The Hyundai Kona has been dramatically restyled for 2024, giving the compact four-door wagon a bold front end, angled rear fenders, and heavy black trim from the front to rear wheel wells. The look is sporty and rugged, suggesting the new model is cut-rate version of the Range Rover Evoque, with combines sports car performance with serious off-road capabilities.
Alas, that’s not the case. A lot of manufacturers dazzle with styling that promises more than their vehicles deliver. This is especially true for some so-called crossovers that are only available with front-wheel-drive and a single underpowered engine. In contrast, the 2024 Kona is available with HTRAC All-Wheel Drive, as well as an optional turbocharged 1.6-liter inline four that produces 190 horsepower, both of which sets it apart from the pretenders.
But even with AWD (with a locking center differential) and the optional engine, the 2024 Kona is not a hot hatch puddle jumper. In fact, the much more powerful Kona N — a genuine hot hatch — was dropped during the redesign. What remains is essentially a refined, pleasant-driving city car with good road manners, an impressive amount of interior space (including good leg room in the second row of seats), and decent acceleration with the optional engine. The interior features the kind of low-rise, dash-wide screen that is so popular these days. It houses a 12.3-inch infotainment display and a separate 12.3-inch digital gauge display above a cluster of easy to see and use control buttons.
The 2024 Kona is also very reasonably priced, starting a $24,250 for the SE version with the base 2.0-liter inline four and FWD. That slots between Hyundai’s least expensive SUV, the Venue — which is only available with a non-turbocharged 1.6-liter four and FWD — and the larger compact Tucson SUV, which is more off-road capable, especially when equipped with AWD.
The sportiest looking version of the Kona is the N Line (which is different than the former Kona N), which comes with the more powerful engine, special trim, and starts at $30,800. The top-of-the line Limited starts at $31,800 with premium upgrades, but AWD is an option that increases the cost.
Depending on the configuration, the 2024 is EPA rated at up to 29 city and 34 highway miles per gallon, which is very good for any non-hybrid vehicle.
For those more concerned about their carbon footprint, Hyundai also offers an all-electric version of the 2024 Kona with either 200 or 260 miles of range, depending on the battery size. I haven’t had a chance to test it, but I’ve driven other Hyundai EVs and been impressed by their performances. At the same time, the lowest-priced Kona Electric is almost $10,000 more than the base gas-powered version, and doesn’t qualify for federal incentives, which is a good example of why EVs are still such a hard sell to most consumers.
My tester was a Limited FWD with a leather interior, a sunroof, an impressive stereo, and other comfort, convenience, and safety upgrades. It looked great in the driveway, but I always felt a little let down after getting inside. Aside from the display, the dash was more utilitarian than futuristic, reminding me that the Kona is basically an affordable car with clever styling.
There was never anything wrong with how my tester drove — or especially inspiring, either. The standard eight-speed automatic transmission was responsive, shifts came quicker in the Sport mode, and the suspension was not easily upset over the poorly maintained pavement in my part of town. But even the most expensive 2024 Kona is more engineered for commuting and running errands than climbing mountains or chasing the proverbial empty winding road, despite its exterior looks.
And once again, there’s nothing wrong with that. Most consumers aren’t looking for an off-road vehicle or sport sedan as their daily driver. They primarily want to get from Point A to Point B in comfort, a little bit of style, and with good mileage considering today’s gas prices, and the 2024 Kona fits that bill.
As a bonus, like all Hyundai vehicles, the 2024 Kona comes with a 10-year powertrain warranty that is one of the best available. The company also now offers complimentary scheduled maintenance that beats most mainstream rivals.
The bolder styling is similar to the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the redesigned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, which looks like a scaled-down Land Rover Defender. The blunt front end solves a problem vexing recent Hyundai SUVs — ever larger mesh grills that are more distracting than appealing. Hopefully the design will soon spread to the Venue, Tucson, and midsize Palisade, too.
The 2024 Kona also offers a wealth of safety features, including Hyundai’s SmartSense Advanced Driver Assistance System that comes with Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, High Beam Assist, Surround View Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Rear Occupant Alert/Safe Exit Warning, and Parking Collision Avoidance Assist-Reverse.
Korean manufacturer Hyundai and its corporate sibling Kia built their reputations on being value leaders, offering a lot for the money. The 2024 Kona carries on that tradition, enhanced by the new styling that makes it stand out in a crowd. Small wagons like the Kona are also very practical, in both urban and suburban environments. AWD is a good option for the wet Pacific Northwest, and more powerful optional engines are always appreciated. And the warranty is hard to beat.
2024 Hyundai Kona
Base price: $24,250 (base SE FWD)
Price as tested: $33,195 (Limited FWD)
Type: FWD or AWD compact 4-door wagon
Engines: 2.0-liter four (147 hp, 132 lbs-ft); turbocharged 1.6-liter four (190 hp, 195 lbs-ft)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive modes: Normal, Sport
EPA estimated mileage: 26/32 (as tested) to 29/34
Overall length: 172.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,450 pounds
Final assembly: Ulsan, Korea
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