Autograph Hyundai Kona Hybrid: One is still possible

The first impression: It looks angry!

The manufacturer says: Hyundai has already invested more than 35 billion euros in alternative drive technologies. The main goal is to make them more accessible and attractive for customers. The Hyundai Kona series shows what this means: the small compact SUV is now also available with a hybrid drive; that's drive number four for the car. So far, the Kona was already available as a petrol, diesel and purely electric car.

We noticed that: you open the door of a compact SUV and you are almost sitting in a mid-size car, the Hyundai Kona is pleasantly spacious. You don't notice that the lithium-ion battery has to be accommodated in the hybrid model, the power storage is installed under the back seat to save space. The trunk holds 361 liters of luggage, and the rear seats can be folded down so that up to 1143 liters of capacity are available.

Hyundai wants to position the Kona Hybrid as fresh and youthful as possible, which is why a two-tone paint (body / roof) with 18 different color combinations is on offer. The color of the body in turn continues in the interior of the car. Both the seams on the seats, the border of the air conditioning system and the fabric of the seat belts are painted in the same color as the hoods, doors and fenders - in the case of the test car in a yellowish green "acid yellow". The color is bright and striking. So you can see from afar whether everyone has put on their seat belts on board.

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The narrow headlights give the compact SUV an aggressive look. In contrast, the car drives - purely electrically - almost silently and smoothly. If you move the car defensively, you hardly notice that two machines are trying to get ahead, the technology is so reserved. It only gets loud on the highway at more than 100 km / h. In general, the Kona Hybrid is very reserved: the active lane keeping assistant, for example, only very gently engages the steering in the Kona compared to other Hyundai models.

The speed is always in view via the practical head-up display. However, the display above the cockpit is not part of the standard equipment and can only be found in the most expensive equipment line Premium. The Kona is operated in two parts: important functions can be controlled at the push of a button on the steering wheel; twelve buttons alone are accommodated here. Further settings can be controlled via the centrally placed 10.25-inch touchscreen, which is located centrally on the dashboard. The telematics service "Bluelink" celebrates its German premiere in the Kona Hybrid. The driver can download the app and connect to the car. A command on the cell phone can then be used to locate the car, for example, or to activate the air conditioning system remotely.

You have to know that: The hybrid version of the Kona has been on the market since autumn 2019. The hybrid drive combines a 105 hp (77 kW) 1.6 liter four-cylinder gasoline direct-ice sprayer and a 44 hp (32 kW) electric machine; it is the same system that Hyundai also uses in the hybrid version of the Ioniq compact sedan. The car can drive purely electrically over short distances. Overall, the drive package develops 141 hp (104 kW) and enables a top speed of 160 km / h. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 1.56 kilowatt hours. The Kona Hybrid will be available in the three equipment lines Trend, Style and Premium. The starting price is 26,900 euros.

We will not forget that: The interior adapted to the exterior paint makes the choice of vehicle color a particularly important matter. Otherwise, the driver will have to deal with green and yellow seat belts later.

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