Edmunds Senior Writer Mark Takahashi somehow landed a trip to Hawaii to drive the latest entrant in the subcompact crossover SUV class: the 2018 Hyundai Kona. He's not a big fan of the exterior styling but considers the Kona one of the best-driving vehicles in the class. Add in plentiful features, an accessible price and Hyundai's industry-leading warranty coverage, and the Kona becomes a strong value contender.
Transcript
MARK TAKAHASHI: Aloha from beautiful Hawaii, where we're checking out the all new 2018 Hyundai Kona. [SURF MUSIC] The 2018 Hyundai Kona is the latest entrant into the subcompact crossover class. It competes against the Honda HR-V, Toyota CHR, and Mazda CX-3. Prices start right around $20,000 for the base SE trim. You get a two-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 147 horsepower. It's made it to a six-speed automatic transmission. Once you step up to the limited trim, you get an upgraded 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 175 horsepower. It's made it to a seven-speed, dual clutch transmission. That is the pick because it seems to get off the line a lot better with that engine and transmission. This, however, is the fully loaded, all-wheel drive, ultimate trim. Comes in just shy of $30,000. Admittedly, when this was first unveiled last year in Korea, I was not a fan of the design. Seems like it was designed by committee using spare parts from other cars. There's a lot of things that bothered me about it, but after seeing it on the road for the last couple days, I'm starting to warm up to it. The things that bother me are this fake vent here. It's completely blocked off. I feel like the car might be a little cleaner without it. These running lights up top remind me a lot of the Jeep Cherokee before the latest refresh. The actual headlights are down here, and they kind of remind me of a Nissan Juke. These unpainted gray plastic parts remind me of a Honda Element, and even this rear roof pillar has echoes of something from Land Rover. You may like it a lot more than I do, but honestly, I don't hate it as much as I did, either. As far as car capacity is concerned, the Hyundai Kona has 19.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats. That's a little less than the Honda HR-V, but a lot more than the very small Mazda CX-3. You have a nice little hook here for shopping bags, a compartment below to keep things out of view, and this floor actually drops down about three inches for even more capacity. From behind the wheel, the Hyundai Kona drives pretty much as you'd expect. This 1.6-liter turbo gets up to speed just fine. In fact, it's a lot more capable than what I've found in the Toyota CHR or in the Mazda CX-3. But of course, it is the upgraded engine. There is no laboring. It doesn't make you want to floor the pedal just to get onto the highway, and it cruises just fine. Brakes are also appropriate for this kind of car. Moderately firm, very controllable under heavy braking, and handling is surprisingly good. You can actually have quite a bit of fun on a twisty road with this car. One thing I am noticing, though, is there's quite a bit of road noise. It's not intrusive, and honestly, if you turn up the volume just a little bit on the radio, problem solved. On top of that, it has the Clarify audio system that we're used to seeing in the Genesis luxury line. That fills in some of the digital information on your files for a richer, and fuller experience. Seat comfort is pretty good. I'm getting a lot of support. Now the seat cushion's a little on the short side, but this powered driver's seat tilts up a little with the cushion, so I can make up that with a little bit of angle. Side bolstering is not super aggressive, but it holds me in just fine. And it's not constricting, so larger drivers, they won't have a problem getting comfortable in here. I do feel like I'm sitting a little high, though. I usually like being a little lower to the deck, and this seat is actually lowered down as far as it goes. That said, I still have plenty of headroom, and it's something you'd probably just get used to after a while. Visibility is great. This A pillar is well-contoured so that I can see almost right through it. The mirrors are well-sized and out far enough so that I'm not going to get surprised by something coming up. And the head-up display is incredibly bright. Now it's the flip-up screen, kind of like what we see out of Mazda, so on a bumpy road, it can get a little jittery, a little fuzzy. It's easy to read, and it gives you a lot of information. Not just speed, but also speed limit, as well as turn-by-turn directions for navigation. I do also like how the infotainment screen is mounted on top of the dash. It's right in the driver's sightline. Maybe not as well-executed as some of the other ones, where it looks like a tablet dropped right at the very top of the dash, but it's easy to see, and it actually looks better than some of those tacked-on tablet looking things. It is a hot, humid day here in Hawaii, and these perforated leather seats are breathing just fine. I'm comfortable. Ventilated, cold seats they're not an option. Judging from how well they're breathing, not really that necessary, either. For colder climates, you do get heated front seats. Overall, the interior of the Kona is pretty good for the class. You have your padded elbow touch points, and almost everything else is kind of hard or plastic, but that's to be expected for cars in this price range. And as affordable as it is, it looks fairly attractive. Everything works really well. All the buttons are placed where you expect them to, the infotainment is super easy to use, everything just works. And trust me, I'd rather have slightly boring over gimmicky that's hard to use any day of the week. Now even though the Kona is pretty decent at handling, the ride quality doesn't suffer. It's compliant enough, fairly comfortable. There's some jostling over some of the left-right undulations, but pretty much everything else in this class rides like this. It's not too stiff, not too soft, it's just pleasant. In the upper trim levels, the Kona comes with quite a few advanced safety features. That includes frontal collision warning and mitigation. That generally means it also has the hardware needed for adaptive cruise control. Unfortunately, that's not offered, either as standard or optional equipment, which is too bad, because on some of the longer stints I've been driving on, it would have come in really handy. In its defense, very few other cars in this class have adaptive cruise control. Here I am in the back seat, and I have plenty of room. I'm 5'10", and the driver's seat is set for me, and I have plenty of room for my knees, my feet slide under the seat just fine. All the elbow touch points are nicely padded. As far as visibility is concerned, well, I have a nice view outward to the side, and even this little cutout window here opens it up, makes it feel a little more airy. Like the front seats, these cushions are a little short for me, but I am getting a lot more support than I normally would from other cars in this class. What I mean there is those cars have their cushions mounted a lot lower to the floor, and it leaves me with almost no support for my thighs. All things considered, I'd be fine back here for a long road trip. It's a pleasant place to spend some time. Now, the Kona is by no means an off-road capable SUV, but it does have a locking differential that gives it a lot more ability than some of its competitors. I'm on this rough, volcanic, rocky trail here, and it's handling the climb just fine. Ground clearance, now that's not so great, so I'm avoiding anything that's poking up. Overall though, it's impressive for a subcompact crossover. I was fairly unimpressed with the Kona when it was unveiled last year. Now that I've spent some time and driven it quite a bit, I have to say it's pretty good. I'd consider it in a heartbeat against the Toyota CHR, the Honda HR-V, and Mazda CX-3. When you consider its price, it has an advantage in a number of ways there, as well as the features you get. The better than average car capacity, all of these things start stacking up. And on top of that, when you add in the industry-leading 100,000-mile warranty, well, it's hard to pass up. Styling aside, I think most people would be really happy with the Kona. For more information on the Kona, head on over to edmunds.com. You want to see more videos like this, hit subscribe. [SURF MUSIC]
The 2018 Hyundai Kona has a pricing advantage over most other subcompact crossover SUVs, and that becomes more impressive when you consider the features you're getting. Prices start around $20,000 and top out at $30,000. The base SE model and SEL are powered by a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The Limited and Ultimate trims have a more potent 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 175 hp.
The base SE trim gets you feature highlights that include automatic LED headlights, remote keyless entry, cloth upholstery, a split-level cargo area, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a six-speaker audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SEL trim adds bigger wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and satellite radio.
The Limited dresses it up with LED taillights, a sunroof, leather upholstery and a power driver's seat. The loaded Ultimate trim comes with rain-sensing wipers, Hyundai's Blue Link telematics, a head-up display, an 8-inch touchscreen, a navigation system with real-time traffic, a wireless charging pad and an Infinity premium audio system. It also benefits from the Hyundai Smart Sense suite of advanced safety features, with forward collision warning and mitigation, lane keeping assist, a driver attention monitor and automatic high beams.
Besides an accessible price and generous features, the 2018 Hyundai Kona in Limited or Ultimate trim is the best to drive among subcompact crossovers. It offers stronger acceleration, and it's surprisingly agile and entertaining when the road gets twisty. On top of that, the Kona's interior is one of the more accommodating and easy to use in the class, and the cargo capacity is larger than average. When you consider all of this in combination with the industry's most generous warranty coverage, it's easy to see why we rank it so highly. With Edmunds at your disposal, you're sure to get the right Hyundai Kona for your needs and budget.
2018 Hyundai Kona Overview
The 2018 Hyundai Kona is offered in the following submodels: SUV. Available styles include SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A), SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A), and SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A). Kona models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The 2018 Kona comes with front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic. The 2018 Kona comes with a 5 yr./ 60000 mi. basic warranty, a 5 yr./ unlimited mi. roadside warranty, and a 10 yr./ 100000 mi. powertrain warranty.
What should I pay for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona?
2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $25805. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is trending $3883 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $3883 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $21922.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is 15% below the MSRP.
We are showing 20 Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $22255. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $2819.5 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $2819.5 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $19435.5.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 12.7% below the MSRP.
We are showing 27 SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $20605. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $2735 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $2735 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $17870.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 13.3% below the MSRP.
We are showing 4 SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $23430. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $665 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $665 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $22765.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 2.8% below the MSRP.
We are showing 12 SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $22130. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $3719.8 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $3719.8 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $18410.2.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 16.8% below the MSRP.
We are showing 12 SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $26980. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is trending $715.8 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $715.8 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $26264.2.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is 2.7% below the MSRP.
We are showing 5 Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) 2018 Hyundai Kona Limited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $23675. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $2248 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $2248 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $21427.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 9.5% below the MSRP.
We are showing 5 SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $23555. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is trending $1592.8 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $1592.8 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $21962.2.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) is 6.8% below the MSRP.
We are showing 5 SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) 2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
The 2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $29805. The average price paid for a new 2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is trending $2162.8 below the manufacturer's MSRP.
Edmunds members save an average of $2162.8 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is $27642.2.
The average savings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is 7.3% below the MSRP.
We are showing 4 Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) 2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) vehicle(s) available in the Ashburn area.
Is the 2018 Hyundai Kona a good car? Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2018 Hyundai Kona and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2018 Kona featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process All of our reviews are written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
How can Edmunds help? Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color
MPG
2018 hyundai kona SEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A), 6-speed shiftable automatic, regular unleaded 30 combined MPG 27 city MPG/33 highway MPG
2018 hyundai kona SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A), 6-speed shiftable automatic, regular unleaded 30 combined MPG 27 city MPG/33 highway MPG
2018 hyundai kona SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A), 6-speed shiftable automatic, regular unleaded 27 combined MPG 25 city MPG/30 highway MPG
What options are available on the 2018 Hyundai Kona?
Available Hyundai Kona 2018 Submodel Types: SUV
Available Hyundai Kona 2018 Trims: SEL, Limited, SE, Ultimate, Ultimate w/Lime Accent, Limited w/Lime Accent, SEL w/Contrast Roof
Exterior Colors: Ultra Black, Thunder Gray, Chalk White, Pulse Red, Surf Blue, Sonic Silver, Lime Twist, Pulse Red w/Black Roof, Sonic Silver w/Black Roof
Interior Colors: Black cloth, Gray/Black cloth, Black leather, Gray/Black leather, Black w/Lime leather
Popular Features: Alarm, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Back-up camera, Bluetooth, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, Blind Spot Monitoring, Heated seats, Keyless Entry/Start, AWD/4WD, Power Driver Seat, Sunroof/Moonroof, Auto Climate Control, Leather Seats, Upgraded Headlights, Lane Departure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Heads up display, Navigation, Parking sensors
Engine/Mechanics: 4 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, AUTOMATED_MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: front wheel drive, all wheel drive
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
