Hyundai Kona N - What to expect?

The Malaysian market just witnessed the launch of the all-new facelifted Hyundai Kona and now getting ready to welcome the look-faster Kona N-Line that will sit at the top of the SUV’s local lineup. But that’s not all Hyundai has on cards for the Kona in the global market as it is prepping for the world premiere of the new high-performance version of the funky crossover, called the Kona N. 

The South Korean automaker has been teasing the forthcoming Kona N for a while and has also spotted testing prototypes several times. But finally, now we know exactly when the highly-awaited model will break cover, and gladly we do not have to wait long for that. The high-performance Kona N global debut will take place at the brand’s first-ever Hyundai N Day, a digital showcase for its high-performance N Brand, on April 27, 2021.

While announcing the Kona N debut date, Till Wartenberg, Vice President and Head of N Brand Management & Motorsport Sub-Division at Hyundai Motor Company said, “We are very excited to unveil the KONA N, a true Hot SUV with all the driving fun N offers.”

According to Hyundai, the SUV will have a "powerful combination of versatility, spirited acceleration, agility and racetrack capability." Going by the statement, teasers, and spy shots, here we bring the Kona N expected specifications, have a look.

Hyundai Kona Exterior

The shadowy teaser images highlight the sporty elements of the go-fast version of the Kona. With the same silhouette, the N badged model gets a signature black honeycomb mesh grille that is well teamed up with a red-tipped lower lip. The designers also tweaked the wheel arches to merge them well with the front lip. A close-up shot also revealed the Pirelli P Zero tyres of the SUV wrapped around V-spoke rims with ‘N’ caps, beefy brakes, and red accents. Red accenting also continues at the side skirts of the SUV. Out back, we can see a double-winged roof spoiler, a blacked-out rear diffuser, and dual exhaust ports.

Hyundai Kona Interior

Hyundai has not disclosed much about the Kona N interior in the teasers except previewing the dual-clutch transmission’s gear shift lever decked up with the ‘N’ badge and blue stitching. However, we expect the hot SUV to be fitted with sporty seats, a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control, automatic air-conditioning, suede upholstery, and N-badges all-around. 

Hyundai Kona Engine specifications

Hyundai has confirmed that the Kona N will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mill borrowed from the Veloster N. The engine produces a maximum output of 280 PS, however, its torque figure is not announced. The automaker does mention that a “new higher amount of torque is utilizing more of the engine’s potential in everyday driving situations.”

Also confirmed are the Kona N transmission details, that’s an N-tuned, in-house 8-speed, wet-type dual-clutch transmission. It employs two electric oil pumps reducing friction between the moving parts, which results in better clutch cooling and greater torque transfer. Hyundai also detailed that the high flow electric oil pump gives away gear lubrication and clutch cooling, while the high-pressure electric one supplies oil to the accumulator maintaining pressure for gear shifts. The gearbox also equips specially-tuned gear ratios and a different calibrated control unit that will allow faster shifts and host some exclusive driving features like N Grin Shift, N Power Shift, and N Track Sense Shift.

The same transmission is also on offer with the Veloster N alongside the standard manual, however, in the case of the Kona N, there is no manual unit.

Hyundai Kona Safety

As for safety, the automaker is likely to pack its upcoming performance SUV with Hyundai SmartSense driver assistance system. The suite may include advanced features like autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, lane centring assist, and rear cross traffic alert.

Well, about the Kona N price, Hyundai has not dropped any hit, so for that, we need to wait for its debut which’s just 5 days away. 

Also read: 2021 Hyundai Kona: Safety features explained