The facelifted Hyundai Kona Electric compact SUV is now available to order in the UK with prices starting at just over £30,000. The revamped EV comes with slightly more range and a modified exterior design, as well as extra equipment and a revised trim level structure.
Externally, the Kona Electric has been brought into line with the latest Hyundai offerings, with a new-look grille, new headlights and remodelled aerodynamics. Inside, meanwhile, there’s now a standard-fit digital instrument cluster, plus a standard 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system, which comes with Bluelink app technology and a Krell sound system.
As before, customers will get a choice of two powertrains, with the basic variant providing a 39.2 kWh battery and a 134 bhp electric motor to offer a range of 189 miles from a single charge. Alternatively, you can have the 64 kWh battery, which comes with a 201 bhp electric motor and gives you enough juice to travel up to 300 miles on a charge.
Both powertrains come with two charging cables – a standard three-pin lead for domestic plugs and a Type 2 CCS lead for faster charging. If you use a 100 kW charging point, it’ll take 47 minutes to charge the 39.2 kWh battery, while a 7.2 kWh domestic wallbox will take six hours to manage the same feat.
Customers also get a choice of three trim levels, with the existing Premium model sandwiched between the new SE Connect and Ultimate models. Opting for the cheapest version, the SE Connect, limits you to the smaller battery pack, but you do get the aforementioned navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and keyless entry.
Stepping up to the Premium trim, which starts at £31,475 once the government’s £3,000 Plug-In Car Grant is applied, gives you the choice of both powertrains. Both come with full LED headlights, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, not to mention front parking sensors, automatic windscreen wipers and a wireless phone charging pad. There’s extra safety kit, too, with blind-spot monitoring that warns you when a vehicle has strayed into the blind spot over your shoulder.
Finally, the range is crowned by the Ultimate trim, which starts at £37,375 and comes with the 64 kWh battery pack as standard. It also adds an electric sunroof and a head-up display, plus leather upholstery, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.
More on the latest-generation Kona:
“Kona Electric has been a fundamental player in the UK’s fast growing electric vehicle market and the latest updates will see us continue to offer customers a truly viable fully electric model that meets their expectations in terms of cost, range and equipment levels,” said Ashley Andrew, the managing director of Hyundai Motor UK.”
Gallery: 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric