[TEST DRIVE] Kona Electric is back and breaking all the rules

The Kona Electric is back after two years to regain its throne in the local small electric SUV market.

A fully revamped Kona Electric [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

SOKCHO, Gangwon — The Kona Electric is back after two years to regain its throne in the local small electric SUV market.

First introduced in 2018, the Kona Electric is the most-sold electric vehicle (EV) overseas of all available EVs offered by Hyundai Motor.

But Korean customers have been unable to buy the car for the last two years since it was discontinued in 2021 as its reputation was marred by a series of fire incidents.

The Kona Electric made its comeback with a completely transformed design and enhanced mileage, possibly the longest among all available same-sized EVs on Korean roads.

Hyundai Motor's Kona Electric [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got behind the wheel of a fluorescent-colored long-range Kona, on a 180–kilometer (112-mile) journey from Hanam, Gyeonggi, to Sokcho, Gangwon.

Exterior-wise, the new Kona Electric has nothing in common with the previous Kona. Hyundai Motor’s horizontal LED headlamp stood out, resembling the pricier Sonata and Grandeur sedans.

With the length increased by 155 millimeters (6.1 inches), the interior was unbelievably spacious despite it being a small-sized SUV.

The wheelbase, the distance between the front and back wheels, increased by 60 millimeters compared to the previous model.

Interior of the Kona Electric [SARAH CHEA]

Driving was quite satisfactory, especially with some of the safety features. When the vehicle gets close to the car in front of it, it warns the driver with an alarm. If the driver does not reduce the speed, the vehicle automatically brakes.

An augmented-reality navigation service was particularly helpful. When making turns or entering narrow roads, the system shows the conditions of the roads in real-time using cameras. Graphics such as arrows appeared on forked roads.

These kinds of advanced features are not usually common for a small SUV, which tends to be cheaper and this is probably why Hyundai Motor markets this vehicle as a "rule breaker."

Above all, the mileage will be the most appealing factor.

Equipped with a 64.8-kilowatt-hour battery by China’s CATL, the Kona Electric can travel 417 kilometers per single charge, the longest distance of all small electric SUVs available on Korean roads.

The weight of the car has increased by 35 kilograms compared to the previous version, but the available mileage has been upped by 11 kilometers.

Trunk capacity stands at 466 liters (123 gallons), and the back seats can be folded down. [SARAH CHEA]

When starting the two-hour test drive, the dashboard said the car had enough battery to travel 389 kilometers. After driving 180 kilometers the read-out still said 220 kilometers, proving that the car charged itself while driving.

The fuel economy was recorded at 7.3 kilometers to the liter, though the air conditioner and seat ventilation service were entirely active, which is considerably better than the official figure of 4.8 kilometers.

Trunk capacity stands at 466 liters (123 gallons), and the back seats can be folded down, which will be a plus for camping lovers. A 27-liter front trunk is also offered below the hood.

The sticker price starts at 46.54 million won ($36,140) with the long-ranged version beginning at 49.68 million won. Applying the government’s EV subsidy, those residing in Korea can buy the SUV for a little over 30 million won.

Kona Electric [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]