Sports car prices are out of control. A Porsche 911 costs over six figures on the low end, and even the "blue collar" Chevrolet Corvette C8 is well above the average American income. So what is a driving enthusiast on a budget to do, especially if they can only afford to own one vehicle that has to pull double duty taking the kids to school and brining home groceries from the store? They might consider buying a 2022 Hyundai Kona N.
Looking at the best-selling vehicles in the US, it's clear that consumers prefer crossovers over hatchbacks and sedans. But most crossovers are sluggish at best and dreary at their worst, making them less than ideal for an enthusiast. Hyundai has built something that is so different from the average crossover, it forms a new "hot cross" category that we'd argue has never existed before. For under $35,000, the Kona N put a smile on our face that hasn't gone away weeks later.
A Firecracker Engine
Under the hood, the Kona N uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Elantra N sedan, which is a modified version of the firecracker first used in the soon-to-be-discontinued Veloster N. If you haven't heard this engine in action, you need to. This is the best-sounding four-cylinder engine you can buy today, period. And yes, we know Porsche and Mercedes-AMG both build four-bangers in 2022. The exhaust sounds reminiscent of a Group B rally car with cracks and pops that make it feel like the Kona N is always driving away from an active mine field.
It's powerful too, putting 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. There's even an overboost function that temporary ups the output to 286 hp. That's a ton of power for a 3,340-pound subcompact crossover. With launch control, it will hit 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds. The only direct competitor with more power is the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW with 301 hp, though it's around 400 pounds heavier and $6,000 pricier. And though this is just our review-based opinion, the Mini is half as fun.
Customize Your Fun
Like any BMW M crossover, the Kona N offers a bewildering number of drive modes. A dial near the shifter offers the typical Normal, Eco, Sport, and Snow as part of Hyundai's N Grin Control System (aptly named because it can put a huge smile on your face). Sport mode offers quicker engine response and zippier transmission programing, but to get the most out of the Kona N, you need to press the N buttons. Two blue buttons on the steering wheel let you customize elements of the car, including the engine, steering, suspension, transmission, e-LSD, traction control, and exhaust. In the most aggressive settings, the Kona N morphs from docile crossover to shouty track weapon.
We like a car that can be crazy when you want, then quiet down when desired, and this pulls it off better than many expensive hot crossovers from Germany. Our favorite feature is the big red NGS (N Grin Shift) button, which triggers the aforementioned overboost and puts the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission into its maximum aggressiveness setting for 20 seconds. Just like in the movie Men In Black, the big red button must be used with caution.
Hot Hatch Styling
Though it's based on the Kona crossover, the Kona N prints like a slightly taller hot hatchback. Painted wheel arches visually erase the standard Kona's rugged styling even if it the N doesn't actually sit any lower to the ground. All of the N styling additions transform the Kona from cute runabout to flashy toy - red pinstripes on the lower skirts, a front lip spoiler, double-wing spoiler, 19-inch star-pattern wheels, red brake calipers, and those dual trumpet exhaust pipes. Finished in Ultra Black or Lunar White, those red accents really pop, though we prefer the Kona N's exclusive Sonic Blue color that's suspiciously missing from the configurator.
If we had to criticize the Kona's styling, the split headlight and taillight design won't be to everyone's tastes. It would be easy to say Hyundai overstyled this car, but we doubt anyone opting for an N model wants to be subtle.
A Slick Interior
The Kona gets the full N treatment both inside and out. The interior includes bolstered N seats with blue stitching, giving the cabin a sportier feel compared to a standard Kona. Other N elements include a sport steering wheel, a special shifter for the DCT, and a digital gauge cluster with a driver-focused center tachometer configuration. For under $35,000, the Kona N has all the important tech we could ask for, including a 10.25-inch touchscreen, heated seats, Harman Kardon audio system, and a wireless phone charger. It even comes with a comprehensive safety suite, though adaptive cruise control is not available.
Practical Enough
The Kona is not a massive vehicle, but it should prove large enough for a small family. Rear legroom is rated at over 35 inches, which is comparable to a Volkswagen Golf GTI. The trunk houses 19.2 cubic feet of storage or 45.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. That first figure is a bit smaller than the GTI, but the overall space with the rear seat down has about 10 additional cubes thanks to the Kona's taller stature. Anyone trading in a hot hatch or a sedan should be pleasantly surprised by the Kona N's storage capacity and passenger space.
A Bargain Price
The 2022 Kona N starts at $34,200. And that's it: no pricey option packages, no missing features. Lunar White paint adds $400 (a hard pass from us) and you can always add cargo nets and floor mats from the dealer. With the GTI easily exceeding $40,000 on the high end, the Kona N comes into the market as a tremendous value. It's the most practical Hyundai N model but it doesn't lose an ounce of fun compared to the Kona or Veloster aside from not offering a manual transmission. We can't think of anything else at this price point that offers this much excitement. To have more fun in a crossover, you'd need to step up to an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio for $85,300, accenting the Kona N's tremendous value.