2022 Hyundai Kona N SUV

The Hyundai Kona N line trim is priced around $29,000, and offers all the bells and whistles available in the more premium variants of the Kona. Therefore, we expect the performance variant Hyundai Kona N to feature all the comforts and conveniences provided in the N-line crossover, and more. Apart from accessories and tech, the Kona N features sporty styling, performance parts, and performance tech like launch control

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Teh Hyundai Kona N is an interesting prospect for the crossover segment, for it brings higher levels of performance into a segment where you need not worry about grounding out on any speed bumps or potholes. The sales of the Kona N will definitely change the crossover segment and bring more performance-oriented vehicles if the Kona N is a success. Therefore, we absolutely recommend you purchase the Kona N and figure out what high-performance crossovers at a decent price are all about.

Under the hood of the 2022 Hyundai Kona N will be a bigger and more powerful engine than the regular Kona trim levels. It is a 2.0L turbocharged Inline-4 unit producing 280 HP and 289 lb-ft of torque.

The engine is paired with an 8-speed wet DCT with rev-matching. If you are serious about performance, there is a dedicated N Mode that comes with launch control functionality as well.

But the power delivery is not as simple as you might think. Most of the time, it will be delivering around 276 HP. 

*speculated specs

Then you have one red button on the steering wheel, which when you press it, will churn out an additional 10 HP from the engine for a 20-second burst, upping the power output to 286 HP. This overboost feature will particularly come in handy during overtaking maneuvers.

Since the official performance figures of the upcoming Kona N have not been released by the company yet, and since the car has not yet been officially released in the market yet, it is a bit too early to judge the performance quotient of the car. But judging from its power output, even though it might not be the fastest in its segment, it will still be on par with most of its competitors.

How does the 2022 Hyundai Kona Handle?

As mentioned earlier, the 2022 Hyundai Kona is getting a host of performance upgrades on top of the ridiculously powerful engine under the hood. The performance upgrades include an electronic limited-slip differential, which Hyundai calls it as the “N-Corner Carving Differential”. Then you have an N-tuned 4-wheel independent electronically-controlled suspension setup, for the driver to be able to push the car to its limits around the corners.

With all the power on tap, you need some serious stopping power as well. For that, the Kona N comes with high-performance 14.2” rotors at the front. It also has a bespoke rack-mounted electric power steering with a quick steering ratio.

There isn’t any official information about the mileage figures of the upcoming Kona N yet. But since the Kona N is significantly more powerful than the regular Kona variant, its mileage figures are naturally expected to be lower than the regular Kona.

Since there are no official mileage figures for the 2022 Kona N yet, let us take a look at the mileage figures of the regular 2022 Kona for reference. The regular Kona is powered by a 1.6L turbo-4 unit under the hood, producing a maximum of 195 HP and 195 lb-ft of torque. 

*speculated specs

With that unit under the hood, the regular Kona can deliver 27 MPG in the city, and 32 MPG on the highway, giving a combined mileage of 29 MPG, which are pretty decent figures. You can expect the Kona N to lose around 5 MPG overall for the extra power output from the engine.

Since there are no official mileage figures for the upcoming Kona N from the company yet, it is not yet very feasible to judge how it will fare against the competition in terms of fuel economy. Nonetheless, from the power output figures, it is expected to be in a very similar ballpark with most of its competitors.

The interior of the performance-oriented Kona N will be a bit more bespoke than the regular Kona. It will come with race-inspired N Design sports seats. The steering wheel will also get the same treatment. The leather-wrapped steering wheel will have the N Logo on it, and the paddle shifters and N Mode switch on it mean business.

Just like any other Hyundai, the quality of the materials used and the overall build quality of the interior should be pretty upscale for the segment. As for the design, it might not be the most eye-catching interior, but it is still on par with the competition and is pretty relevant for its time.

*speculated specs

The interior dimensions of the Hyundai Kona N have not been shared by the company yet, but it should be pretty similar to the regular Kona, if not the same.

That being said, some of the standout interior features of the 2022 Hyundai Kona includes:

• N Design sports seats
• Multi-functional leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters and an overboost button
• N Logo leather-wrapped shift knob with blue accented stitching

As for the safety of the passengers you can expect features like Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), and all these sorts of advanced active safety features.

2022 Hyundai Kona N: Infotainment and Connectivity

The 2022 Hyundai Kona N will come with a large 10.25” central touchscreen display for the infotainment system, along with a 10.25” display for the gauge cluster for the driver as well. For smartphone integration, it has what Hyundai calls the “Hyundai Digital Key” which will enable you to use your smartphone to unlock the car. 

The 2022 model also has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The standard infotainment system of Hyundai is not the most convenient in the world in terms of usability, but Android Auto and Apple CarPlay should make things easier.You get all of your connectivity features like Bluetooth and USB Ports. Inbuilt navigation also comes as standard. And you get a wireless charging pad to charge your smartphone as well.As for listening to music, it will come equipped with a premium Harman Kardon unit with a total of 8-speakers around the car.

Some of the standout infotainment features of the Kona N include the following:

• The 10.25-inch digital instrument panel
• The 10.25-inch central touchscreen infotainment display
• Inbuilt navigation
• Hyundai Digital Key
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
• Wireless charging pad

For the 2022 model, the standard Kona lineup itself gets a restyled exterior. On top of that, the Kona N gets a sporty treatment with all the N-Tuned design elements, which makes it stand out from the regular Kona variants.

For starters, it has a Black N Design grille with the N Badge on it. It also has an N Design 19-inch alloy wheel with Pirelli P-Zero high-performance tires on it. The rest of the bodywork also has some N Design elements with red accents on it so that people can easily identify it being the more performance-oriented Kona N. 

The specially developed sports exhaust system with the dual exhaust tip and the rear diffuser with the red accent also means business.

*speculated specs

The Hyundai Kona N is not a very long car, especially if we compare it with its competitors. It has one of the shortest wheelbases in the competition as well. But that does not compromise its interior spaciousness, which is a plus. The smaller dimension means that you can easily navigate through tight city traffic.

Exterior highlights of the 2022 Hyundai Kona N

• Sporty grille and aerodynamic accents
• Wider wheel arches
• Primary colour-matched bumpers
• Distinct styling with respect to the Hyundai Kona

The hot-hatch segment is a pretty tough segment to compete in. It is a pretty niche segment of its own, and there are a lot of things to get it right to be able to make a statement in this part of the market. 

That being said, the 2022 Hyundai Kona N seems to be pretty promising, to say the least. Although technically, the Hyundai Kona is not a hatchback, but an SUV, it will actually compete with all the hot-hatches in the market. It makes sense both in terms of its price point, and how the average customer will use their Kona N. 

Although being a crossover SUV, it is more of an urban runabout vehicle, which feels more at home on-road than going off-road. Although it is a bit early to judge the overall quality of the upcoming Kona N, it seems promising enough to be worth the wait, to say the least.