Hyundai’s Kona compact SUV has gotten a glow-up, and now the automaker has revealed new details about the model year 2024 redesign that includes a slight improvement in the range for all -electric model.
The Kona EV is a relatively unknown mass-market electric SUV compared to the Tesla Model Y and Mustang Mach-E, but now it’s been redesigned from the ground up as an EV. It carries a 65.4 kWh battery capable of about 304 miles (490 km) of distance on a full charge based on the European WLTP estimate.
The previous 2023 model Kona has the same size 64 kWh battery (long range) with a European WLTP range of 301 miles (484 km). US Environmental Protection Agency estimates are generally more conservative than the WLTP; The agency rates the 2023 Kona EV’s range at 258 miles on a single charge, for example. In an email to The VergeHyundai’s senior manager for product and advanced powertrain PR, Derek Joyce, wrote that the US range has not been finalized but will be revealed at this year’s New York auto show, which is in April.
Hyundai announced the new second-generation Kona model during its digital world premiere event yesterday and surprisingly referred to the compact SUV as a “multiplayer” vehicle. When asked, Joyce said The Verge the company uses the term to describe “unique versatility,” which “helps a wide variety of people live out their lifestyle needs with freedom, versatility and capability.” Why not.
Versatility, of course, points to a variety of powertrain options that include plug-in hybrid and gas models, plus sporty N-line versions of each. Hyundai Motor Company president and CEO Jaehoon Chang said in a press release that the Kona EV will “play a major role” alongside the automaker’s dedicated Ioniq EV models. The all-electric Kona runs on a 400V platform that doesn’t match the company’s 800V E-GMP platform in the Ioniq 5 and 6, as well as Kia’s EV6 and upcoming EV9 vehicles.
Hyundai says it has increased the overall size of the 2024 Kona compared to, specifically, the 2017 version. The overall length of the new EV is now 175mm longer at 4,355mm, while the wheelbase is now 60mm longer at 2,660mm. It is also 25mm wider at 1,825mm and 20mm taller at 1,575mm. In addition, the car has a drag coefficient of 0.27. The front trunk, however, is very small at 0.95 cu-ft compared to the Model Y’s 4.1 cu-ft frunk.
The 2024 Kona EV has more tech-oriented features, such as a one-pedal “I-Pedal” driving mode, and exterior and interior Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) outlets that allow you to use AC-powered household appliances use the car as a battery bank. The new Kona cars also have two 12.3-inch panoramic instrument and infotainment screens, digital keys, and support for over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
The Kona EV could be a serious contender for those looking for their first EV
Hyundai also includes an advanced driver-assistant system (ADAS) that helps with lane keeping and traffic-aware cruise control, including blind spot monitoring. There are also new and fun pixelated light bars on the front and rear of the car.
As an EV, the Kona can be very attractive if the price is right – the current model starts at a reasonable $33,550 in the US. And given that it has a range of more than 258 miles in the US, the 2024 Kona could be a serious contender for those looking to jump into their first EV.