Track Test: 2022 Hyundai Kona N

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I did not want the Kona N; no sporting cross seems genuine. I would not like it on a track; I would not like its crickle-crack. I did not want its upright height; I had not felt its playful bite. I did not know its character; I could not like a crossover. 

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The Kona is Hyundai’s top seller in Canada, and it was only a matter of time before the lineup expanded to include a halo trim. But while the Kona N follows closely in the footsteps of the celebrated Veloster N, there remained plenty of enthusiast skepticism over the new model. The Kona is a perfectly fine runabout, but a performance compact crossover? Even without the corny marketing lingo, the very notion seemed a joke. 

As it turns out, however, Hyundai is taking their green eggs and ham very seriously. Hyundai calls the Kona N ‘a hot hatch living in an SUV body,’ and they aren’t wrong. Unwinding the Kona N through the undulating hills of Sonoma Raceway, this compact cross exceeded every expectation by delivering just enough power, snappy handling, and zero doubts about its readiness for the next corner. Though I spent just as much time in the predictably-enjoyable Elantra N, the Kona N’s thoroughly-considered and eager dynamics made it the unexpected hero of the day. 

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Under the skin, the Kona platform has been readied for N performance duty with extensive stiffening, new bushing designs, and an electronically-controlled dynamic suspension system with damping force scaled according to mode and guided by sensors in the ECU and at the wheels. With the car thus balanced, power comes to low-profile Pirelli P-Zeros via an electronic torque-vectoring limited-slip differential. It’s all pulled by the established 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder GDI engine from the Veloster N, but the new Kona and Elantra N up its numbers to 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration to 100 km/h is rated at 5.5 seconds, and RPM-selectable Launch Control should cut that further. 

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Keeping all of this in check, 20-plus-per cent increases in brake diameter slow the new Ns, with improved aerodynamic cooling and additional component heat shielding for good measure. A proactive brake pre-fill system also primes the master cylinder when the accelerator is released, ensuring that the calipers are ready to squeeze the moment the pedal is depressed. Though limited by our wet-weather test conditions, brake strength feels proportionate to the car’s power. Matched with the Kona N’s astonishing refusal to feel like it wants to roll, the sporty-driving experience feels distinctly safe. 

While the base Kona looks a bit anonymous, the N makes a clear statement of intent. A spicier front grille and rear diffuser set the Kona N apart on approach, with red-accented side skirts enhancing the profile. Side-view bling comes in the form of sharp new 19×8” wheels, and at the back, two sizable tailpipes channel the valve-adjustable pop-bang soundtrack. A split spoiler stands atop the liftgate, with a “super cool” (their words) triangular third brake lamp directing attention to the drama below. 

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Inside, the N trim upgrades the Kona with gently-bolstered suede sport seats, albeit lacking the firmer lateral support of those in the Elantra N. Though friendlier for everyday use and adequate under lateral load, it would’ve been nice not to have to brace myself while keeping the car straight on-line. It’s otherwise still mostly base-Kona adequacy, and that suits just fine. The cheap headliner might suck, for instance, but how much time do you spend looking at that? Hyundai has spiffed-up the touch points that matter, but keeping the rest simple helps keep costs down — a welcome compromise that adds a touch of excitement while still keeping this performer at an accessible price point. 

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It isn’t all simple, however; to hear Hyundai reps describe it, you’d almost think this was a car meant to simulate the video games that simulate cars. An emphasis on the 10.25” digital dash, fun button controls, and “video game-like graphics” frame the new Ns as cars for the Gran Turismo crowd. Electrification of the tightened rack-and-pinion steering adds to this impression, offering directness at the cost of feedback. 

If maturing gamers are indeed the target, Hyundai has played it right. Levelling the nerd experience up, the big red ‘N Grin Shift’ button on the steering wheel wrangles another 10 hp for 20 seconds, followed by a 40-second cooldown. I can’t honestly say that I really felt the 3.6% increase, but timing your boost correctly does gamify the experience for a little extra thrill. I may not have placed on the autocross leaderboard, but I can assure you that sorting where to deploy that NGS overboost had me feeling like a hero just the same. 

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More importantly, however, is that the Ns deliver their regular power like a video game as well. The snappy 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission shifts delightfully quickly for the price, and even the 6-speed manual available in the Elantra is smoothed with highly-accurate rev-matching (though it can be disabled for the heel-toe purist). Either way, the 2.0T in the Kona and Elantra Ns delivers peak torque along an almost-flat curve that reaches from 2,100 to 4,700 RPM. This keeps response effectively consistent across the band, offering predictability when you punch it and snappy readiness to realign the car when it needs right-foot correction. 

Coursing up and down through rain-slicked curves at Sonoma, the 2.0T’s eager torque proved pivotal in keeping the front-wheel drive Kona and Elantra balanced and on-path. This was best exemplified dipping through the downhill bowl of turn 3, when an amateurish release of the throttle unloaded the rear end and the car began to rotate. A gradual return to the accelerator rebalanced and reined in the car with absolute grace, however, the linearity of the N’s power delivery keeping things utterly intuitive and manageable. FWD turbo lag in other cars might be fun, but the precision of this moment felt beautiful. 

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The 2,600 millimetre wheelbase comes in almost 50 mm short of the Veloster’s, and 120 under the Elantra’s, but the Kona N remains a remarkably stable platform. Hucked about in the wet, the Kona N is eager to four-wheel slide through wide curves, but expectant entry speeds and that e-LSD leave plenty of leeway. Curiously, the longer Elantra N (riding the Pilot Sport 4S) was significantly more prone to rotation and required more attention to keep at pace. Though dry-weather flings shouldn’t see buyers sliding sideways, the low-traction tendencies nevertheless highlight the platforms’ snappy but manageable character. 

In a track environment, the only downside to the Ns’ pivot-happy fun is the jarring sensation of the traction control. The system can be turned off completely, but I was happy to keep it on Sport. At best, the shudders were a useful reminder of when I was over-driving the car; at worst, they kept me from spinning it in the rain. I haven’t earned the right to complain about that. 

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To be sure, any car can be fun at speed on a track. Heck, even a three-speed automatic AMC Eagle Wagon — the first-ever crossover — has brought me great joy on a road circuit. But where the Eagle was fun because of its gross unsuitability, the Kona N is fun because it’s actually right at home. 

Riding at the same height as the base Kona, the N remains firmly within crossover territory. It’s an interesting concept without any direct competitors, and a smart strategy in this fastest-growing segment. Like the Golf R, the Kona N will come fully loaded — you just pick your colour. This makes for a long list of standard equipment, including dynamic headlamps, lane-keep and front-collision assists, and rear cross-traffic and blind spot monitoring. The only option left in the air is the possibility of a future AWD Kona N — something that Hyundai folks say isn’t in the works, but hasn’t been taken off the table either. 

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Hyundai hasn’t yet finalized pricing on the Kona or Elantra Ns, but knowing the Veloster’s price structure and shared powertrain, it seems reasonable to extrapolate from that reference. We expect the Kona N and Elantra N to arrive somewhere in the high-30s or low-40s. Final confirmation and order availability are still some time away, but if it can push to the lower end of that range, Hyundai seems set to stir the affordable performance market right up. 

I could not like it, so I’d say. Try it! Try it! Sure seems I may.  

Say, I quite like the Kona N; this sporting cross is genuine! I sure did like it on a track; I now enjoy its crickle-crack. It manages its silly height; it has indeed some joyous might. I misjudged this Hyundai Kona; I have so warmed to its persona.