Hyundai Kona 100% petrol: certainly affordable but is it interesting?

Already available in hybrid and electric versions, the compact SUV Kona introduces two new purely thermal engines.

It takes all types to make a world. Because electric cars are not for everyone and hybrid vehicles can be very expensive for a minimal gain in consumption, Hyundai is returning to basics: 100% thermal.

Never mind if this somewhat muddles the message of modernity; there are sales to be captured. But what about the real relevance? Let’s see.

First, let’s note that two thermal engines appear on the Hyundai Kona. The first is a very modest 1.0-liter turbo engine producing 100 horsepower, paired with a manual transmission, and its consumption is rated at 5.7 liters per 100 km. Its price starts at 27,600 euros, to which a environmental tax of 280 euros must be added due to the 129 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometer. Thus, a total of 27,880 euros.

The second option is a 1.6-liter turbo engine producing 138 horsepower, paired with an automatic transmission, with consumption rising to 6.3 liters per 100 km. The emissions soar to 141 g of CO2/km, meaning an additional environmental tax of 1,074 euros must be added to a starting price of 32,800 euros (higher Creative trim), totaling 33,874 euros.

What about the hybrid and electric versions?

In the hybrid version, the Kona offers 129 horsepower and starts at 33,800 euros, with no additional taxes. Thus, the price difference compared to the same thermal trim with 100 horsepower is 5,920 euros, but with equal Creative trim, this gap drops to 2,276 euros. With a difference of 1.5 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers, and with the average price of a liter being 1.8 euros in August 2024, it would take 84,300 km to recoup the costs of the hybrid version. Ouch!!

As for the electric version, the Kona starts at 36,850 euros, but thanks to the ecological bonus (it is produced in Europe) of 4,000 euros, its entry-level price drops to 32,850 euros. In Creative trim, it climbs to 33,850 euros, almost the same price, with just a few euros difference, as the other engines! Well done Hyundai.

The power is slightly higher in the electric version with 156 horsepower, but the weight also increases. Nevertheless, the overall experience is much better. There is one caveat, though: the reduced real-world range of 300 km with the small 48 kW battery. But one cannot expect operating costs to be reduced by a factor of three without a downside.

Conclusion

The Hyundai Kona electric in Creative trim remains our top choice, as from the first kilometers, its engine is amortized compared to the 129 horsepower gasoline models or the 138 horsepower hybrid. When not in competition, the small 100 horsepower engine does have the advantage of being somewhat more affordable, but there are much more interesting and powerful alternatives with discounts, like a Renault Arkana with 140 horsepower, for example.

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