been made sleeker and “sharper” to match that of its petrol-powered siblings.

Gone is the previously filled-in-looking front end, replaced by a streamlined and entirely flush new arrangement with the only recognisable feature carried over being the trapezoid lower chin and the rough layout of the headlights and daytime running lights.

The shape and design of said lights have been made narrower and more layered than the previous model with the headlights retaining their position low down, just above the bumper.

Other changes include the narrower air intakes set within the front wheelarches while the body cladding has been made body-coloured in an effort to complement the new-found sleekness of the front fascia.

Just like the petrol versions, the new Kona Electric is 40mm longer than the current model while the rear end has been treated to a new ‘stretched’ tail-light arrangement.

Interior changes meanwhile have not been quite so drastic with the biggest tweak here being the move to a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster while ambient lighting has been added to the sides of the footwells to emphasise the Kona Electric’s “lifestyle character”.

Other new features include heated rear seats, two rear USB ports, an electronic park brake and a vast expansion of the standard Hyundai SmartSense safety suite.

New to the Kona Electric in 2021 will be the standard inclusion of blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, leading vehicle departure alert, safe exit warning and rear seat alert while the existing forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, smart cruise control with stop and go, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, intelligent speed limit warning and driver attention warning carry over.

No changes have been made under the bonnet or to any of the compact SUV’s running gear, meaning the familiar 150kW/395Nm outputs remain with the top speed pegged at 167km/h.

Drive is sent to the front wheels only with the axle-mounted electric motor drawing its power from a 64kWh battery.

Hyundai Motor Europe marketing and product vice-president Andreas-Christoph Hofmann said the new Kona Electric shows “that Hyundai is fully committed to zero-emissions driving, by providing our customers with enhanced driving assistance and safety features, making it an even more desirable package”.

HMCA has sold 9276 Konas so far this year ending October, making it the third most popular model within the increasingly crowded sub-$40,000 compact SUV segment with a 12.4 per cent sales share.