2022 Hyundai Kona N First Drive Review: Pint-Sized Pocket Rocket

It’s not often you get to drive a car in a class of one.

That’s what the 2022 Hyundai Kona N is, though. There are quick sub-compact crossovers out there, like the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, but nothing goes as hard as Hyundai’s musclebound little toy.

Along with the new Elantra N, the Kona N is the star of a day at Sonoma Raceway. The pessimistic may dismiss the high-rider as a marketing-led inevitability: it’s a segment sales sensation, so a halo model with lots of shared DNA seems like a safe play. After a day of lapping both cars around the track, flinging them around an autocross course, and driving them on the road, I’m happy to report the Kona N has its own personality. More than that, in some ways its more impressive than the Elantra N.

Like the Elantra N at the same event, the Kona N comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Hyundai engineers have tickled more torque out of the engine than previous years, unlocking 289 pound-feet to go along with the 276 horsepower. A fun push-to-pass button unleashes an additional 10 horsepower in 20-second bursts.

Don’t let the crossover shape fool you: there is no all-wheel drive available. Only the front two wheels will tame all that power, though with the aid of a torque-vectoring, electronic limited-slip differential. There’s also no manual transmission: Hyundai sees the Kona N driver as subtly different from the Elantra N’s, less interested in shifting for themselves. No matter, the excellent eight-speed dual-clutch is more than up to the task.

Platform and suspension stiffening ensure the Kona stays bright-side-up during hotlapping. An adaptive suspension system offers up numerous drive modes without dropping the Kona closer to terra firma. Intricate 19-inch wheels fill the arches, wrapped in Pirelli P Zeroes.

The look is dramatic for something so petite. Aggressive front and rear bumpers give the Kona major hot hatch vibes, though I have to point out some of the intakes are blocked off. The body-color wheel arches visually slam the little crossover to the pavement, too. Its best angle is the rear three-quarter, where the huge split spoiler perches above the hatch, and the two big-bore exhausts punctuate the rear bumper. I wouldn’t call the design pretty, since there’s so much going on, but it works better than it has any right to.

The full Sonoma Raceway layout beckons. Still slightly soggy, it’s a fast track, requiring precise lines through its undulating corners if drivers want even a chance at a quick lap.

Sideways antics were on the menu in the Elantra, and the Kona has a 4.7-inch (120-millimeter) shorter wheelbase, which suggests it’ll be even more eager to rotate. As it turns out, the Kona is the more stable steer, though it still allows for quick, controlled direction changes. Throw it at a corner and the torque vectoring e-LSD quickly figures out how much power it can send to each 235-section contact patch. Get heavy on the trail-braking and the Kona will adopt a bit of angle, but rediscovers grip progressively.

The heavy steering provides solid feedback on what the front axle is up to, weighting up nicely as the lateral g-forces build. There’s noticeably more roll here than in the touring car-flat Elantra, but that’s just the Kona telegraphing where the limits are. Even through compressions, the Kona is never flustered, and the brakes refuse to show signs of fade, even after a day of lapping.

Taking the Kona N autocrossing is even more illuminating. The compact dimensions make it a joy to thread between the cones. There’s a bit of scrappy torque steer coming out of the tightest turns, but that adds to the fun: the Kona N refuses to be a simple point-and-shoot type of car. The high-speed stability allows the Kona to find time in the faster sweepers. That makes up for the slightly slower straight-line speed—Hyundai quotes a 5.5-second run to 62 mph (100 km/h). None of us can match the pro driver’s pace, but it’s not too surprising that their fastest run is in the Kona, not the Elantra.

On the road, the Kona is a laugh riot. The quickness makes it all too easy to slot into traffic—don’t forget to poke the NGS button before passes—and the sight lines are great. The rorty exhaust note is addictive, enough so that I’ll forgive Hyundai piping some into the cabin. The ride is quite firm, and the wide tires make for more tire noise than most sub-compacts.

And you know what? I don’t really miss the manual transmission. Hyundai’s eight-speed dual-clutcher is a well-judged setup, capable of smooth shifts in stop-and-go traffic, and near-instant swaps on the track. Being able to drop down to first on the autocross hairpins is crucial; no manual car could match the speed the DCT is capable of.

The Kona cabin is more business-like than the one in its newer, three-box sibling. The dashboard design is simpler, with all the important controls grouped together. The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is set deep in the binnacle, encouraging a high wheel placement. That’s fine: the power-adjustable seats raise enough to make this work, and the resulting placement affords the driver a clear view of the short nose.

Grippy Alcantara is exclusive to the seats in here, and it’s necessary. With less-aggressive bolstering than the thrones in the Elantra, the Kona’s chairs can prove inadequate on the track, if only because of the sheer grip the car generates. Out on the road, they strike a fine balance between support and comfort.

Beyond the seats, the only real differences that mark out the N amongst lesser Konas is a generous helping of N badges, a few flashes of the hero blue, and the unique steering wheel. I appreciate that Hyundai is keeping things simple to maintain an affordable price point.

Hyundai will offer the Kona N in one flavor: loaded. The only option is which paint color you want—America will do without the Performance Blue, but Canada knows better.

That means a generous level of standard kit. Driver assists include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and lane-keep assist. No adaptive cruise control, though.

A pair of 10.25-inch screens dominate the interior. The aforementioned instrument panel screen offers multiple design themes, with crisp graphics and fun animations. The central touchscreen is straightforward to use. Those wanting to properly geek out can access an N-specific performance menu, which shows off real-time engine output, lap times, and more. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, though Hyundai continues to require a cord for its larger screen. Just not the smaller 8.0-inch one. There are three USB-A ports inside the Kona, and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Legroom is tight in the rear, though adults should fit just fine on shorter runs. There’s no rear strut brace eating into cargo room like the Elantra either, so there’s still the full 19.2 cubic feet (544 liters) of storage with the seats up, and 45.8 cubes (1,297 L) with them folded flat.

I came to Sonoma expecting the 2022 Hyundai Kona N to shrink into the background in the face of its sedan sibling. On the contrary, the crossover has a distinct personality all its own, one that will likely be preferable to a lot of buyers.

The Kona N isn’t quite as hardcore as the Elantra, but it remains a chuckable, entertaining little not-quite-a-hatchback. The blend of utility and performance is a hard one to ignore, and if Hyundai gets the pricing right—we predict a sticker of $32,000 ($40,000 CAD), just slightly above the existing Veloster N—it could have a hit on its hands. The start of a sub-compact crossover performance revolution? The Kona N kicks things off with a very high bar.

FAQs

How much is a 2022 Hyundai Kona N worth?

Hyundai hasn’t released pricing, but we expect it to hover around the price of the Veloster N.

When can you buy the 2022 Hyundai Kona N?

Expect the Kona and Elantra N models in dealerships before the end of 2021.

Does the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N come with an automatic transmission?

Exclusively, yes. Unlike the Elantra and Veloster N models, the Kona only comes with the quick eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.