Auto NSider | 2022 Hyundai KONA Electric Limited

All good questions, and I’ve got an even more important question in just a second, so let’s slow down and get started, OK?

Yes…for those of you who may still question all-electric performance, Hyundai’s new all-electric KONA will definitely burn rubber when you floor it.   No problem.

And range is becoming less and less of an issue as battery technology leapfrogs ahead.   Let’s just say 250 miles…and leave those last 8 miles of Hyundai’s claimed 258 mile range in reserve, OK?

Oh…but what about charging?   Maybe you don’t have a garage where you can just plug in every night.   OK…recharging stations are starting to grow like kudzu in Georgia.   Right now there are right at 100,000 charging outlets in the US…and with current government policy encouraging all-electric vehicles, you can be assured that that number will double shortly.

So will it outrun a Tesla?    No.   Not quite.   Not yet.   But no shame there, as that’s not the KONA’s job.    Hyundai isn’t trying to out-run Tesla.   Nor is Hyundai’s all-electric KONA priced like a Tesla.   Rather, they’re just going to try to out-sell Tesla….and if they keep turning out vehicles like out test KONA Electric Limited, they just may pull that off.

Perhaps the question that I should have asked above is this:   Is this a better electric car…or is this a better KONA?

Hang with me here.   We’ve tested a couple of different KONAs…their standard version as well as their performance N-Line…and we’ve come away very impressed.   Fit, finish, feel, content for the dollar…performance, too…all on a par with…anything else in their class…and ahead of most.   And the KONA’s sales figures show that a whole lot of people agree with me.

So how can the all-electric KONA top all that?   Every compliment that I paid the more conventional KONAs applies to the all-electric.   Strong acceleration, nimble handling, and a well-designed / well -equipped interior.   Even more attractive than many Teslas, IMHO.

So what else does the all-electric KONA bring to the party?   How about 120 “equivalent” MPGs to start.   Now, we all know that electricity isn’t free, but with an estimated annual fuel cost of $550, the all-electric steps up the game.

And that 258 miles of range allows you to “fill up” only once or twice each week with around-town driving…and even on the road, those “fill-ups” are becoming more and more convenient.

Then there’s the $7,500 Federal tax credit.   That brings the $43,840 window sticker down to the mid-$30’s…pretty much in line with the pricing of any equally well-equipped conventional gas-engined vehicle.

And if that’s still too much to pay, skip our “Limited” edition…lose the leather and the sunroof and a few other features, and drive out for a tax-rebate-equivalent of $26,500.   That just might be the economy deal of the year right now.

But if you like to travel in some semblance of luxury, go with the Limited and get the roof, heated and ventilated leather seating, heated steering, 17” alloys, premium audio, wireless Apple and Android connectivity, Hyundai’s “Digital Key”, just about all of today’s safety features and more.

If you’re in the market for a compact 5-door SUV, drive both a gas KONA and an all-electric KONA.   I’ll be surprised if the all-electric doesn’t surprise you!