HYUNDAI KONA 2.0 ACTIVE 2021 DRIVE REVIEW

Launched in Malaysia in April 2021, this Compact SUV or Crossover is an upgrade from its predecessor, in design, features and in particular, the powertrain which what Hyundai termed as the Smartstream G2.0 Atkinson (basically a CVT – 8 virtual speed against the 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission of the 1.6 Turbo and N-Line).

There are no significant design upgrades. Noticeably however are the stretched, more streamline front grille, a wider lower air intake with a stand-out silver skid plate wrapped around it, a pair of modern looking cluster of trapezoid LED lights and a smaller pair of round fog lights at the bottom. The narrow horizontal, sporty looking intake on the top of the grille is no longer there unless you are opting for the N-line. At the rear, only obvious differences are the redesign of the cluster of tail lights where the indicators, brakes and fog light are, and a bigger color contrast to the bumper.

This Two-Wheel Drive 2.0 Active variant is a four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a Smartstream IVT transmission that produces 149 PS of power at 6,200 rpm and 180 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. The 1.6 Turbo and N-line however generates more power and torque at 198ps at 6,000rpm and a maximum torque of 265 Nm torque at 1,600~4,500rpm . For a 2.0-liter powerplant and comparing it with a similar compact SUV, the torque in this Active variant is quite disappointing especially when you want to pull off from stand-still. I can feel and hear the engine “struggling” even when switched to Sports mode. The soundproofing in the interior should be improve too.

Perhaps cost was a factor here, but it would be great if the suspensions are automatically adjusted to either road conditions or to the driving mode selected by the driver. I find the standard suspension set up to be a bit hard for my liking.

The light beige seat option in this 2.0 Active KONA does radiate a sense of class. But if you are the “adventurous” kind and do not consider cleaning the interior of your car as therapeutic, then the black or Khaki options would be best.

There are a number of features in this KONA Active Variant that I love. Firstly, is the sound / ring / tone notification that I get when in traffic light or traffic jam and the car in front of me starts moving. Great for people who are always looking down on their handphones the minute they stop their car or day dreaming and ended up getting honked by the car behind them when everyone else in front have moved away.

Simplicity is what I would describe the switches on the dash as well as on the sporty steering wheel. Even the cruise control, which I sometimes struggle with in a new car to activate, is simple to set and turn off in this 2.0 Active KONA. An excellent user interface and experience indeed. I also love the sporty gear knob and shifter, felt like a boy-racer but in a compact SUV. Air conditioning works great especially in the Malaysian hot and humid weather and the Mercedes-like air vents are beautifully designed yet functional.

The retractable Head-Up Display (HUD) which can be adjusted according to your seating visual height and brightness is not only a good option to have but also a great safety feature. Headlights are bright and sufficiently wide when driving on dark roads. Driver’s seat is firm but comfortable even on long journey, I did not feel my bottom falling asleep on me. Feedback from rear passengers are the side seats headrests are one of the most comfortable ones they have felt or experience but the same cannot be said for the small middle head rest.

The rear window is a small and if there are three adults sitting at the back, the rear view would most certainly be almost fully obstructed. The 8” touchscreen Infotainment display with Android Auto™ & Apple CarPlay™ sound quality can be improved too. Music from radio, thumb drive or Spotify connected to mobile phone sounded dull. Disappointingly, the 2.0 Active does not come with an onboard wireless charging but only available in the 1.6 Turbo & N-Line variant.

There are 4 driving modes in this 2.0 KONA Active Variant. Eco, Normal, Sport and Smart modes. The10.25″ LCD instrument cluster changes graphic and color according to the drive mode selected. Not much difference were felt in the driving dynamics between the Eco, Normal and Smart modes but there is a difference in the exhaust sound (either this is digitized or real) when you shift to sport mode. The other difference is the fuel consumption. I am one who is not bothered about a car fuel consumption unless the vehicle is feeding off fuel faster than my wallet can be filled up with cash. But this 2.0 Active KONA does have quite a substantial fuel economy when compared to another competitor’s crossover that I drove using the same distance and almost the same speed.

The safety features in this Hyundai KONA 2.0 Active are:

• Traction control with Snow, Mud and Sand selections.
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) – If there’s danger of a collision with a car or a pedestrian, FCA’s front camera gives you an early warning and, if necessary, FCA automatically applies the brakes to prevent the collision.
• Lane Keeping (LKA) Assist / Lane Following (LFA) Assist – LKA/LFA keep you safely centered within the lane using its front view camera to monitor lane markers. On detecting an unintentional lane departure, a warning is triggered and, if necessary, LKA will automatically provide corrective steering input to keep you within the lane.
• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) – BCA uses radar to monitor both of your blind spots. If a vehicle is detected in the blind spot while the turn signal is flashing, BCA will automatically apply left or right side front braking before your attempted lane change thus helping you avert an unsafe lane change and a potential collision.
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW) – Displays the driver’s attention level while driving. Provides a warning when signs of driver inattentiveness are detected and recommends a rest if needed. The driver should stop and park in a safe place and get plenty of rest before driving.
• Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA) – During a stop, the driver is alerted if the leading vehicle departs.
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW) – This pioneering innovation may sound an alert when a vehicle approaches from behind, letting passengers know it may not be safe to open the door to exit the vehicle.
• High Beam Assist (HBA) – Scans the road ahead for oncoming headlights, then automatically adjusts your headlamp range, switching between high and low beam as necessary.

Head to your nearest Hyundai authorized dealer to check the KONA out or book a test drive today.

Selling price

         2.0                                   2.0 Active                       1.6 Turbo                          1.6 N Line

RM 119,888.00             RM 136,888.00             RM 146,888.00             RM 156,888.00

Credits : Photos and content courtesy of Justin Hong