2024 Hyundai Kona Electric | MotorWeek Road Test

With Hyundai expanding their fantastic lineup of IONIQ EVs, it’s easy to forget about the Kona, which has been available in all-electric form since 2019. In fact, this second-gen Kona was designed as an EV from the get-go and adapted to employ ICE powertrains for those who are either not ready or not willing to go down the full EV path. It’s a great strategy, one we’re about to dive further into.

#Hyundai #Kona #KonaEV #KonaEV #HyundaiKona #HyundaiKonaElectric

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[azhurelpigeon]

So glad you guys still do the track testing it’s so fascinating to see commuter cars on the drag strip 👍

[SkaBob]

Still pretty quick for a low cost car. I've been watching the 90s motorweek reruns and many of the cars were 0-60 in the 9-11 second range, all ICE of course. This would be a little small for us but we have been happy with our Ioniq 5, it's got over 67k miles on it so far with zero problems.

[ouch]

I used to have a Kona EV back in 2021. It was a pretty decent EV for the price at that time. The drivetrain tech is a bit out of date now, especially compared to other Hyundai/Kia EVs. It would be hard to recommend a Kona or Niro over an Ioniq5/6 or EV6. My biggest complaint about the Kona was, and still is, that its FWD. I don't think it needs to be AWD, but FWD EVs don't make any sense at all. FWD made sense for cheap ICE vehicles because it allowed them to package the engine/transmission more easily at the front of the car, but because the EV drivetrains are much more compact and don't have the packaging limitations of ICE, any and all 2WD EVs should be RWD. Because EVs aren't front heavy like FWD ICE vehicles, FWD EVs don't have great traction on acceleration and tend to spin tires a lot. That's why this Kona is slow off the line...any more power at launch and it would shred the tires. It still will easily shred the tires in the rain, even when you don't want them to. RWD EVs don't have this issue and actually become a lot more confident in foul weather than a FWD EV.

[amaxlimo]

Driving 2022 Kona EV almost 3 years, currently at 57k miles. 12 volt battery was changed 2 years ago. No other problems so far. No maintenance except tire rotation. New 2024 Kona is bigger but it’s the same battery and it’s slower. It does not have car play which I like in mine. Overall if anyone wants cheaper used EV I definitely recommend 2022 model

[Saytheodd]

The Weight of the EV on the Kona. Makes it 2x safer imo. Damn mini road tank

[Butchcub]

I remember ytou testing the first one, doing a burnout at 75/80 Drag way. But were not really saving the planet with BEVs when the main source of electricity in the country comes from burning coal. Battery tech esp in certain climates aso needs to be improved. I think a PHEV is the best way to go right now. IMHO that is. We have a 24 G80 Electrified here in the desert.. not as convenient as our 20 T8 Polestar S60. BUT Kia and Hyundai are killing it in design. Love the new Sonata.

[timdsd]

I'm looking forward to test driving the 2025 Kona EV. I like the IONIQ 5 as well, but the Kona EV would be a fine city car, and the Kona EV Limited trim costs $12, 000 less than the IONIQ 5 Limited RWD (taking into account Hyundai's $7, 500 cash incentive that is currently offered on both cars).

[LandonMillertotheMaxx]

well, that's a clean ev, even though, we already saw the ICE-Version of it back in February. i'm just gonna let Hyundai do their thing.

[clifford]

Never understood cars with batteries and engines but the engines won't charge batteries?

[MaGiKRat]

Get these evs while there are still incentives...

[Rich_]

The lack of tax credit has killed the sales of all Hyundai/Kia EV models until they begin production in their US factory. $7, 500 is too much to throw away to choose this over a qualifying vehicle.

[danam]

Why so many lights in the bumpers. This seems to be a stupid design. Looks dumb too

[LifeAfterLosing]

Charging from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes should be the minimum standard for cheaper EV’s. But you can get these at good deals now, so it’s not bad for a daily driver and occasional long roadtripper with the decent range. It’s not that bad to grab something to eat and use the restroom while it charges, I just wouldn’t want to do that more than once on a trip.

[roberthoyt]

Hyundai could kill off and replace the Kona EV in favor of the upcoming Ioniq 3 in the near future.

[paulcieri]

The charge door on the Kona, like the Nissan Leaf, is in the wrong spot. In a frontal crash, the vehicle would most likely be totalled.

[lqnhhmx]

Allentoyokawa trying not to tweak and crunch his teeth over a car that is korean: (impossible)

Looking at you right now probably making a hate comment

[mustangdaddy]

Slow to charge, slow to 60, and not that good looking! I’ll pass on this one but John Davis is still the best 😊

[dunky]

Ugly? Yes! Expensive? Yes! No one wants one? Yes! Unreliable? Yes!

[TrokaRC]

Only electric cars I will buy will be rc crawlers, short course trucks & bashers.