LAST week, the SunWheels team was whisked away to Maponya Mall to see the exciting Baby Mama movie.
But at the mall we were greeted by something else other than excited cinema goers – the Hyundai Kona.
Displayed on the floor there with its bold front and slender eyes of LED lights, we thought the Koreans had made another great-looking vehicle.
This eye-catching crossover-compact SUV almost made us miss the new local comedy so we decided to learn as much as we could and tell you about it. We do know that the Kona is set to give its market competitors a run for their money.
Stanley Anderson, sales director of Hyundai Automotive SA, said: “The Kona is an important milestone in Hyundai’s journey.
“The quality of the exterior and interior design as well as the cabin’s fit and trim level is the testimony of the status that Hyundai has achieved as one of the world’s top automotive brands.”
Kona is a front-wheel drive sold with a two-litre naturally-aspirated engine or a new one-litre, three-cylinder turbo.
The one-litre engine is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox while the two-litre gets either a six-speed automatic gearbox or the manual.
The Kona’s striking, wide-body design has a headlight design with LED daytime running lights that creates an unmistakable Hyundai front signature appearance.
The attractive 17-inch alloy wheels, standard on both versions, contribute to the bold character of the car.
Buyers choose one of five unique exterior colours: Acid Yellow, Chalk White, Dark Knight, Pulse Red and Lake Silver.
The interior design of the regular Kona reflects the exterior theme. Inside, it features smooth, shapely surfaces on top of the instrument panel that contrast with the painted parts.
The mounted seven-inch touchscreen display allows drivers to stay focused on the traffic at all times.
The system delivers excellent sound from four speakers and two tweeters. The infotainment integrates navigation feature, media players and connections while the display audio lets passengers mirror their smartphone’s content on the system’s seven-inch display, with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
The Kona’s Kappa petrol engine is a perky 998cc unit that gets its boost from a turbocharger equipped with an electronically controlled “waste-gate actuator”.
The waste-gate actuator reduces pumping losses as well as improving throttle response and low-end torque, while improving fuel efficiency.
The maximum speed of the Kona 1.0 TGDI is 181km/h and its fuel consumption, measured in a real-life combined cycle, can be as low as 6,8 litres every 100km.
The 2,0 reaches a maximum speed of 194km/h and has a fuel consumption of 7,2 litres every 100km based on an average of city driving and open-road cruising.
