I had an incredible time driving the high-performance version of the Kona. It is the N model of the Kona. The Kona also has a hybrid version, a regular turbo, an electric version, and an N line. Underneath the hood is a turbo engine that generates 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque.
It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with metallic paddle shifters. That was exhilarating in my drives around the Washington DC metropolitan area. I was able to drive as far west as the Northeast part of West Virginia. Along the way, I drove through Appalachia cruising on I-70 passing through Hagerstown Maryland. I was also able to drive as far North as Port Deposit on I-95 North.
My driving also took me around the Washington DC Beltway on I-495. I wanted to get a chance to open up the engine. I wanted to feel the exhilaration and the power of the Kona. Hyundai has done a spectacular job with the N brand. They’ve been able to blend performance with style. This compliments capable technology and safety.
The interior features things like a digital dash cockpit. There is 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation. I enjoyed using the wireless charging. The Harman Kardon premium sound system was great. It sounded awesome playing the album I made with the music department at Carnegie Mellon University. The sports suspension felt like a hot hatch. I hated to let it go.
The performance along with the high-quality interior and the exterior styling combined to make a great vehicle.
The base price on the Hyundai Kona N is $34,200. It came to $35,455 delivered. For more information visit www.hyundaiusa.com