Hyundai has taken the lead among manufacturers in India by introducing the country’s first all-electric premium crossover, the “Hyudai Kona”. The crossover is priced at Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom, India) and will be sold via 15 Hyundai dealerships in 11 cities only.

How is Hyundai Kona different from other Hyundai cars in India?

The Kona is a fully electric car that is a clear departure from futuristic-looking electric vehicles in the sense that it looks like a ‘normal’ car.

It is powered by a 39.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows the motor to make 136 PS of power and 395 NM of torque.

It is powered by a 39.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows the motor to make 136 PS of power and 395 NM of torque. There are three different types of chargers available for Kona Electric and Hyundai is working with Indian Oil Corp to have these installed at existing fuel stations.

Hyndai Kona – Key Highlights:

Design: Exterior & Interior:

The Kona Electric is a clear departure from futuristic-looking electric vehicles in the sense that it looks like a ‘normal’ car. The only feature that gives away its secret is the missing grill upfront, which now gets a cap for the charging socket. It is a little bigger than Hyundai’s Elite i20 and smaller than the Creta. The projector headlamps are housed lower on the bumper, like is the current trend with most SUVs and while the grill is missing, Hyundai has retained the familiar cascading waterfall grill design on the bumper.

Creases running along with the doors on the bottom and the shoulder line round out the design. At the rear, it’s an easy guess that this is a Hyundai. The tail lamps, while sleeker than the i20, are a similar design that carries inwards over the boot and tapers towards the centre. A separate cluster on the bumper houses the turn signals and the reversing light.

Further, the plastics and the leather upholstery are finished in black. The dashboard is soft touch in places and so are the door pads. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has controls for telephony, cruise control and the instrument cluster, while the brushed aluminium centre fascia gets controls for air-conditioning. While the interior of the car has little to complain about, there is nothing to write home about either. If you’re in the market for a 25 lakh rupee car, the interior might seem a bit underwhelming.

Hyundai Kona interior

Also Read: Toyota Glanza vs Maruti Suzuki Baleno – Top 3 differences you should know!

Hyundai Kona Comforts:

The outside rearview mirrors are heated, the driver seat is adjustable 10 ways with lumbar support and the front seats get ventilation and heating functions. Infotainment duties are handled by a responsive 17.77 cm touchscreen which gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The instrument cluster is digital and Hyundai have thrown in wireless phone charging for good measure too. There’s only one variant on offer and it gets a sunroof as well.

The Driving Experience:

One of the reasons to be impressed with Hyundai Kona is it’s efficiency. Yes, it comes with an ARAI-certified range of 452 kilometers on a single charge. To add to the excitement is the chance to take it through its paces on the best circuit in the country.

The Kona Electric is powered by a 39.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows the motor to make 136 PS of power and 395 NM of torque. The official 0-100 kmph time is 9.7 seconds, nothing prepares you for the instant acceleration when you press the accelerator pedal. Beyond that, however, acceleration is linear and it’s easy to cross 150-160 kmph.

A racetrack is limiting in how much you can really tell about ride comfort but the steering is direct and body roll is well contained. So dynamically the Kona Electric is sorted and is a decent amount of fun to drive. In fact, coming out of corners, when you floor the pedal the tyres give a little chirrup and you feel your weight transfer into the seat back. Always a good feeling for enthusiastic drivers.

Hyundai Kona

Safety features of Hyundai Kona:

The car gets disc brakes on all wheels and 6 airbags are standard. This includes driver, passenger, front side and curtain airbags. There is also a Vehicle Stability Management System along with Electronic Stability Control and Hill-Start Assist Control. Intuitively, the Kona Electric also incorporates a Virtual.

Engine Sound System that mimics the sound of an engine to ensure pedestrian safety. So thumbs up to Hyundai on that one, because those of us who won’t be buying one will perhaps at some point be coming in the way.

Charging:

That brings us to the most important aspect of driving an electric car. Charging it. In this case, there are three different types of chargers available for Kona Electric. A 50 kW DC Quick Charger that can charge the battery up to 80 percent in 57 minutes. Hyundai is working with Indian Oil Corporation to have these installed at existing fuel stations. These will also be installed at Hyundai’s dealerships and service centres. The company will provide consumers with two chargers. One is a 7.2 kW AC Wall Box Charger that takes 6 hours and 10 minutes for a full charge. The second is a 2.8 kW portable charger that can be plugged into a regular wall socket. This one will take 19 hours for a full charge.

3 questions for Hyundai’s Head of Marketing: