2020 Hyundai Kona – 2.0L NA And 1.6-Turbo, Hyundai Smart Sense, Other Details Confirmed

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia, confirmed a few more details surrounding their new Kona crossover, which is set to debut locally sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. Yesterday, HSDM opened the order books for the new Kona, confirming that its base price would begin at “RM11x,xxx.”

Since then, HSDM has gone on to confirm a few more details. The powertrain question has been answered, with HSDM confirming that there will be a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox (149PS/179Nm, 0-100km/h in 10s), alongside a 1.6-litre Turbo-Gasoline Direct Injection mill (177PS/265Nm, 0-100km/h in 7.7-seconds). The engines will be split across Standard, Mid, and High variants, with the Turbo engine limited for the flagship High model.

With the tree trims, there will (naturally) be a difference in specification. Standard cars will run on 17-inch alloys, while the Mid and High variants will run on 18-inch units. Standard models will also make do with halogen illumination at the front and bulb-type lights at the rear, while the Mid model will add LED headlights and taillights.

The High model will benefit from Hyundai’s Smart Sense suite of active safety kit, which will bundle in autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist, as well as intelligent high-beam.

Further differentiation will be inside, where the Standard model will make do with manually-adjustable front seats and basic air-conditioning, while the Mid and High models will add a powered driver’s seat and single-zone climate control. The Mid and High models also get a heads-up display as standard, though all models will get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, mated to 6 speakers.

In a press release, HSDM has confirmed that the Kona will be arriving as a fully-imported model built in Hyundai’s plant in Ulsan, South Korea. With the Kona, Hyundai’s number of SUV offerings will rise to three, with the Kona joining the Tucson and Santa Fe. They have also confirmed that the Kona is set to go on sale in Q4 of this year. 

Measuring in at 4,165mm long, 1,800mm wide, 1,550mm tall sitting on a 2,600mm wheelbase, the Kona is shorter, lower, but wider than the segment-conquering Honda HR-V which it will have to compete with upon arrival.

Notably, HSDM has gone on to reveal that the new Kona will be offered with LED headlights, as well as a heads-up display projecting key driving information directly into the driver’s line of sight.

“We are excited about the launch of the Kona as it’s an entirely new product for us in this segment and we are reassured of a good response for the Kona. The Compact SUV is in great demand not only in Malaysia, but globally as well.”

Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director, Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia

Launched in 2017, the Kona has gone on to be a major sales success for the Korean marque, racking up more than 600,000 sales across the globe (excluding Hybrid and Electric variants). With multiple awards under its belt, the Kona is set to shake up the Malaysian market rather substantially upon arrival.

The question of price however remains unanswered. Hyundai has teased on its website that the Kona will go on sale for “RM11x,xxx” which suggests a price between RM110k and RM120k. This would put it above the Honda HR-V price-wise, but below the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR. That’s a pretty remarkable price-point given that the Kona is set to arrive as a CBU-import – the Toyota C-HR is also fully-imported, and its RM144k price tag doesn’t do it any favours. 

We expect to see the three variants range between RM110k and RM130k upon arrival, but of course, this is merely educated guessing at this point. 

The Hyundai Kona will certainly have a lot to contend with upon arrival. In addition to the Honda HR-V that’s dominated the segment since its launch, rivals like the aforementioned Mazda CX-3, Toyota C-HR, as well as other rivals like the Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008, as well as upcoming rivals like the Kia Seltos and PROTON X50. 

GALLERY: Hyundai Kona Turbo