The 2023 Hyundai Kona has been revealed ahead of a mid-2023 Australian release with a futuristic new look and a big amount of drivetrain choice: petrol, turbo petrol, hybrid or electric. The second-generation Kona sits on a new platform and is up to 150mm longer this time around, which will help it compete with cars like the Toyota Corolla Cross, Kia Seltos, Subaru Crosstrek and Mazda CX-30.
“Upscaled with Kona’s unique character, the all-new Kona confidently expresses its bold and dynamic presence,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center.
“The Kona has evolved in every respect to embrace an even wider range of diversity, to become a true lifestyle supporter.”
Stylistically, the 2023 Hyundai Kona is a clear evolution of the current model but it’s much more futuristic than before. A distinct light bar now features at both ends of the car, with both ends using main lighting units below. Each model will feature a distinct look – the N Line with aggressive and sporty bumpers, the Electric (which was actually designed first and the other models were adapted from its design) with ‘pixel’ styling details and the regular Kona with chunkier ‘off-road’ styling.
The 2023 Hyundai Kona measures 4,355mm long, 1,825mm wide and has a 2,660mm long wheelbase, making it 150mm longer overall, 25mm wider and with a 60mm longer wheelbase than the current model. Boot sizing is yet to be announced but it’s likely to be larger than the current model’s 374L space.
While the full interior pictures of the new Kona are yet to be revealed, the one photo released showing the cabin depicts a more premium and spacious space than the current model. Hyundai has confirmed that it will feature twin 12.3-inch screens for the infotainment and driver’s instrument cluster (like in higher-end models), while the gear selector is now a wand behind the steering wheel.
Under the bonnet of the 2023 Hyundai Kona will be a range of powertrain choices: confirmed thus far are the N Line with a likely 146kW 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and all-wheel drive that’s used in the Kia Seltos facelift and also the Kona Electric, likely with the 150kW electric motor and 64.8kWh battery pack from the new Kia Niro.
The regular Kona’s drivetrain is yet to be confirmed for Australia, though we suspect it will be the same 110kW/180Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine that’s used in the current model. The Kona Hybrid – which uses the same 104kW/265Nm 1.6-litre hybrid drivetrain as the Kia Niro Hybrid – is yet to be confirmed for local sales too, though other local media is reporting that it’s likely for Australia for the first time too.
The likelihood of a second-generation high-performance Kona N is not yet known, but if it were released, this would only increase the new Kona’s drivetrain portfolio even more.
The 2023 Hyundai Kona will go on sale in mid-2023 with local pricing and specifications to be announced before then. Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.
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