Hyundai has stepped into the electric car market with the new Kona Electric — a zero emissions SUV. Hyundai is describing the car as Australia’s first 100% electric small SUV and is taking pride in adding to the environmentally safer car market.
About the Kona Electric:
The award winning zero emissions SUV, The Kona Electric has a complete driving range of 450km and costs approximately $59,990 AUD, which is pretty affordable considering the technological advancements and the long-term cost-effectiveness.
The Kona Electric is, of course, an electric car, meaning that is completely petrol-free. While this can usually put people off, as change is always confronting, the additional cost-saving features that come with an electric car may change your mind.
Such advantages include scheduled charging – this means you can choose your preferred charging times for off-peak electricity rates. Not only that, but due to the lack of a petrol motor, you’re even saving money on servicing, as there are less parts to be serviced. These cost-effective features really do change how you see the initial price, as the long-term savings will easily make it worth it.
Kona Electric Design:
But how does it look? The Kona Electric comes in six different exterior colours: Chalk White, Phantom Black, Galactic Grey, Ceramic Blue, Lake Silver, and Pulse Red. Despite the fun names, the Kona really only offers a basic colour palette with nothing new to offer. However, the Pulse Red is a metallic, blood red and is very nice.
Hyundai also offers a two-toned roof with the Kona, which comes in Phantom Black, Chalk White, or Dark Night. The exterior of the car looks somewhat bulbous, but, despite its size, handles surprisingly well, feeling less bulky on the road. The exterior features are a nice touch. The rear windows, or privacy windows as Hyundai puts it, are tinted, creating some sense of privacy for your passengers/children. If you were worried about how the charging port looks, then don’t fret. It is concealed in the front grille, allowing the Kona to keep its sleek and professional look.
The interior, which is only available in Phantom Black, does feel a little cheap, as it contains some cheap-looking plastic trim. However, the features of the interior more than make up for it. Features include a multimedia touchscreen (including both Apple Play and Android Auto); a bridge-console that allows both passenger and driver to control climate and storage; and supervision virtual cluster, that displays speed and how much charge is remaining in your car. However, one feature I haven’t decided whether I like or not is the gear stick. Or, rather, lack of gear stick, as it isn’t a stick at all but a cluster of buttons. While this is easier to use and does look more efficient, the change from the familiar seems unnecessary and could cause some issues.
Kona Electric Safety Features:
The Kona Electric features an upgraded version of ‘Hyundai SmartSense’, our cutting-edge suite of driver safety technologies. Each of these technologies has one thing in common… they’ve all been developed to alert you to (and help you avoid) any dangers around you. This Hyundai model features; Smart Cruise Control, Driver Attention Warning, Blind Spot and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist.
Regarding the vehicle’s drive, the Kona Electric drives easy and turns beautifully. The tight lock steering helps make parking easy and handling the car a dream. However, the tires don’t keep the road noise out, and can make a long drive on a bumpy road a little loud.
Overall, the Kona Electric from Hyundai is a well-made SUV that handles well and will save you some extra pocket change in the long-run. Plus, the additional environmentally sound bonuses make it the car to buy. Book in for a test drive today, for more visit: https://www.hyundai.com/au/en/cars/suvs/kona/kona-electric
