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2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD - Review by David Colman


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2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

Maximum Bang for Your Comparatively Modest SUV Buck

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David Colman
Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL


Kona is the decathlete of the compact SUV marketplace because it does everything well. Despite the fact that the Kona is based on an EV-compatible platform for the much pricier Kona Electric, Hyundai stylists eschewed EV styling treachery (vacant grills, bobbed tails) on our gasoline-powered model. What we got were neatly sculpted front and rear fascias, both of which incorporate body-wide LED running lights. Instead of the EV's vacant stare, the gasoline-powered engined Kona's grill incorporates a fascinating "Active Air Flap" that slides open and shut when you fire up the 190hp, 1.6 liter turbo motor. That engine, which also powers the N Line versions of the Kona, performs admirably thanks to the 8-speed automatic transmission's ability to provide just the right amount of pop when you most need it. Paddle shifters simplify the operation of the gearbox, but Hyundai does not offer a means to select and retain the gear of your choice for more than 6 seconds before resuming fully automatic operation. No matter what gear you're in, when you lean into the throttle hard, the diminutive SUV scampers to 60mph from a standing start in 7.5 seconds and posts a standing start quarter mile time of 15.8 seconds at 89mph.


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

The only slightly jarring appearance note is contributed by the Lego-like 7.5J x 19-inch alloy rims, but we'll forgive that flourish because they plant beefy 235/45R19 Kumho Majesty Solus radials (TW 540; Traction AA) at all four corners. Having the same size tire patch at the end of each axle contributes to the balance and stability of the Kona Limited's HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. This Kona reassures you you'll never lose traction, whether you're winding through paved curves or coping with loose dirt trails. Steering feedback is a bit flaccid, however, even when you select the available Sport Mode from the mode switch prominently located on the center console. In fact, almost all the important controls are embedded in a pair of horizontal panels that cover the bottom half of the dashboard's center section. Most of them are easy to access and operate and we give Hyundai engineers high grades for recognizing that your driving safety depends on your ability to keep your eyes glued to the road and not on some computer screen. However, when sufficient downtime affords you the opportunity to play with multiple media and connectivity screens, you'll be coddled by the clear graphics and easy operation of the 12.3-inch panel that controls the navigation system, the AM/FM/HD Radio, and the crystalline Bose Premium Audio System.


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

Assessing its diminutive silhouette from the outside, you would never conclude that the two-row 3,450 pound Kona would store a full-size bicycle. But it does so with a consummate ease unmatched by most 3-row, 6,000 pound full size SUVs. Here's what it took to accomplish the bike trick. Flatten the 60/40 split rear bench by pulling a prominently located lever atop the backrest of each seat. Remove the hard cargo cover and store it upright behind the front seats. Approach the tailgate with your bike in hand and kick your foot under the Kona to swing the door open. Clean and jerk your bike into place in one easy motion. Before attempting this procedure I measured both my bike and the inside of the Kona and concluded it might fit. The mountain bike, with front-wheel slightly cocked, occupied 62 inches of length and 48 inches of width, both of which were exceeded by the dimensions available inside the Kona. What really sealed the deal was the fact that Hyundai engineers maximized interior width by flattening the inside faces of the rear wheelwells, a bottleneck that usually dooms such ungainly storage attempts.


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD

Our test vehicle was finished in a rather sedate shade titled "Denim Pearl Blue," but the proceedings were enlivened by the light gray seats and interior panels which verged on pure vanilla. While this combo may prove hard to maintain in the long run, the bright seating surfaces made the Kona cabin a pleasant hideaway that was further reinforced by the unexpected support and comfort of the H-Tex covered front and rear seats. Under thigh cushioning was excellent, as was the side bolstering provided by the wrap-around seat backs. The addition of full electric adjustment for the driver's seat, plus three-position heating for both fronts and the steering wheel made the interior of this SUV welcoming and inviting in a way many more expensive SUVs fail to score. The expansive power sunroof converts the low-roofed interior into a brilliant fishbowl that will fascinate rear-seat passengers and shed welcome light on front-seat occupants. Hyundai has fitted the roof with a pair of rails designed to accommodate overhead loads, but given the spacious dimensions of the interior, the likelihood you'll need more cargo space is minimal.

And so, we have discovered this week that Hyundai offers a tremendous bargain in the compact SUV field, with a stubbornly quick and capable little Kona that will return maximum bang for your comparatively modest SUV buck.

2025 HYUNDAI KONA LIMITED AWD

    • ENGINE: 1.6 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC, 16-valve, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
    • HORSEPOWER: 190hp@6000rpm
    • TORQUE: 195lb.-ft.@1700rpm
    • FUEL CONSUMPTION: 24MPG City/29MPG Highway
    • PRICE AS TESTED: $35,005

HYPES: Killer Value, Smooth Operator

GRIPES: Manual Gear Selection Lasts Just 6 Seconds

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10

©2025 David E Colman