Prototypes of the next-generation Hyundai Kona SUV have been taking advantage of the warm early summer weather and stripping off some layers of disguise to give us more clues about how the 2024 model will look. The compact SUV slots into Hyundai’s range above the Bayon and below the Tuscon, and will face off against models like the Volkswagen T-Roc when it lands in showrooms next year. So it’s no surprise that Hyundai’s engineers had an example of the VW on hand for comparison in their recent outing.
Earlier spy shots showed the Kona wearing
a very full disguise that revealed very little about the styling, but these
latest images are a little more informative. Like the current Kona, the new one
will feature a split headlight design, but the upper lights on the latest car,
which are actually DRLs, not headlights, are mounted parallel to the floor,
rather than angled. But in addition to the side DRLs, there appears to be a
third section visible in the center of the car at the leading edge of the hood,
suggesting that the Kona will actually feature a distinctive wraparound light
bar running the full width go the car. We’ve seen similar designs on the rear
of many cars, but using this trick at the front will give the Kona an instantly
recognizable face when lit.
This car’s minimal disguise also allows us
to see the 2024 Kona’s front bumper insert, which features a pair of triangles
joined by a bar holding the license plate. The fact that we can see through the
space where a grille will sit in the production car to a radiator beyond makes
it clear that Hyundai will once again offer the Kona with ICE drivetrains as
well as pure electric ones.
Depending on the market, current models
come with a wide range of engines offering as little as 118 hp, or as
much as 276 hp in the case of the hot Kona N, plus a non-plug-in
hybrid and the Kona Electric EV with two sizes of battery. Buyers also get to
choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. We’d expect that kind of
broad lineup in the 2024 car, together with a sub-US$ 25k/£ 23k starting price,
though the top-spec Kona EV will probably get a larger battery to help improve
on its official EPA-rated electric driving range of 415 km.
What these images don’t show is how the
Kona looks inside, but we know from previous spy shots that the dashboard will
be influenced by the style of the Ioniq 5 EV and featured a large screen that
stretches from the driver’s door to past the dashboard’s center line and
incorporates both the digital instrument pack and touchscreen infotainment
system.
