Why So Popular? | 2018 Hyundai Kona 2.0 & 1.6T Review

[@PRNTestDrive]

We mention in our video the plethora of other subcompact crossover SUVs sold in Canada. Off the top of our head, without doing any online searching, we can think of the following vehicles sold in the country, including premium and luxury segment, that all fit into the subcompact crossover market. And in no particular order: Ford EcoSport Buick Encore Chevrolet Trax Jeep Renegade Mazda CX-3 Honda HR-V Toyota C-HR Nissan Qashqai (Technically compact I believe) Nissan Kicks BMW X1 (Technically compact) Audi Q3 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Infiniti QX40 (Same as above) Lexus UX 250h Kia Soul Kia Niro Fiat 500 XL Subaru XV Crosstrek (Kinda) Mitsubishi RVR

[@kridreklaw]

Hello from Dallas Texas my Kona Limited rocks. It's loaded withfeatures including leather and turbo! Got it in chalk white and love the contrast with the cladding. Gets lots of looks and starts a lot of conversations. This Kona Limited is comparable to my friends BMW X1 and Audi Q3 for much less money and not many differences!

[@PRNTestDrive]

You know what, I don't disagree with your last statement. We drove the 2018 BMW X1 xDrive28i and found the interior to be small, hard, and un-BMW, so something like the Kona really does stand up well against it, especially with the excellent build quality and interior fit and finish we noted on both Konas we drove. The turbocharged engine is definitely the one to get, glad you love yours! Like we said at the start of the video, we've noticed a lot of enthusiasts jumping into this model.

[@kridreklaw]

@@PRNTestDrive This is my first Hyundai and I totally agree the build quality is outstanding the car is solid and I got to say the turbo engine does kick some butt. I have a whole outlook on Hyundai! A lot of bang for the buck :-)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Not just the turbo engine, but that DCT! Highly underrated feature or a car like this.

[@kridreklaw]

@@PRNTestDrive very true shifts fast and smooth!!!

[@graemewilliams1308]

I've had my 1.6 T Elite for 15 months in Australia, just clocked up 10,000 KM, no problems with it at all. My mirrors are auto power folding & there are heating/cooling vents for rear passengers located under front seats facing rearwards.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Most vehicles stick the heat vents under the front seats, it's been a common setup for as long as I can remember. We're glad to hear that you're enjoying yours!

[@Tonyx.yt.]

about ride quality, a difference between 1.6 turbo and others engine is on the rear suspension, 1.6 turbo use multilink rear suspension (like i30 and tucson), meanwhile less powerfull version use torsion beam rear suspension

[@PRNTestDrive]

I wish we could have had the 1.6T for a longer time to feel the suspension more, also if we had them back to back would have been ideal.

[@gbsgarage]

Tony it’s the AWD that gets the multi-link rear suspension. Not the engine.

[@techpappee]

North American sub-compact SUV of the year, best selling in Canada a d Kelly Blue Books best buy sub-compact. It's not just popular in Canada.

[@Mohankeneh]

love this car! people buy this car because the want a cuv/suv looking thing, they dont want to pay much (subcompact crossovers are the cheapest), they like the easy in out access (taller than sedans), it has good build quality, the styling is very different and cool. also the base power train is one of the highest in its segment not to mention the 1.6T completely blows the competition out of the park in terms of power (since its the only one in its class to offer a more powerful variant). standard 7 inch touchscreen as well is always very cool. whats not to like?

[@PRNTestDrive]

Definitely going for the more powerful engine is a must for this one! Not many manufacturers are offering multiple engines here in North America.

[@matthewgaines10]

Generally, cars become popular in the mass market because it has a decent cost to feature set ratio. People who buy cars as an appliance generally view cars as a value proposition.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's very true.

[@garretshaver-phillips5828]

i disagree with the sluggish aspect of the 2.0l your talking of. i have the base model (cheapest possible). put that in sport mode and handling stiffens up. while in sport mode use shifttronic and i feel its more the fast enough, even without shifttronic. and dont forget that 2.0l engine is the base the nlines where all built off of. so a very sturdy and well built motor.

[@PRNTestDrive]

As long as it's working for you that's what's important, enjoy it!

[@azaz911c]

Hi Nile, this Kona reminds me of the recently-defunct Nissan Juke: an affordable, subcompact, sporty-ish CUV, with polarizing styling. The Kona is selling at a rate of about 4,500 per month in the US, and 1,500 per month in Canada. The Honda HR-V/Toyota CH-R are selling at a rate of about 9,000/4,000 per month in the US, but only 900/600 per month in Canada. So, on a US/CA breakdown, the Kona seems to be disproportionately popular here in Canada. Why? I suspect the combination of AWD and features at an appealing price. Konas with AWD and the 2.0 engine are priced at about $25,000-$30,000 + tax. And, I suspect Canadian Hyundai dealers are willing to negotiate a little more on price that Honda and Toyota dealers, which typically do not give much room (or so they say). Personally, I'm not a fan of the small CUV craze - they aren't great for cargo room. For about the same price, I'd forego the AWD and choise the Elantra GT (wagon) (interestingly, the Elantra GT's 2.0 and 1.6engines have higher power) Or, if I were looking for a purely city car, I'd take the Kia Rio 5 that you reviewed earlier, and save the $5K to $6K difference. (Whenever I see the Rio 5 on the streets, I think they're quite a little car for $20k new.)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Oh no, they actually killed the Juke?? But the pricing/negotiating does make sense, they might be more flexible to push sales than the competition, I find that Toyota and Honda are usually pretty firm because they don't need to be anything else. We'd take the Elantra GT also, especially with the Ultimate trim and 7DCT, you get a few extra features and the Elantra looks exponentially better.

[@azaz911c]

The amphibian-looking Juke is no longer listed on Nissan Canada's website, having been replaced by the Kicks and Qashqai. In certain colours and in Nismo trim, the Juke is quite cool looking.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Gotta give credit to Nissan for making a Nismo Juke, the market certainly didn't ask for it, but they made it anyway.

[@moeanthony9308]

How do you compare a Rio to a chr or HRV? Take a look at the standard features alone not even mentioning the size. Sorry I disagree

[@myrawilliams2742]

Me

[@fourtysix4646]

1.6T engine sounds all fine and dandy unless you plan on keeping the car for more then a few years. Hyundai has had lots of problems with their direct injection engines. Port injection is the way to go, sure the 2.0 is underpowered when it comes to hp/weight ratio but it will give you many years of slow driving at least.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It’s not just Hyundai that’s had problems with forced induction, BMW’s turbo fours are plagued with problems also.

[@fourtysix4646]

The turbo isn’t the issue with the engines though, it’s the direct injection. All these car manufacturers need to pay Honda to get the rights to reverse engineer the k24 or just put k24’s in every vehicle that planned on having a 4cyl engine in it. All problems solved.

[@joeb2588]

@@fourtysix4646 it's Toyota that came up with gdi with dual injectors per cylinder. There's now gas to wash the valve tops so carbon won't build up. Ford is now using that technology as well. I totally choose the 2.0 mpi, in my 2018 Elantra. Quiet, reliable, over 40mpg , but slow...

[@mr.2cents.846]

The 2.0L sounds a little peppy. And it is no slouch. But if I would buy the Kona, and I'd really love to, I would get the 1.6 L turbo motor with AWD. I know how good it is. I drive one.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It's a pretty good package all around, and that DCT on the 1.6T might be one of the main reasons enthusiasts are picking this over everything else. That might be the answer to our show title's mystery.

[@Tonyx.yt.]

blind spot monitor but not power folding mirror... the opposite as european hyundai i30 the engine feels weak because is atkinson cycle not otto, so less torque and more efficiency, atkinson cycle is used with hybrid vehicle, but them has an electric motor that give a torque boost...

[@PRNTestDrive]

The new Kia Forte is going to be using the same kind of engine, mixed with a CVT. It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out. Not sure why there's no power folding mirrors though, everything from Kia sold here has it, but none of the Hyundais so far that we've driven have. We had driven the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Sonata before starting TestDrive and can't remember if it was an option or not.

[@jessicaacaban5855]

I agree with you it runs slow i thought my kona was having issues but after looking at this video it seems that they are slow in the highway

[@PRNTestDrive]

I'd definitely go for the 1.6L turbo engine if you're in the market for one of these. The 2.0L is ok I suppose if you spend all your time in the city.

[@nighttimestalker]

The fuel economy is nearly identical between the two engines. So idk why they don't just drop the 2.0 TBH. It's just such an out dated weak engine. And would only make sense as a Hybrid option. As it would at least gaine a little more power The 1.6 can push this fantastically tbh. And as of I believe 2020/21 they actually boosted it from 176hp to 196hp. Making it even better

[@PRNTestDrive]

Fair enough!

[@thatebutuoyguy788]

Hi Nile, I agree with your statement mid-video. This car doesn't stand out for me. Inside or out it just has a humdrum presence about it. For some people that is exactly what they are looking for though. That is why Corollas sell so well. I would personally get a CrossTrek over this.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I think the CrossTrek makes more sense than this also, but it's true people do like these!

[@tonydiciero3864]

How much would the 2020 kona ultimate be per month on a 60 month lease.... I'm from Montreal.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Looks like $112.86/Weekly, if you go to Hyundai's website they have a build & price that allows you to see the monthly estimated payments for a lease, it will depend on your down payment, credit history, and any dealer negotiations though, so we strongly recommend contacting your local dealership as we do not guarantee the pricing information off Hyundai Canada's website.

[@805NAVE]

My aunt bought a kona several months ago, she sold a really nice Toyota Solara Convertible for it. I’d much rather have a solara lol, at least my brother has a solara coupe! There just isn’t anything special about the kona.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Nothing special at all. It's something we're focusing on with the 2018 GMC Acadia Denali we just finished up with. We're still not sure why the Kona is so popular here, the 1.6T makes the most sense compared to the 2.0L, but compared to the other 15 subcompact crossovers, it just doesn't stand out.

[@moeanthony9308]

I would have stuck with Toyota and go with chr. Better driving

[@jeanforget5140]

Seen only 2 in the north shore

[@PRNTestDrive]

They're all over the place here! I'll usually spot two on any given day that I drive to Drummondville or Saint Hyacinthe.

[@jeanforget5140]

must have a great dealership

[@IamLeaJane]

You roasted this car

[@PRNTestDrive]

We call it like we see it. We don't understand why other journalists are so googoo about this car.

[@joeb2588]

As long as the reliability isn't jeep Cherokee or dodge calibur.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hyundai has come a long way in the past decade, they've focused on making reliability a factor for their vehicles, unlike the early vehicles brought to North America, like the 1986 Hyundai Pony we featured.

[@joeb2588]

@@PRNTestDrive right. I have a 2018 Elantra SE with the 2.0mpi engine. It's a base model for sure. I even have the manual transmission. I love it. Bought it new. I have almost 50k on it. The engine sounds fantastic. I get get well over 40mpg. I really baby it though. Change the synthetic oil every 4k! I'd buy another hyundai.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Glad to hear it! We’ve done a number of long-term Kia vehicles and never had any problems.

[@joeb2588]

@@PRNTestDrive I purposely chose this engine because there was no turbo, no gdi..very basic fuel injected motor. The trade off is blatant thoug. Not very quick but in the warm weather and wearing all seasons, I get 47-48mpg. That's awesome.. I'm very curious on the long term durability of the 1.6 turbo. Hyundai has been making that engine for a long time now. I wonder how it does with the carbon build up.

[@freeme2705]

I mean 0 to 60 in 7.3 seconds is pretty good baseline for a suv lol

[@PRNTestDrive]

That was more like 11 seconds if you count the timecode on the video, for the 2.0L.

[@10tenman10]

Based on the specs this car seems somewhat underpowered.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's what we felt too, the 1.6L Turbo certainly makes a difference though.

[@Orlandobori]

Those fog lights are Ugly!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Not to mention useless!

[@RM-jj4ut]

I've been thinking the same damn thing since this hideous car came out. I've seen so many on the road and they've been selling like crazy but this thing is so ugly. I don't get it. Given the amazing options in this segment, WHY THIS? If any other auto maker had this vehicle in their lineup it would not sell nearly as much as this car. I guess cause there is so many fans/loyal customers of the Hyundai brand.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's what another commenter had mentioned, perhaps current Hyundai owners are trading in their Accents and Elantras for this. This is one of the most crowded segments in North America now, lots to choose from!

[@mistykeels2918]

I do not own this car, but looking for something for my teen. 1) to some, it’s super cute 2) unbeatable (except VW) warranty. 3) rated one of the safest. 4) rated as reliable 5) cheap with AWD 6) great color options That’s all I got. Again, I don’t own this, but we’re gonna take a peek at it.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That list certainly makes sense. Style is always subjective, so while I personally don’t like it doesn’t mean everyone feels the same way. It’s funny but here in Québec a lot of sales are going to the base FWD model, people are likely trading in their Elantras and Accents and going with this, still FWD but with the ‘security’ of a ‘SUV’.

[@graemewilliams1308]

I traded my unreliable BMW 330 C i on a Turbo Kona 14 months ago. No more Euro cars for me

[@garretshaver-phillips5828]

taste and looks are dependant per person. some people love the ford focus st and to me it looks like a heap of ford shit.

[@hene193]

Holy shit that is an ugly car. I admit I don't like these cheap crossover vehicles at first place but damn...

[@PRNTestDrive]

It's definitely got a unique look to it. But we still think it's taken inspiration from those other vehicles also, it's different.

[@hene193]

In the highly competitive crossover market you have to make these design decisions to stand out. I don't need to like it but if it sells then it's good. But the suspension in these vehicles is usually pretty bad with side to side motion dampering and all the other issues with high center of gravity. I doubt that is a problem in states or canada but in europe with 100km/h speed limits and curvy single lane roads it's pretty bad sometimes. Especially at winter.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It'll be interesting to see how this car does in the winter, since Hyundai launched it here right after the snow melted.

[@roadwarrior280]

The higher the trim,the less sidewall on the tires.I have busted enough tires and rims on potholes.Sad and stupid.Nice car,but the engine sounds way too noisy