New 2023 Hyundai Kona caught on test

Hyundai is working on a second-generation Kona and this is our first look at the new model. 

While this test car is heavily camouflaged we can see some similarities to the current car, suggesting the new generation Kona will carry on with Hyundai’s current design language. 

The Kona introduced the split headlight design to Hyundai’s SUV lineup back in 2017 and this is now seen on the new Bayon and Santa Fe. We expect to see a continuation of this feature on the new model as the camouflage has cut outs for dual headlights. 

At the side, these spy shots also show the Kona will keep its wheel arch extensions and around the heavily camouflaged rear there’s an exhaust pipe – suggesting this could be a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid model. 

With the introduction of the smaller Bayon and the larger Tucson growing in size there’s room for the Kona to grow, too. The outgoing Kona sits on the same platform as the first-generation Niro, but the upcoming second-generation Niro uses the larger, latest iteration of the K platform and the Kona is likely to follow.

The pure-electric Kona Electric will almost certainly return and it could get a larger battery to help beat its current 300-mile range. The new Kona Electric isn’t expected to borrow the 77.4kWh battery from the Ioniq 5 as that car sits on a bespoke electric platform and the Kona will still need to fit hybrid powertrains. Instead, it could utilise the same 201bhp 64.8kWh battery found in the new Kia Niro EV.

Hyundai hasn’t revealed any information about the next-generation Kona but we should see a full reveal in 2023 with the car hitting dealerships soon after. Expect pricing to rise from the current car’s £17,396 starting price tag to around £20,000. 

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