Aloha 2018 Kona: Hyundai Adds New Subcompact SUV to the Family

The 2018 Hyundai Kona is a aggressively styled, low-sitting subcompact crossover with peculiar angles and chunky design elements.

Small crossovers and SUVs are still raging as consumers continue to flock to the popular segment. And the designs of these small sport-utilities keep getting bolder (stranger?), almost to compensate for their diminutive size — like the long-running oddball Nissan Juke, the new ambiguous-looking Toyota CH-R, and now, the all-new 2018 Hyundai Kona — an aggressively styled, low-sitting crossover with peculiar angles and chunky design elements. 

Kona Styling

Huge, black plastic trim pieces wrap around the wheel arches, and at the rear wheels, this trim extends to include the large lamps; the brake lights are long and slender. Similar proportions up front, the headlights are fairly big while the thin, long-running lights sit just below the hood. Overall, the proportions of the Hyundai Kona — named after the coastal region of Hawaii’s big island — appear balanced, sitting low and wide with the long wheelbase and short overhangs.

The front grill is in line with the Elantra (dubbed the Cascading Grille) and works with the styling. The roof is finished with a two-tone colour scheme, lending to the high contrast between the body and wheels.

Performance for Hyundai’s Small SUV

Depending on the market, this B-segment 2018 Kona will be available in gas or diesel combos. Including a 2.0L engine making 149 hp, hitting a top speed of 194km/h, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. For more power, the 1.6L GDI engine with 177 hp will do 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, hitting top speeds of 210km/hr, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch tranny. A 1.6L diesel will hit select markets as well.

Europeans can opt for a downsized, more efficient powertrain: a 1.0 T-GDI turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. In late June 2017, the 2018 Hyundai Kona was available across its home country in Korea, then rolled out throughout North America and Europe.

2018 Hyundai Kona Photos

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