The Hyundai Kona Electric, a subcompact crossover, carries over mostly unchanged for 2020. The Kona Electric’s competitors include the Kia Soul EV, Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
The Kona Electric features a wide, athletic stance. Models without a sunroof get a contrasting roof in white, gray, or black. The Kona Electric's look differs slightly from other Kona models, thanks to its aerodynamic wheels and a textured panel that replaces the front grille.
The powertrain features a 150-kW electric motor paired with a 64-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery, good for 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque. All Kona Electric trims come with front-wheel drive (FWD). The Kona Electric's range of 258 miles is among the best in the segment, and it can reach up to 80 percent charge in just under an hour with a Level III charger. Its EPA-estimated MPGe is 132 city, 108 highway, and 120 combined.
The Kona Electric has a comfortable interior with a modern design. It comes in SEL, Limited, and Ultimate trims. Standard features include cloth upholstery, a 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a proximity key, and push-button start. The Limited trim adds leather upholstery and an 8-way power driver’s seat. For 2020, the Limited and Ultimate trims get a new battery-warmer system.
Standard features include a 7-inch LCD information display, HD Radio, a 6-speaker audio system, two USB outlets, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. For 2020, the Limited trim gets an 8-inch touchscreen, while the Ultimate gets a new 10.25-inch touchscreen and adds navigation. The Limited trim also adds wireless-device charging and gets the 8-speaker Infinity premium audio system previously available only in the Ultimate trim.
The 2019 Hyundai Kona lineup earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the 2020 Kona a 5-star overall rating. Standard features include a reversing camera, front-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and driver-attention monitoring. The Limited trim includes high-beam assist, while the Ultimate adds a head-up display (HUD), rear parking sensors, and pedestrian detection.
With mainstream styling and impressive capability, the Kona Electric should go a long way in making EVs appealing.
