2022 Hyundai Kona N goes beyond hot hatch to wild baby

Sometimes enthusiastic engineers get in their way and automakers build a vehicle that we never imagined and didn’t know we wanted. The 2022 Hyundai Kona N is one of those cars A performance version of the economy crossover, it goes straight out of the hot hatch to the wild baby. It may fade in the background (with proper paint work), yet it usually delivers more fun than you ever expected from a car line bought by your elderly parents.

After spending a week with Kona N recently, I was amazed and delighted at its playful character. But it’s so high that it’s not for everyone. Here’s where it hits and misses.

Hit and miss: N mode

Hyundai’s N Mode has time and space for the Jekyll and Hyde nature. It is best used on a racetrack or on a smooth road, although it can save money on healthcare costs by placing stones on your kidneys. The system turns each response up to 11, or in this case, Sport +, and I’ve never experienced a crossover with a bad ride on a broken Midwest sidewalk in K mode other than Kona N.

The N mode can be accessed by two light blue buttons on a dial or steering wheel on the center console. It picks the most extreme version of each drive setting, giving an already responsive vehicle a Navy SEAL alert and snap response to a search and destroy mission. I recommend setting the N1 and N2 steering wheel buttons to two types of sporty driving – say, everyday sport and hey look, rastrack-engine, steering, suspension, electronic limited-slip differential, transmission rave matching you want Choose, control stability, and eliminate any given situation. For example, the Sport + Damper setting can be too harsh (and probably too) for anything other than a rastrack, and the Sport + exhaust sound can be too bad for your surroundings. Experiment with each setting, create two distinct sport modes, and choose what works at any given time.

Hit: Amazing crossover handling

Hyundai’s enthusiastic engineers have matched the Kona NK with much more expensive crossovers than luxury brands. Fast, direct steering, instant turn-in response, its high-set weight transfer capability, an electronic limited-slip differential to maintain traction outside the corner, and surprisingly flat cornering make the Corner NK the closest thing to a sports car. You can get a car set 6.8 inches off the ground. (Fun fact: Corner N has oddly 0.1 inches more ground clearance than the other corners.) It’s fun anytime you get behind the wheel, and if you balance the modes properly, you can find a sporty setting that’s perfect for everyday driving. Works.

Hit: Frisky Turbo-4

The Kona N uses the same 2.0-liter Turbo-4 as the other N models. It produces 276 hp and 289 pound-feet of torque. The maximum torque reaches less than 2,100 rpm and increases to 286 horsepower for short blasts with overbust function which automatically releases and switches the standard 8-speed dual weight clutch (you have to wait 40 seconds before using the overbust button again). The transmission automatically shuts off the shift quickly or via the standard pedal shifter. The Kona N is not a rocket, but its speed of 0-60 miles per hour 5.2 seconds is fast enough and adapts to the car’s playful character. It feels even faster in engine Sport + mode, which gives the engine a high-strength character that keeps the revs high and sets the throttle response at the itch trigger finger.

Hit and Miss: This is not an Elantra N.

As for the Kona N handles, it still sits fairly high, so it lacks the final autocross and track handling skills of the lower 2022 Elantra N. Conversely, it can be as much fun as a crossover, and the body style gives it cargo versatility. It has 19.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row seats and it folds up to 48.2 cubic feet. You can run to Kona N’s Home Depot, but I wouldn’t recommend it to Elantra N.

Miss: Built a price

Like the other N models, it seems that Hyundai has applied all its efforts to Kona N’s engineering and opted for budget-grade materials for the interior. The cabin is covered in a sea of ​​hard plastic suitable for Nissan Versus. However, Hyundai offers some consent for the sporty nature of the car. The Sport Bucket seat is standard and the N3 version of the 10.3-inch touchscreen offers N-specific readouts with track maps, lap time and performance data. The digital instrument cluster also shows N mode boost pressure, throttle position and engine / oil temperature.

Hit: Performance bargaining

The Kona N starts and ends at $ 35,495, including the destination. It does not offer any alternatives, only the choice of red, black or white paint. This is about $ 10,000 less than the average transaction price for a new car, and it ensures that you get a fun little crossover that can be a bit quieter or rolling as your daily mode of transportation.

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2022 Hyundai Kona N.

Base price: $ 35,495 including $ 1,295 destination

Tested price: 35,495

Powertrain: 276-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4, 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, front-wheel drive

EPA Fuel Economy: 20/27/23 mpg

Hits: Strong Turbo-4 power, great handling, cargo versatility, performance bargaining

Miss: Cheap interior materials, hard rides, not as fast as the Elantra N, need to find balance in mode