Behold, a Hyundai Kona that will do 0-60 in under 6 seconds.
Hyundai’s performance marque just dropped their new Kona N, officially moving into the hot crossover space. This SUV won’t offer a manual transmission — excuse me while I pour one out for the #Savethemanuals campaign — but it does offer quite a bit of grunt. With up to 286 horsepower (more on that “up to” in a second) and a 5.5 second 0-60 time, this looks like one hell of a pocket rocket, at least on paper.
All that power is heading to the front wheels
Like the fantastic Veloster N hot hatch, this car brings a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine to the table. Also like the Veloster as of this year, you get an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, as well as an “N Grin Shift” mode. It’s an overboost function pushes 10 additional horsepower (above the 276 you get in standard driving) for up to 20 seconds. While you may expect it from a crossover, though, the Kona N does not offer an all-wheel drive variant. That said, Hyundai does fit an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential at the front, as well as high-performance brakes and tires wrapped around 19-inch lightweight forged wheels.
Battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains may also make their way into the mix, but for now the Kona N relies on internal combustion in its charge up to about 150 mph.
On the styling front, the 2022 Hyundai Kona N brings in more pronounced go-faster bits, as you’d expect. Red accents and dual exhaust tips will clue folks in to this hot version, not to mention the nostrils above the main grille. The red-painted calipers, alloy wheels and Pirelli P Zero rubber, and tailgate spoiler are more clues, but dimensionally speaking the Kona N is similar to the standard models. It’s no lower or wider, as you may expect with some performance versions.
While it looks closer to white, this 2022 Hyundai Kona N is finished in Sonic Blue, a lighter shade to the Performance Blue we first saw on the Veloster N.
The Hyundai Kona N brings unique interior touches
The 2022 Hyundai Kona N brings similar updates to the refreshed model that debuted earlier this year. A new digital gauge cluster is standard fare, as is the 10.3-inch infotainment display on the N model. This one has a specific “N Mode” though, which keeps track of other performance gauges and lap times, among other metrics. Dual paddles are standard to make your way up and down the dual-clutch gearbox, as are two “N” buttons on the wheel to dial in specific drive modes when you want them.
If you’re interested, the new Kona N will go on sale this fall. Official pricing isn’t available yet, but expect to see this hot crossover somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range.
