Auto NSider | 2022 Hyundai KONA N

No…I’m not trying to put the brakes on our little red KONA N.  Never.  It runs just fine, thank you.   And that’s my point.

I think we all know by now that the electric wave is headed our way over the next 5 – 10 years.    And hey…that’s not necessarily a bad thing.   I’ve driven some really appealing electric vehicles that deliver serious performance along with their obvious economy.   A couple of the better ones were Hyundai’s, in fact.

BUT…I’m just not ready to give up the sound of a throaty turbo four gurgling to life…launching me to 60 in less than 5 seconds…and doing so while snapping off shifts with a nice crackle from those two big exhausts.

Volkswagen and Honda pretty much owned the “hot hatch” category for years, but with their new for ‘22 KONA N, Hyundai has muscled in on their party and can stand toe to toe with anyone in the room.

Here’s how they do it:   276 HP and 289 ft lbs of torque from a 2.0 liter turbo four.

An 8-speed fast-shifting dual clutch transmission.   19” alloys with Pirelli P-Zero rubber.  14.2” red front rotors.   Rev-matching paddle shifters.  Lap-timer.  And listen to this…Hyundai has a system that electronically controls the N’s suspension…applying more power to your outer wheels when cornering…giving you more speed and better traction.

And then they top that all off with a sound-adjustable exhaust.   How can you not like that?

Hyundai hasn’t forgotten all those other features that we all seem to want, either.

You’ll sit in heated suede-like sport seats with power lumbar and enjoy Harman-Kardon premium audio, LED lighting, a 10.25 inch screen, Sirius radio, wireless charging, and today’s usual alerts and warnings.

Hyundai’s KONA has been on the streets for around five years now, and is one of their better-selling vehicles,  The KONA N, however, is brand-new for ’22.

While I call the KONA a hot hatch, Hyundai calls it a small SUV.   Whatever you call it, you’ll find four doors and a rear hatch with plenty of room for a twosome for a week…or two in the front plus a couple of under-six-footers in the back.

Pricing for KONAs starts in the low $20’s…with the N starting well-equipped in the mid $30’s.

Call it an SUV if you like…or call it a hot hatch.   Whatever you decide to call it, at roughly 35K, I’d call Hyundai’s KONA N a bargain.