EVs used to be weird outlier models with their own peculiar shapes and trims, but more often than not these days, customers want their electric cars to look just like their combustion counterparts and to be available in exactly the same warpaint. Which is why Hyundai is extending its sporty-looking N Line trim to the Kona electric, the first time one of the brand’s EVs has had the option of performance styling. And this really is just a styling exercise, and definitely not to be confused with a full-blown N derivative like the gas-powered Kona N.
But it looks suitably purposeful thanks to
more aggressive front and rear bumpers, gloss black mirror caps, special
19-inch wheels and an optional two-tone black roof option that isn’t available
on lesser models. The N treatment continues inside in the form of a dedicated N
Line steering wheel, metal pedals, black headliner and sports seats.
How those seats are finished depends – in
the UK, at least – whether you go for the base £ 40,395 (US$ 51,164) N Line or the
£ 43,095 (US$ 54,580) N Line S. Tightwads get cloth and spendthrifts enjoy an Eco
Alcantara and leather combo, though both sets of chairs feature the same red
contrast stitching and heated squabs in front and back. The S also adds
ventilation and electric adjustment to the seats, dual-zone climate with rear
air vents, a Bose hifi, full-width DRL light bar and a brace of safety features
missing on the non-S Kona N Line.
One thing that doesn’t change between the
two models is what’s under the hood. Both get the same 65 kWh battery and
single 215 hp electric motor that drives the front wheels and
gets the Kona Electric to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. Lesser Konas can
also be ordered with a 154 hp electric motor and smaller 48.4
kWh battery, but that’s not available here. Currently the N Line treatment has
only been confirmed for European versions of the Kona Electric, but given that
the ICE Kona is available in the U.S. with N Line garb, it’s safe to assume the
sporty-looking version of the EV will be offered in North America soon.
