Proving Itself To Be Worthy, The Enhanced Hyundai Kona

Newly enhanced Kona compact SUV was launched by Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) and it is showcasing a new outlook with a variety of design upgrades and advanced features.

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors is offering the newly enhanced Kona in two variants, which are the Kona Standard and Kona Active. Prices start at RM119,888 for the Standard variant and RM136,888 for the Active variant. These tags are for Peninsular Malaysia, including road tax and excluding Insurance.

Peeking under the hood, the enhanced Kona is fitted with a new Smartstream G2.0 Atkinson 4-cylinder petrol engine which is paired to a new Smartstream 8-speed IVT gearbox.

The mill is able to produce 149 PS of power at 6,200 rpm and 180 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm and all the power is transmitted through a two-wheel drive system.

Its Smartstream engine paired with the new Smartstream IVT gearbox offers dynamic performance with a smoother, comfortable driving experience, reduced emissions and better fuel efficiency.

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors’ managing director Low Yuan Lung said, “With a bold, progressive design and adventurous personality, the KONA has become an icon in its segment. We are more confident than before of Hyundai KONA’s success in Malaysia despite the fierce competition in this segment.”

Exterior wise, it can be seen with a prominent new front outlook that stands out with eye-catching, protective cladding panels which are emphasized by the thin LED daylight running lights (DRLs).

Moreover, it gets a new grille that has a very commanding presence, which also complements the Kona’s curved bonnet design. The front bumper fascia is shaped to connect seamlessly to the wheel arch claddings and in turn forming a robust-like armour, contrasting to the main body.

Also, a skid plate has been fitted to the front lower bumper, which embraces the lower air intake and visually complements the shape of the main upper grille. Furthermore, vertically oriented aerodynamic inlets are placed at the edge of the bumper to improve air flow.

Moving to the rear, the Kona is fitted with new tail lights featuring horizontally stretched light graphics. Just like the front, the rear bumper also gets protective claddings in contrasting colours, which extends all the way to the sides.

Furthermore, both new models now come with a set of new 17-inch or 18-inch wheel designs. Overall, the KONA is now 40 mm longer than the previous model, giving it a sleeker and more dynamic look that complements its wide and strong visual stance.

To wrap up the exterior look, for the Standard variant it gets four new colours which are Chalk White, Galactic Grey, Surfy Blue and Pulse Red, while the Active variant comes with five including Surfy Blue, Dive in Jeju, Ignite Flame, Dark Knight, and Misty Jungle.

“Its distinctive look makes it stand out from any other model in its class. The Kona is also targeted for those who want to stand out in the crowd and be different. It’s an agile and stylish car that can take you anywhere, be it for an adventurous outing or just for a city drive,” he added.

Diving into the cabin, the Kona’s interior oozes a more expensive and advanced look than its predecessor. It gets a new console area, which is separated from the instrument panel to emphasize the horizontal layout.

Its layout is designed with a dash that is wide and spaced-out in order to create a spacious atmosphere. The upholstery gets new materials with seat cover options of black woven houndstooth design, cloth seats with black and grey embossing and perforated leather seats in black or beige.

On the convenience aspect, the new upgraded Kona features an electric parking brake with auto hold function and also a remote engine start function that can be activated by using the smart key.

Other than that, exclusive to the Kona Active variant only, is a new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8-inch AVN screen with multiple Bluetooth connections. Standard on both variants are wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems, which supports Waze and Google Map.

Safety wise, for the Kona Active, it features a suit of driver assistance system that includes Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) and Rear Cross Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) and Safe Exit Warning (SEW).

Adding on to the list, which are standard on both variants are Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) with Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, Rear Occupant Alert (ROA), High Beam Assist (HBA) and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA).

Every purchase of the new Hyundai Kona comes with a 5-year or 300,000 km whichever comes first warranty and also 3-year or 50,000 km whichever comes first free maintenance service. Interested parties may view the Kona at all of the Hyundai showrooms nationwide.