2023 vs. 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric

Today we compare new vs. old with the 2023 Kona EV. We discuss what has changed, our thoughts and some of the repairs over 4.5 years.
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[@user-ph5me6zk3t]

I have 2019 model with 60k miles and getting 320 miles of range in summer in UK its brilliant.

[@livewirereview]

We top out around 484km with ours in the summer. (About 300 miles)

[@docification94]

Got my new 2023 in December, was quoted as getting 480-490 in ideal conditions. I am getting 500-560 and not even going easy on it.

[@labnovodentelamego6107]

​@@docification94do you have heat pump? What's the average range in highways speed at 110 kmh?

[@labnovodentelamego6107]

​@@livewirereviewdo you have heat pump? What's the average range in highways speed at 110 kmh ?

[@labnovodentelamego6107]

do you have heat pump? What's the average range in highways speed at 110 kmh

[@ThalassTKynn]

I just bought a 2020 Kona EV today and I'm super happy about it. So far everything you said checks out for me.

[@livewirereview]

I'm happy to hear that! My friend just bought a 2019 Kona Electric too, and she's also very happy with hers!

[@AlainODea]

Love our 2022 and 2023 Kona Electrics. Amazing vehicles. Easy parking is a real thing. These are super short for how much interior room they have!

[@livewirereview]

They fit in our garage beautifully!

[@AlainODea]

@@livewirereview same here. I had to squeeze our Subaru Ascent in when we had that. There is space to park them and work on the Kona EVs, especially since I now have your vid on how to lift them and support them properly! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp_CnJusnrCJa8ksi=AZR5-x8DzPFY0WdQ

[@homestreetboyz]

Looking at buying used 2019 Kona with 50 K, this is very helpful!

[@livewirereview]

Thank you! Keep those brakes serviced every spring!

[@alanseetwo9982]

Thanks for the video. Just have my 2020 Kona 64kwh Premium SE in the UK and learn a lot from your video. Especially the secret of hiding the degradation (clever) and the issue of the 12v battery.

[@livewirereview]

Great choice! Still under factory warranty, too. I love how easy it is to park, which is probably very handy in the UK.

[@gp2003gt]

Great video, thank you!

[@livewirereview]

You're welcome!

[@dr.jaytrotter7485]

Great video! Helped me make my decision. Thank you!

[@livewirereview]

You're very welcome. My friend just bought the same car too!

[@computerbob06]

Finally, I've found a review/guide from a fellow taller driver. Looking to get a 2020 Kona EV, so will still have at least a good year+ on the warranty (UK). Great that you've mentioned the 12v issue, people have said about it on the forums I've seen. I'm wondering if I could get better front end grip from Pirelli's or something, so this was good to see I would probably prefer the Niro, but here in the UK they're about 2-3k more (like for like) so it may have to be a Kona! A good honest review from you 2, that's very refreshing on YT!

[@livewirereview]

You'll love the higher seating position in this car! A nice bonus is that the Kona has a little more range than the Niro due to a different final drive gear ratio. If you need to change out the 12v battery at any time, a 96R battery fits with the small tabs trimmed. This makes it easier to pick one off the shelf rather than wait for Hyundai to order one in. As for tires, I made the mistake of ordering sticky summer tires. They cost around 50km of range and you still get some lift due to the geometry of the suspension. Thanks for the comments! We really appreciate them.

[@ozzi958]

@@livewirereview The original battery in my 21 kona was just so small. I believe it was like 45ah battery. Changed it to a 100ha battery and no issues since then even with below freezing temperatures (3-5 months a year).

[@livewirereview]

@ozzi958 same here! We put a 96R battery in, and it's been just fine 🙂.

[@cmarshall4559]

I bought a 23 but ended up liking more and keeping my 19. Both excellent cars.

[@livewirereview]

We still have our 19 and our friend just got a 19 as well!

[@diydrivenGA]

Watching from the US as the EV market has come down a bit and now might be time to adopt an EV. Hyundai ICE engines are sus, but their EVs are well engineered. Between an KEV ultimate or a I5 SEL....the latter being a bit pricey still. Great video!

[@livewirereview]

I agree completely! I took a job at Hyundai because of their EV tech. The body steel and build quality is great but their ICE engines are sus.

[@Peppermint1]

Seized brake pads on ALL Canadian Hyundai and KIA models (including the EVs). Hyundai and KIA have designed the brake pads to fit very tight on the caliper brackets. After one winter, the rust on the pad metal base will cause the pad to get completely seized on the caliper bracket, causing the pads not to retract properly when not braking, causing very premature wear on the pads. It's actually very difficult to even remove the pads from inside the caliper, need to force with a flat screw driver. Hyundai is now coating the pads 'legs' with copper grease to prevent rust. Another severe problem is completely seized electric parking brake securing screws (two tiny torx screws). These completely seize after 1 winter, meaning impossible to separate the motor from the caliper. On the reliability of the Kona EV. 2019-2020 models have premature problems with bearings on motor and transfer gear, especially in cold climates and with drivers that 'push' the motor. Another annoying problem in Canadian climate: when stored outside in winter weather, snow will melt inside the charging door hinge then will freeze causing the door not to open. Better bring the car inside a heated garage to have the ice melt and be able to open the door for charging. The original calcium 12V battery is poor, when it fails doors won't unlock, car is 100% dead. Need to unlock door with mechanical key, open hood, recharge 12V battery, even if main battery is fully charged. Hyundai is replacing the 12V battery with standard acid-lead - good idea to do so before the original one fails Main Li-Ion battery. Mine was outside the recall period and still failed - electrical error message - at only 20,000 kms. Replaced by Hyundai, took 6 months due to shortage

[@livewirereview]

You're right about tight brake pads. Especially in the rear. All Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chrysler, Hyundai/Kia, and other Asian brands all seize brakes early here. We service EV/hybrid brakes every spring. As for motor and reducer, there is a TSB for this and Hyundai will replace mounts, then reducer, then motor (if required) all under warranty. It's due to a rumble sensation at a specific speed range. When replacing the 12v, a 96R battery will fit. That should be an easier trip to your local battery supplier. Check out our battery rebuild video. We had one hybrid battery with a bad cell. One bad cell means the whole thing has to come out. Hyundai is launching a battery rebuild course sometime soon. I'll report back after we attend.

[@Peppermint1]

@@livewirereview Great info

[@boredKiwi]

I bought my MY 2019 base model in 2018, in NZ, the first in my region, because of the heat pump and massive range. I got used to the FWD and tires in a few weeks and don't have any major issues with brake rust. I still like the car because I've adapted to the few quirks and the local dealer service is competent. I think you'll find the 2023 has a disk cleaning function if you hold down Auto Hold for a few seconds. Obviously that just turns off foot-brake blended regen. The only actual defect in at least the 2019-2021 (and possibly up to 2023) is that the GRU has a minor design mistake that means initial break-in particles are not properly sequestered and in a very few case a tapping noise results. A gear oil change by 1,000 km is a good idea for any new 2023 Kona. Once past that the benefit of an oil change diminishes to about zero by 20,000 km as the damage is done. I haven't had a problem myself but it's really only the luck of the draw. If you open up a failed GRU you will find the internal magnet is loose and missing the debris it should be holding. The 2024+ Kona is of course an entirely new design and avoids this issue, as with the 2023+ Niro. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LYio2GidCWo6s

[@livewirereview]

I recently serviced a 2019 Kona EV that doesn't drive on our overly salted roads. The brakes were still at 10mm at 54000km! The gear reduction unit actually doesn't have a magnet on the drain plug... I have changed the fluid on a few of them so far. We change around 50 to 60,000km as it's fairly dark at that mileage. It's odd because the transfer case on ICE Hyundai products uses a magnet on the drain plug, but not the EV reduction gears... I'm glad to hear yours is working well! Ours is 4.5 years old with 85,000km, and we still have the original wiper blades on it. Thanks for your comments!

[@livewirereview]

Just saw your video. Looks like they just placed the magnet in the bottom. It's not very useful, considering we clean those off when we change transfer case oil.

[@boredKiwi]

@@livewirereview, fixed, non-serviceable particle magnets are fairly common in ICE automatics as well as a 1950s 3-speed Saginaw manual I once opened up. These are not intended to need cleaning over the vehicle's expected lifespan. Magnetic filters used in industrial applications of course are always serviceable. Hyundai's mistake was allowing it to rattle. Oddly the Kia Soul EV from 2014 has a similar design to the Ioniq, Kona and Niro but the magnet is square and fits closely in the pocket. I wouldn't be surprised if a production planner at MOBIS (their powertrain division) found a cheaper round magnet and got the engineering change signed off without anyone recognising the long term implications, which in my estimation has cost them a few $ million. Another amusing note is that Hyundai offer a "Plug - Magnet" which looks identical to the existing plug. Three Kona EV owners ordered this part from their dealer and in all 3 cases the delivered plug turned out to be NOT magnetic.

[@svetvn]

👍

[@xPorkchops007x]

AFAIK heat pump is not available in the US on any Kona EV

[@livewirereview]

Higher trims in the US get heat pumps. Lower trims were offered without to cut costs in warmer areas.

[@melikesutube]

How tall are you?

[@livewirereview]

6'1". That's why I was surprised when I fit in the back seat. I don't fit in the back of the huge Ioniq 6, though, for comparison.

[@melikesutube]

@@livewirereview thanks, that’s some good headroom for a small suv!

[@audriusa5368]

Another talking heads video with 100 accelerations tests. Have you guys dont want one day film smth different? A car probably? How Kona acting with ACC downhill, how its learning regeneration and so on? Personaly me, Im not interested to watch 17 min of mens beards. Or maybe its barber video?

[@livewirereview]

I like the constructive comments! I always add little ideas that I find in the comments to future videos. Since we're licensed technicians, we like to add reliability and repair based questions to our reviews and often cover what it's like from an owner's perspective. My first couple reviews covered far too much information and ended up over 30 minutes long. We have found that most people watching reviews only want an 8 to 13 minute video with a few key points. In this one, we mentioned the suspension as it was a standout for us and repair expectations as it's more budget conscious. ACC downhill uses regen and is very smooth, but it doesn't learn in this one. That's more of a feature you'll find in the Toyota Prius Prime. Smart regen in this car just uses radar to change the level of regen braking depending on a vehicle in front of you. Take a look at my recent 2024 Kona review. Leave a comment there on what I might be missing that you want to see in the future. I have no problem adding in new ideas, and thank you very much for the comments!