Hyundai Kona VS Holden Trax
Hyundai Kona
Likes
- Looks good inside and out
- Feature-laden
- Easy to handle
Dislikes
- Ongoing costs expensive for class
- Single motor isn't the punchiest
- 'Extended' range still doesn't come near 500km
Holden Trax
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Hyundai Kona
With its EV-led design, the updated flagship Hyundai Kona Electric model, the Premium Extended Range, is a small SUV that's big on space and luxury features.
Which feels increasingly necessary for EVs to compete in an ever-expanding market where change is celebrated and expectations remain high.
Competition includes the newcomer Renault Megane E-Tech, the Kia Niro EV and even the Volvo C40. I've been driving the top model for a week to see how Hyundai's cutest EV fared with my little family of three.
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Holden Trax
Small or compact four-door SUVs have found favour with those who might usually climb into a hatch but, for whatever reasons, are now looking to a vehicle with the ability, actual or otherwise, of being sporty and even a little bit outdoorsy. The reality is most of these vehicles will spend their time on city and suburban streets, which perfectly suits them, and their owners’ lifestyles.
However, some of these diminutive SUVs are better at their intended purpose – and do it with much more style – than others.
How does the base-spec turbocharged Holden Trax, the LS, hold up in a bustling market segment? To find out, read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.4L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.7L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Hyundai Kona7.4/10
The Hyundai Kona Premium Extended Range offers a great amount of passenger comfort and space but its ongoing costs are a bit more expensive for the class and its low safety rating is surprising given its strength in that category in the past.
However, it drives well, looks good, and has great storage space so it's still in the race!
Holden Trax7/10
The Holden Trax looks nice enough and is pleasant enough to live with day to day. Like many others of its ilk, the Trax may be marketed as an SUV but that catch-call moniker, which has come to be accepted to mean that a vehicle is actually sporty and off-road capable, is misleading.
As an adventure vehicle the Trax falls well short – it needs a diesel engine and much improved capability (AWD) and space – but as a lively daily driver for a young starter, or a one-child family, then it’s perfectly adequate.
If you’ve got your heart set on a Trax and you’re patient, perhaps you’ll wait until 2020 when the next-generation Trax is due here.
Design
Hyundai Kona
The design for the Kona has always been a win in my books because it’s cute and functional.
Hyundai also designed the EV Kona first then based the fuel-powered versions on it. So, you get a flat floor in the back row, a cool-looking front with extended body panelling and some futuristic pleating across the panels.
The exterior LED lights are pretty cool as a lot of them resemble pixels and can be found in multiple spots at the front and rear. The long LED strip light across the front also sets it apart from it's fuel-based siblings.
The interior exudes a good sense of luxury with its light-coloured leather upholstery and trims. Coupled with the sunroof the cabin space is bright and cheery.
The 64-colour ambient lighting adds a touch of fun and the update sees some minor tweaks to accent panels where black plastic has been dropped in favour of a brushed metal look.
The dashboard has been redesigned with dual 12.3-inch technology screens (one for media, one for instruments), now standard across all variants instead of just the top model, which is great to see.
Holden Trax
It’s a small SUV and it looks sporty and outdoorsy enough in a generic sort of way. A nuggety stance, short-wheelbase and roof rails add to this Trax’s activity-friendly demeanour, without promising too much. Take a look and make up your own mind if it’s your cup of tea; I’m not your life coach so decide for yourself whether it’s cool or plain.
Practicality
Hyundai Kona
The Kona's size has increased for its second generation, which means more occupant space and storage capacity. The front offers more space than you’d expect for a small SUV and I’d describe it as roomy, even for someone taller than my 168cm height.
The rear row also has fantastic head- and legroom for the class but it's the storage options which clinch the practicality for me.
Up front the centre console is still the hero for storage with multiple nooks and spaces for items like keys, phones and wallets. You get two retractable cupholders, a 1.5L drink bottle holder in each door and a good-sized middle console and glove box.
In the rear, you get map pockets, 0.7L drink bottle holders in each door and two cupholders in a fold-down centre armrest.
The boot sees an additional 33L, expanding the overall capacity to 407L with all seats in use. That jumps up to 1241L when the rear row is folded. Underneath the adjustable floor, you get a temporary spare wheel.
The electric front seats aren’t as comfortable as the previous generation. They’re narrower, firmer and sit a bit higher than I remember. Though I still love the added comfort functions they have, including a reclining relaxation mode.Â
The rear seats are better cushioned and offer longer under-thigh supports and middle seaters should be comfortable thanks to the flat floor.Â
The technology looks good and the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy to use once you spend some time with it. You get built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. Â
The 12.3-inch digital instrument panel isn't customisable but all information is easily seen as is the colour head-up display.
Charging options are great throughout the car with each row getting two USB-C ports, the front also featuring a wireless charging pad and 12-volt outlet. The next-gen model sees the Kona get V2L (Vehicle To Load) capability, too, which is great.
Holden Trax
Its interior is plain, but practical. The LS has cloth trim and expanses of plastic, which make it a bit ordinary to look at but very easy to live with in the real world because day-to-day life involves liquid spills, crumbs and dirt – lots of dirt.
Storage spaces include a narrow glovebox, narrow plastic door pockets, four cupholders in centre console (no lidded bin here) plus two in the rear centre armrest, and driver and front passenger seat-back pockets.
The rear cargo area is a 356-litre space with the rear seats in use and the cargo cover in place), or a 785-litre space with the 60/40 rear seats folded into the floor. For this to happen, the rear-seat bases flip forward into a vertical position and the seat-backs fold forward to make the ‘new’ flat floor.
Price and features
Hyundai Kona
There are a whopping eight variants for the Kona range and you have a choice of four powertrains – petrol, turbo-petrol, hybrid or fully electric like our flagship Premium Extended Range model.
The model on test is priced from $68,000, before on-road costs, and that positions it in the middle of its rivals.
Based on a NSW, 2000 postcode you can pick up the Kia Niro EV GT-Line for $66,590 MSRP and the Volvo C40 Plus variant for $78,990 MSRP.
The most affordable rival is the newcomer, Renault Megane E-Tech for $64,990 but it's important to note the E-Tech is only offered in a mid-spec variant for the Australian market at the moment.
Compared to it's rivals, the flagship electric Kona is well-priced but it’s a hefty $20K jump up from the equally equipped top petrol version.
Being top dog, you should expect a host of premium features like a sunroof, heated, ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel and eight-speaker premium Bose audio.
The front seats also feature a 'relaxation mode' where they act as a recliner, providing a comfortable option for charging sessions.
Practical features include a handsfree powered tailgate, 27L frunk storage, remote parking assist (from the key fob), over-the-air updates for the built-in satellite navigation and Hyundai connected services app.
Unusually for an EV, you also get a temporary spare wheel in this model instead of a repair kit.
Other features include some A-grade tech like dual 12.3-inch technology screens, fast USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, and vehicle-to-load function in the form of a three-pin standard house socket so you charge larger appliances.
Holden Trax
The Trax is a front-wheel drive small SUV and the LS is the base-spec variant.Â
Our tester – a MY19 LS with a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission – has a listed price of $24,490 drive away. The Trax LS is available with a five-speed manual gearbox, but it’s matched to a 1.8-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder engine. The turbocharged LS is the way to go, I reckon.
The LS has a stack of standard features for the price, including Holden’s MyLink multimedia system, with a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity, USB port and power socket up front, cruise control, rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, as well as hill-start assist, hill-descent control, and more. No Trax has AEB.
Our test vehicle has 17-inch alloy wheels with a space-saver spare.
It has an Absolute Red paint exterior; prestige paint colours are available – including Mineral Black, Burning Hot and Abalone White – but they cost an extra $550.
Under the bonnet
Hyundai Kona
The Premium Extended Range model is front-wheel drive and has an electric motor with outputs of 150kW and 255Nm.
It’s not as spritely as some of its rivals but it’s able to hold its own on the open road. Just don't expect it to blow your hair back.
Holden Trax
Our test vehicle has the 1.4-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder iTi petrol engine – producing 103kW at 3000rpm and 200Nm at 1850rpm – matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The turbo gives the Trax a welcome kick in the automotive pants, making the turbo-equipped variant the pick of the bunch.
Efficiency
Hyundai Kona
The official energy consumption figure for the Premium Extended Range model is 16.7kWh/100km and a week of mostly urban road driving resulted in an average of 16.6kWh/100km.
That's very good consumption and the official driving range from the 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery is up to 444km but I’d have my eye on the range on a longer journey.
The top electric Kona has a Type 2 CCS charging port which means you can benefit from faster DC charging speeds.
But it can also accept a top speed of 10.4kW on AC power. On an 11kW AC charger, you can go from 0-100 per cent in a little over 6.5-hours.
The Premium Extended Range model can only accept up to 100kW on DC charging, which is lower than its rivals, and you can go from 10-80 per cent in just over an hour on a 50kW system and in as little as 45 minutes on an 100kW system.
Again, it's figures are a tad slower and lower than rivals but not inconvenient for everyday use.
Holden Trax
This Trax has a claimed fuel consumption of 6.7L/100km (combined). We clocked up more than 300km of highway and back-roads driving, with a smattering of gravel-road driving thrown in. We recorded 10.7L/100km, which is much thirstier than claimed.Â
Driving
Hyundai Kona
The top model's single motor delivers smooth power in most instances but you can lose traction if your accelerate too quickly from a standstill.
Mostly urban kilometres covered during this test and despite the Kona not having the punchiest motor, I’ve still had moments of it feeling zippy.
The steering feels like it’s in the middle of firm and makes for responsive manoeuvring. You get some roll when cornering and the car can feel a bit light-footed when you’re shooting across traffic but otherwise it's well-balanced.
The ride comfort is very good in terms of suspension, where it feels well-cushioned but not too floaty.
Road noise isn’t intrusive, either, but there's some wind noise, even at lower speeds.
It’s an old gripe but the speed-sign recognition tech in a lot of Hyundai and Kia models is intrusive and annoying with how often it chimes at you.
It's worth the effort to turn off the warning sounds every time you drive, particularly if you're in the city. Usually, this would be in the safety section but it affects the driving enjoyment.
When it comes to parking, the Kona's compact dimensions make it your best friend in a car park. A fabulously clear 360-degree camera system also helps.
Holden Trax
Driving position is high, steering is quite sharp and handling is tight and controlled, so there’s plenty of welcome driver involvement from the get-go.Â
The turbocharged engine makes for a lively and responsive drive and, combined well with the six-speed auto, this 1376kg Trax offers up plenty of zip from stop-starts and oodles of oomph for smooth overtaking.
Ride is very firm, bordering on harsh, with rear-seat passengers* especially feeling the lumps and bumps of irregular road surfaces by way of the tight suspension. (*I believe my children.)Â
Interior space is not an issue though as everyone can manage head and shoulders nicely in the tall cabin. The seats are lacking in full support though, making long trips not such an appealing proposition, and in-cabin noise builds early and becomes quite hard on your ears.
Safety
Hyundai Kona
The 2024 electric Kona has a long list of safety systems but surprisingly its previous-generation model’s five-star ANCAP safety score hasn’t been matched, with the new version getting four stars from testing in 2023.
Penalty points have been applied across a few items and its individual protection scores for vulnerable road users and safety assist systems are at 64 per cent and 62 per cent, respectively.Â
The Kona has seven airbags, including a front centre airbag and a highlight feature is the blind-spot view monitor which shows you a camera feed of your blind spot on the dashboard.
Other standard features include blind-spot monitoring, driver attention warning, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, full LED lights, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree view camera system, as well as front, rear and side parking sensors.
The Kona has AEB with forward collision warning which is operational from 5.0-85km/h for pedestrian and vulnerable road user detection and 10-180km/h for car detection.
For any families out there, the Kona has ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.
Holden Trax
The Trax has a five-star ANCAP rating as a result of testing in August 2013.
The LS has six airbags (including full-length curtain airbags), dusk-sensing headlights, reversing camera, rear-parking sensors, hill-start assist and hill descent control.
Ownership
Hyundai Kona
Servicing costs for the Hyundai Kona are quite expensive for the class and you can pre-purchase one, two or three services. Services cost $520 (one service), $1040 (two services), or $1560 (three services). It's typical to see EV servicing sit closer to the $250 mark.
Warranty terms are pretty typical, though, the Kona coming with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery covered by an eight-year, or up to 160,000km warranty term.
Servicing intervals are every two years or 30,000km, whichever occurs first.
Holden Trax
The Trax has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and service intervals are recommended at 15,000km/nine months.