Hyundai Kona Active 2WD 2018 review

Do you really need to ask? This thing looks unlike anything else we’ve seen from Hyundai or, for that matter, any other car company on Earth. It's bound to be bold enough to get some interest when you're in traffic.

There are seemingly hundreds of talking points about its design, from the slit-like ‘eyes’ up high, to the acres of blackened body cladding surrounding the lower edges of the car. The intent is clear - this is an adventurous car for adventurous adventurers. Except this model is the FWD, which isn’t so adventurous.

The 16-inch alloy wheels on the Active model look teeny-weeny because there’s just so damned much plastic cladding. And I reckon the whole thing would look a lot more resolved if the lower grille didn’t taper in quite as much, and if the slot above the grille didn't exist, and if the bonnet line was more scalloped, and if it was just better looking in general. Also, the clash between the yellow halogen headlights and the crisp white LED lights at the front isn’t great: to me it's like a friendly smile ruined by bad teeth.

On the whole, I can’t say I find it handsome or even remotely pretty. It sure as hell is different, though. To be fair, in one of the other colours (there are nine to choose from) and in Highlander spec with the larger wheels and LED headlights it is considerably more attractive, that’s a bit jump up in price...

It's not as practical as some of the larger small SUVs you can buy, but you need to remember that the Kona is on the itsy-bitsy side when it comes to this market segment, at 4165mm long.

With external dimensions well shy of the Toyota C-HR, not to mention the Honda HR-V and Suzuki Vitara, the Kona doesn’t offer the amount of space on the inside you might hope for.

The 16-inch alloy wheels on the Active model look teeny-weeny because there’s just so damned much plastic cladding.

But it is marginally more accommodating than a Mazda CX-3, even though I couldn’t slot myself in the back row without my knees being hard-up against the driver’s seat, which was set for my 183cm frame.

Headroom and toeroom in the back, though, is very good, and there are dual ISOFIX attachments and three top-tether points for those more diminutive rear-seat occupants. There are no rear air-vents, and nor are there map pockets.

You do get cupholders in the back, with a set in the flip-down arm-rest, and there are bottle holders in the doors, too. The front doors have bottle caddies, too, but the cupholders between the front seats are a little smaller than usual. The hard plastic linings of the storage areas - including the cupholders and also the bin and shelf in front of the gear-shifter - means things will move around when you’re driving.

There is only one USB port, which in a youthful car is a huge disappointment, but if charging rather than connecting is your focus, there are two 12-volt outlets. And the media screen has smartphone mirroring plus Bluetooth phone and audio streaming for disconnectaphobes.

The boot space is hatchback-like, at 361 litres - it’s as though Hyundai has prioritised boot room in favour of back-seat space… new parents should probably take note. Under the floor is a space-saver spare, and it has 60/40 split-fold seats.

Likewise, the plastics used on the doors and the dash are all of the hard, but textured, type - even the elbow-rests on the doors are hard. While that may be good for wiping off grubby-kid mitt marks, it doesn’t provide the sense of premium-ness we’ve come to expect from Hyundai’s products.

But then there are thoughtful things like the sunvisors, which can extend along the side windows to stop the sun blinding you if you’re driving in the early morning or late afternoon. The leather steering wheel cover and gearknob are nice touches, and the seats are comfortable, too.

The Kona Active 2.0 MPi base model is listed at $24,500 (before the usual on-road costs), with the brand stating drive-away pricing of $27,000. It'll cost you more for the turbo petrol with all-wheel drive, and you can option a safety pack on this model - read about what that gets you in the safety section below.

The list of standard kit on the Active model includes those aforementioned small looking alloy wheels (with a space-saver spare), roof-rails, LED daytime running lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear-knob. There’s no push-button start or keyless entry, which you get in a Mazda CX-3 for less money, and the driver’s window is the only one with auto down, and it doesn’t go up automatically, which is just dumb.

Bluetooth phone and audio streaming is supported, but there is no proprietary sat nav available.

Inside there is a 7.0-inch multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming is supported, but there is no proprietary sat nav available - you’ll have to stream maps from your phone.

This spec runs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with 110kW of power and 180Nm of torque, which is less grunt than you get in a base model i30, because it’s a different (read: older tech) engine.

The brand reckons it’ll run from 0-100km/h in 10.0 seconds.

It is FWD only, and has a six-speed automatic transmission of the old-school torque-converter variety.

The brand reckons it’ll run from 0-100km/h in 10.0 seconds. Nothisng to beat your chest about there, then.

Hyundai claims a rather high 7.2L/100km for the Kona 2.0 MPi - a full half-litre more than the heavier all-wheel drive turbo model uses. Most competitors claim below 6.5L/100km in front-drive guise.

Our loaner returned 7.4L/100km - not bad at all.

Over a mix of highway, traffic-clogged urban and flowing country road testing, our loaner returned 7.4L/100km - not bad at all.

It would be too harsh to say it’s annoying to drive, but the drivetrain can certainly make it a frustrating experience in some situations. The 2.0-litre engine feels somewhat asthmatic, and can whinge like a teething toddler when you ask it for some performance.

That said, I live in the Blue Mountains, and the long-distance commute - with a lot of high-speed questions being asked of the Kona's engine and transmission - doesn’t really suit the 'urban lifestyle' user case. But around town, it comes into its own - if you’re cruising below 60km/h, this is a fuss-free drivetrain with smooth gearshifts and enough power to suffice.

And, if the drivetrain’s eagerness to go for the highest gear gets on your nerves that much, you can put it in Sport mode, which allows it to rev out more and also makes the shifts, throttle response and steering all more urgent feeling.

The steering, though, is a bit hit and miss - it feels overly weighted, even in the non-Sport modes (Eco or Comfort): you might find yourself wishing it was a little lighter in its action, especially when you’re arm-twirling around roundabouts or into parking spots.

Under the floor is a space-saver spare, and it has 60/40 split-fold seats.

The ride is largely inoffensive, and so is the handling - it hangs on like a regular hatchback in corners, and bumps are disposed of well, be it around town or at higher speeds - and that’s even with the less sophisticated torsion beam rear suspension (the AWD models have a multi-link rear). If you hit a sharp speedhump too quickly, you will notice the front end may double-down as it settles, but it’s never clumsy.

There is no crash-test score recorded for the Hyundai Kona as yet, be that in Australasia, Europe or otherwise. We’d expect, given Hyundai’s recent run of form, that a five-star score would eventuate - but if a number from ANCAP matters to you, you may wish to wait for affirmation.

All Kona models come with six airbags, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, hill-descent control, hill-start assist, ESC, and tyre-pressure monitoring.

The Active is available with a safety pack (the equipment of which is fitted, as standard, to all models from Elite up), and it consists offorward collision warning and auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, driver-fatigue monitoring, plus heated/power folding side mirrors. The pack is $1500, and it’s worth it.

Hyundai is known for its excellent ownership potential, with the brand backing its cars with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and up to 10 years’ roadside assist. And then there’s the capped-price servicing plan, which can span forever!

Well, it’ll span the life of the car, and is transferrable, too. Maintenance for this drivetrain is due every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs first (though there is a run-in check-up at 1500km). The costs are considerate, too, with the first five visits to the service department averaging out at just $279 per time.

If you opt for the Active with all-wheel drive and the turbo engine/dual-clutch drivetrain, you’ll be required to get it serviced every 12 months/10,000km - a bit of a pain if you do a lot of miles.