As of: February 9, 2024, 6:00 a.m
By: Volker Pfau
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The second version of the Hyundai Kona Electric, presented in 2017, recently came onto the market.
We subjected the Korean electric car to an everyday test in winter conditions.
In its second generation, the electric SUV now has a significantly more angular body.
Hyundai was bold in terms of design and made the car stand out from the crowd.
The front is adorned with a narrow LED strip, the slightly protruding wheel arches emphasize the rather robust character and the rear, which also has corners and edges, underlines the design courage of the brand.
However, the electric Kona is not quite as avant-garde as its sister model Ioniq 6.
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After getting in, the Hyundai Kona warmly greets the person behind the wheel.
“Good morning, drive carefully,” appears on the 12-inch display when starting.
As a driver who is no longer quite young and is influenced by the analogue age, it is pleasing to note that there is a mixture of touchscreen and haptic push and turn buttons in the cockpit.
Everything is arranged logically and the time to get used to it is pleasantly short.
Cumbersome operation of the assistance systems
Just deactivating annoying assistance systems requires some effort.
For example, to deactivate the speed warning assistant, which beeps when the speed limit is exceeded by one kilometer per hour, you have to go to the second submenu.
For reasons of road safety, it is better to do this before setting off or strictly adhere to every limit - even if the traffic sign recognition system does not identify all signs perfectly.
Hyundai has revised the Kona Electric and is now presenting the second generation.
©Hyundai
More length, larger wheelbase, more space for passengers
The second Kona generation has grown significantly in length.
It is now 15 centimeters longer and now measures 4.35 meters.
This enables a wheelbase that is six centimeters longer and gives the passengers in the back seat 7.7 centimeters more legroom.
If you would like to transport even more people and/or luggage, you can now also find electric cars with up to seven seats.
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The overall package of the Kona Elektro is very well coordinated.
The 218 hp engine is more than enough to adequately move the 1,755 kilogram SUV.
We tried out the stated top speed of 172 km/h, but slower is much quieter and of course more economical.
Safely through the snow with the Snow program
During our trips in exceptionally wintry conditions, we got to know and appreciate the snow driving program.
With gentler acceleration and more sensitive braking, this takes much of the terror out of winter in the front-wheel drive car.
And because the seat and steering wheel heating work quickly and effectively, you feel completely relaxed behind the wheel after just a short time.
But once winter really gets its grip on us, opening a frozen car door becomes a real challenge.
Cockpit of the Hyundai Kona electrics.
©Hyundai
Luckily we were always able to get in without any problems.
But it's not just thanks to the warm seat that you can travel stress-free in the Hyundai Stromer.
The car willingly follows all steering commands, drives calmly, is clear and if things get a little tighter, the electronic assistants switch on.
They are definitely noticeable, but fortunately they rarely cross the line into annoying.
If all seats are occupied, up to 466 liters of luggage can be stowed in the trunk.
With the rear seat folded down, 1,300 liters fit.
The maximum payload of 465 kilograms limits the transport capacity somewhat.
There is a frunk under the front hood as additional storage space, which swallows 27 liters.
Under the front hood there is a luggage compartment, a so-called frunk, in which 27 liters of cargo can fit.
©Hyundai
We classify the relatively large amount of hard plastic used in the cockpit as “easy to clean”.
The charging port at the front proved to be very practical in everyday life, saving you a lot of maneuvering at the charging station and sometimes annoying waiting times.
We missed the range figure by a long way
According to the manufacturer, the 65.4 kWh battery should provide a range of over 500 kilometers.
However, a look at the equipment list was disillusioning: our car was fitted with 19-inch tires, which look quite stylish, but reduce the range to 454 kilometers before we set off.
But regardless of that, we managed 330 kilometers on our journeys with great difficulty.
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High consumption at low temperatures
This was certainly due to the sub-zero temperatures and the snow, which made conditions difficult over the entire test distance.
The winter also meant consumption that could hardly be brought below 20 kWh per 100 kilometers.
Even in Eco mode, with the temperature reduced, recuperation switched off and a maximum speed of 110 km/h and even when driving on AAA (“everything except the highway”), we remained far behind the 14.7 kWh per 100 kilometers specified by the manufacturer back.
That's far too high - or does Hyundai think that it's better to leave the electric Kona in the warm garage during the frosty season?
The 19-inch rims look good, but cost several kilometers of range.
©Hyundai
The basic version of the Hyundai Kona Electric costs from 41,990 euros.
The top version we drove with the Prime package equipment costs 50,690 euros.
On the list of special equipment for our copy was the seat package, which costs 1,500 euros.
The seats have leather upholstery, seat heating at the front and rear as well as ventilated seats and a relaxation function at the front.
Conclusion: The Hyundai Kona Elektro has become a fine car.
However, it showed weaknesses, especially when it came to the core competencies of an electric vehicle.
Even though the test took place during winter conditions, which influenced the result to the Korean's disadvantage, the range and consumption are not exactly exemplary.
But you don't have to be afraid of the cold season: There are some good tips and tricks that you can use to improve the range of your electric vehicle in winter.