2018 Hyundai Kona revealed

KUALA LUMPUR: After a series of teasers and spy shots, the South Korean automaker has finally taken the wraps off the much-awaited Hyundai Kona. The 2018 Hyundai Kona is positioned in the B-segment crossover segment and features the company’s all-new design philosophy. The upcoming crossover is not only aggressive but, it is sporty as well.

 

With 2018 Kona, Hyundai is looking to set a new standard in the crossover segment with its advanced technology, segment-leading safety features, and appealing design language. The crossover is designed for the ones who prefer a lot of adventure and love to conquer challenging terrains.

The low wide stance and unique silhouette of Kona reflect the futuristic design language of Hyundai. The dual headlight design with bottom equipped with ‘composite lamps’ gives Kona a unique appeal. The upper section gets the slim LED daytime running lights (DRLs) with integrated turn signals. The cascading grille, which will be a part of the rest of the company’s model in future further adds a sporty quotient to the front profile.

 

2018 Kona gets its rugged styling through black body claddings, wheel lip moldings, and five-spoke directional alloy wheels. Whereas the rear profile of the car gets slim stop lamps, stacked lights with turn signals, reverse lights, and rear foglights. The interiors are still under cover but, looking at the compact dimensions and a sleek roofline, Hyundai is confident on Kona’s interior space.

Considering the feature list of the crossover, it will be offered with a touchscreen infotainment system with varied screen sizes, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other features include automatic climate control, wireless smartphone charging, soft-touch materials and contrasting cabin trim pieces. The new platform of Kona not only gives improved ground clearance, it also gives an elevated seating position for better visibility.

Hyundai has been able to achieve this by optimizing the underfloor layout with the 4WD drivetrain and exhaust system. Even the rear suspension was optimized for easy access of the rear occupants. The rear row can be folded flat, which makes way for your excessive luggage. There is a wide list of engine options offered with 2018 Kona which include a 2.0-litre MPI inline-four with 149 PS maximum power and 179 Nm peak torque. Second in the list is a 1.6 T-GDI which churns out 177 PS maximum power and 256 Nm peak torque.

There is also a 1.0-litre T-GDI inline three-cylinder engine that delivers 120 PS maximum power and 172 Nm peak torque and a 1.6-litre turbodiesel whose details were not shared by Hyundai. 2018 Hyundai Kona will come with Front-wheel-drive (FWD) as standard with an option of 4WD. The FWD variant will be equipped with torsion beam rear axle while the 4WD will be offered with a multi-link suspension layout.

The list of safety features include forward collision assist, lane keep assist, high beam assist, and driver attention warning. Kona will be also able to alert a driver about rear cross traffic with the help of an onboard radar system.