Hyundai’s all-important new Kona small SUV is taking shape.
For the first time Hyundai’s popular SUV will be available with hybrid power.
Hyundai has revealed the new hybrid will combine a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and small battery to deliver 104kW and 265Nm.
Hybrids are all the rage nowadays, with Toyota selling them in record numbers and Aussies wait months for their new car deliveries.
Alongside the hybrid will be the choice of two petrol engines: a 2.0-litre non-turbo engine making 110kW and 180Nm and a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit making 146kW and 265Nm.
The South Korean brand has confirmed that its all-electric Kona will be back.
All variants will share the same “EV-derived architecture”, which means it’s likely to have vast improvements over the current Kona EV.
The electric-derived architecture means there is a flat floor because there is no mechanical link between the front and rear axles such as a transmission tunnel.
The wheels can also be pushed to the corners as there is no engine or exhaust, making way for a cavernous interior. The batteries are all stored under the floor, helping to deliver a low centre of gravity for flat cornering.
Hyundai hasn’t mentioned if its red-hot Kona N performance SUV will be making a return, but there will be an N Line version with sporty styling.
Hyundai says the interior has grown in both length and width compared to the previous version.
A fully folding second row of seats that’ll open up the cargo space and Hyundai claims the rear pew has the best shoulder room in its class.
There is a big focus on tech, too, with dual 12.3-inch digital screens up front for the driver’s instrument and car and infotainment functions.
There will be a comprehensive array of active safety tech with nothing left out.
Highlights include rear-cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring and a bird’s eye view camera to make parking easier.
The Kona will be able to update its software over-the-air in the same way your smartphone does.
This has been a regular feature for some time on hi-tech cars such as Teslas and other electric cars that have less mechanical elements and more driving functions are controlled by electronic means.
It’ll have a digital key that’ll allow owners to lock/unlock and start the car with their smartphone or smart watch.
Hyundai will reveal full details of the new SUV in March.