One trim is all you get and all you need if you opt for the Hyundai Kona N, but what a trim it is. Under the hood, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot deploys 276 hp and 289 lb-ft through an eight-speed DCT automatic to the front wheels. Pushing the N Grin Shift button on the steering wheel gives you 20 seconds of 286-hp overboost. Other highlights include an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential, multiple drive modes, adaptive suspension, a performance exhaust, and Pirelli P Zero summer tires on model-specific 19-inch alloy wheels.
Get past the performance and there's a well-equipped interior, too, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and automatic climate control. An N-specific steering wheel and N sports seats look and feel the part, while the rest of the cabin draws from the standard Kona's recent facelift. That bags you a 10.25-inch driver instrument display, an infotainment display of equal size, and several safety features including cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and blind-spot monitoring, to mention but a few.
Besides a handful of accessories like roof rack cross rails and a cargo net, the Kona N's scope for customization is very limited. Then again, there isn't much about this car that we'd change, so the lack of options is by no means a dealbreaker.