2019 Hyundai Kona Looks Judged Too Harshly

The turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivers strong acceleration and provides plenty of thrust at city speeds or in freeway passing maneuvers. From a stop, the engine's power is somewhat muted by the dual-clutch automatic transmission's sluggish responses. Still, the Kona zipped from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds in our testing, which absolutely crushes the competition.

The brake pedal is smooth and easy to modulate in typical driving. The Kona is well-behaved under hard braking, too. Unfortunately, our as-tested 60-0 mph braking run was 129 feet, which puts the Kona well behind its competitors.

The steering feels a bit rubbery, with heavy, artificial resistance. But there is some feedback from the tires, and resistance builds in a linear fashion (feeling more natural in Sport mode), which helps the steering feel accurate. It is surprising how heavy the steering is both in Normal and Sport.

Other than a propensity for bounciness when driving over midcorner bumps, the Kona is surprisingly composed through turns. It stays under control and doesn't exhibit excessive body roll. Tire grip is also impressive for the class. Overall, this is one of the Kona's strengths.

There's a distinct delay when accelerating from a stop. And at low speed, the transmission's shifts can be jerky and slow. Once the Kona gets going, upshifts are usually smooth, but downshifts are always a little rough. Sport mode improves the experience but saps fuel economy.

The front seats are well-shaped and pretty supportive. There is plenty of adjustability but not a whole lot of lateral bolstering. The perforated leather is stiff, and the cushions are noticeably firm. In back, the seats are flat and broad, but not too upright.

Smaller imperfections are ironed out, and the suspension takes the edge off just about any bump. But the ride quality can feel a bit too rigid and busy at times. Very bumpy roads can make the vehicle feel excessively unsettled.

When driving at freeway speeds, voices must be raised considerably due to intrusive road noise and noticeable wind noise around the doors. Overall, noise isn't worse than average for the class, with a cabin that's frequently quieter than those of competitors in city driving.

The climate control struggles a bit to cool the entire cabin when it's sweltering outside, but the rest of the time it's effective at keeping you comfortable. The controls are clearly marked and straightforward to use, making it an easy system to operate.

Buttons are grouped logically and clearly labeled, and Hyundai's infotainment interface is easy to use. Some of the touch buttons are small on the screen, but otherwise there's nothing to complain about.

The relatively short doors can be opened wide even in tighter parking spaces. The height of the seat cushions makes the seats easy to slide in and out of. Taller drivers will have to duck a bit when climbing in, and the tight rear kneeroom complicates backseat entry and exit. But that's pretty common for this class of vehicle.

The gauge cluster and the steering wheel are mounted low in the vehicle, making for a slightly awkward angle up toward the driver. The seat's good vertical adjustment means you can sit in an upright SUV position, but that makes the low armrests difficult to use.

There is a suitable amount of space for the driver and front passenger. Rear-seat headroom is decent for the class — more than enough for average adults — but legroom is tight, especially behind a tall driver. Fortunately, there is generous space under the front seats for the rear passengers' feet.

The relatively narrow roof pillars up front make for good forward and side visibility. The rear roof pillars are wide, but adjacent small windows help you see what's over your shoulder. The rearview camera provides a broad and clear picture.

Everything feels robustly built, but only the primary touchpoints such as the steering wheel and shifter have been treated with soft-touch materials. Otherwise, the cabin looks and feels very plasticky. The alternating textures break things up visually a bit, but there's no hiding the dreary hard plastic.

All four doors get pockets that can hold a water bottle, and the anti-tip cupholders can handle anything short of a large cup. The center console box and glovebox are relatively small. Overall, the Kona is OK with small-item storage but doesn't offer the variety or space of some competitors.

The trunk is easy to use thanks to a wide, flat load floor. But with 19.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, the Kona is a little less accommodating than some rivals. The seats fold flat to open up 45.8 cubic feet.

LATCH points are clearly marked and close to the surface, but they're tucked between firm cushions.

The optional Infinity stereo system is excellent for this class, with plenty of bass response and good sound quality. The navigation system is simple to use and gets the job done. It has an easy-to-read display and useful turn-by-turn prompts.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are two front USB ports. There are two 12-volt outlets for the front seat, and higher trims get a wireless charging pad.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are fitted on all but the base trim, and a more extensive suite of features is available. That said, adaptive cruise control is missing, even as an option. The Kona's systems are consistently accurate, avoiding false alarms in our time with the vehicle.

The Kona's built-in voice controls have limited functionality but work well for what they do, responding slowly but accurately. Step-by-step prompts appear on the screen, but the Kona will allow you to skip steps if you know what you want to do.

Front-wheel drive is standard. All-wheel drive is available as an option for all Konas and comes bundled with a more sophisticated rear suspension design and a lockable center differential. The latter enhances traction at low speed in off-road or snowy conditions.

Hyundai Kona SE

Standard features for the SE trim include 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver's seat, and 60/40-split folding rear seats. Tech features include a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a six-speaker audio system. New for 2019, the base Kona also gets forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist and a driver attention monitor.

Hyundai Kona SEL

The SEL trim adds 17-inch wheels, roof rails, heated side mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, a split-level cargo area, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, voice recognition, and satellite and HD radio.

An optional SEL Tech package bundles foglights, a sunroof, a power-adjustable driver's seat, an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, and Hyundai's Blue Link communications system.

Hyundai Kona Limited

Stepping up to the Limited trim gets you all of the above plus the turbocharged engine, 18-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, upgraded exterior trim, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a universal garage door opener.

Hyundai Kona Ultimate

The range-topping Ultimate trim comes loaded up with rear parking sensors, pedestrian detection for the forward collision mitigation system, automatic high beams, automatic wipers, a head-up display, an 8-inch touchscreen, a navigation system, and a wireless charging pad.