Hyundai has certainly gained proper recognition for being a go-to for mainstream vehicles and a viable alternative to nameplates that have a much longer standing here in the United States. In recent years, many of Hyundai’s crossover utility vehicles have made a newfound mark on the automotive market for those who seek something economical in a small package. For one, the Hyundai Kona helped mold the subcompact crossover segment and has recently received a redesign for the 2024 model year.

The Hyundai Kona was always a decent vehicle in the past from its initial conception in 2018. Named after the western Hawaiian district of the Big Island, Kona is one of may crossovers wearing a name from many famous travel destinations. Potentially living up to such a destination, the Hyundai Kona gets a little more mature for its redesign and sports a smoother look and improved interior space for its smallish size.

Performance and Driving Character

Having two powertrain choices and even an all-electric version, the Kona expands on its footing for the small crossover segment. The two gas engines available, with the base trim levels having a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower/132 lb-ft of torque connected to continuously variable transmission and a top three trim level’s 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 190 horsepower/195 lb-ft of torque mated to a traditional 8-speed automatic transmission, there’s just one desirable choice for lighthearted enthusiasts in the turbocharged powertrain.

Having experienced the base engine in a friend’s vehicle recently, I Hyundai leaves a lot to be desired in terms of performance, especially having what Hyundai calls an Intelligent Variable Transmission (basically a CVT) that doesn’t do much justice for managing a limited amount of power. However, my Kona Limited test vehicle’s turbocharged engine is up to the task of keeping proper pace on the road and providing decent acceleration to hit 60 mph from a stop in 7.6 seconds, making it one of the quickest among direct competitors. Part of that is thanks to having real gears in the 8-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the outgoing generation’s somewhat clunky automated dual-clutch transmission. Moreover, now offering all-wheel-drive across all trim levels is a bonus for giving you a better driving assurance out on the road.

As far as driving quality, the new Kona feels more substantial in its approach to handling if you don’t push things too far. The suspension does feel spongier than I remember with the outgoing generation. In all, the vehicle feels heavier at times if you put into corners at speed where the suspension seems to give more than I remember and is slower to rebound. Such characteristics also give you an uneasy feeling for quick lateral movements where there appears to be more body roll than I expected in such a small vehicle.

In all, the Kona Limited AWD is a civil vehicle without many surprises, which is exactly the way most would want such a vehicle. Still, the spongy suspension may not be welcoming for lighthearted enthusiasts, which is possibly where the new Kona N Line and N Line S trims may be better if Hyundai has retuned the suspension for those sportier trim levels.

Fuel Economy

As a subcompact crossover, I expected the new-generation Kona Limited AWD to get slightly better fuel economy than stated on paper, with its EPA estimates set at 24 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. Fortunately, I did see slightly better overall numbers during my week with the new Kona Limited AWD averaging about 27 mpg, beating the combined figure by 1 mpg. The smallish fuel tank at 13.2 gallons gives you a highway cruising range of about 382 miles.

Interior and Technology

Hyundai has done well in having a straightforward setup for its infotainment system and latest digital displays, and the new-generation Kona is no different. In fact, I believe the interior of the new Kona has been improved in just about every way, featuring a user-friendly setup for all of its welcomed physical controls and setup of the latest infotainment system fed through a 12.3-inch touchscreen.

The seating positions seem to have been improved as well, where it is easier to find a good driving position up front than I remember from the previous generation. In the Limited AWD trim, you do get many amenities, such as heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, upgraded synthetic leather seating, a surround-view camera system, and the famous blind-spot camera system that gives you a live camera feed in the digital gauge cluster of what is in your blind spot area upon signaling.

Other welcoming features include upgraded exterior lighting, interior ambient lighting, 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, an automated parking system, wireless smartphone charging, and wireless (and USB-connected) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Safety

In the area of safety, the new Kona bundles up several active safety features as standard equipment, such as high beam assist, forward collision warning/avoidance, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, safe exit warning, rear cross-traffic avoidance assist, and blind spot monitors with collision-avoidance warning.

Pricing

The Hyundai Kona in its newly redesigned sheet metal heads in the right direction for making a more significant statement out on the road and for its driver and occupants. For the value proposition, the Kona remains very affordable with a starting price of $24,450 for the base SE trim. Moving through the 6 trim levels up to the very top Limited AWD trim of my test vehicle you will look to a price just north of $32,000.