Hyundai Kona Electric: Is this Australia’s most capable electric car?

Electric cars are starting to become more and more mainstream, and Hyundai’s new zero-emissions SUV ticks a lot more boxes than some.

As electric car sales build in Australia, Hyundai’s Kona Electric small SUV stands out as arguably the most sensible zero-emission all-rounder.

Expensive, yes, but not ridiculous at $65,000 for the base grade on the road. It comes from a mainstream brand with plenty of dealerships, goes nearly 450km between charges, is packed with safety kit and drives beautifully.

In range-topping Highlander grade, it’s feature-packed. At that price, is our family of testers EV-ready? We set out to discover the answer.

The Kona Eelcetric can go nearly 450km between charges.

First impressions

Jules: I’m coming around to electric cars.

Iain: Because Porsche now sells one?

Jules: That’s helped but I’m seeing ever more Teslas on the road. Having lived with a Nissan Leaf EV, my electric fears are ebbing.

Iain: Ideal time to try the Hyundai Kona Electric then.

Jules: It looks good, probably because it’s the same as a normal Kona.

Iain: Not quite. Those funky wheels cut aero drag and the lack of front grille gives it a futuristic face.

J ules: It looks cool without being naff and it’s more attractive than the Leaf. How much?

Iain: Brace yourself. Our Highlander’s nearly $70K on the road.

Jules: I hate to be not so tree-hugging but that would buy me a prestige small SUV.

Iain: Right. A Jaguar E-Pace, Audi Q3 Sport or Mercedes GLA 250 are about the same money. But you’re burning all those nasty fossil fuels.

People won’t buy the Kona Electric to save money.

Jules: How much is a petrol Kona Highlander?

Iain: About $30,000 less. Or roughly 300,000km worth of petrol. As for rival EVs, the Nissan Leaf’s $54,000 drive-away but has a range of 270km against the Kona Electric’s 449km. I reckon the biggest threat is Tesla’s new Model 3, from $73,000 drive-away with 460km range.

The living space

Jules: It’s a cool cabin.

Iain: The most desirable parts are heated and ventilated leather seats, eight-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, satnav, digital instruments, head-up display, glass roof and wireless phone charging.

Jules: Buttons to choose Drive and Reverse replace a normal gear shifter, so it’s a really elegant, easy-to-use layout.

The cabin is nice for Hyundai but lacks the premium feel of a $70,000 car.

Iain: But there’s no luxury feel. Not German executive-style anyway. You can get that for $70,000 in a premium SUV.

Jules: The hard plastic dashboard and doors feel cheap.

Iain: On the plus side, its ordinariness means there’s nothing to be scared about. You just need to get accustomed to dials showing battery usage, how economical your driving is and how much energy you recover through regenerative braking.

The commute

Jules: Now … the regeneration. It takes some getting used to. There’s level zero with no energy recuperation, then levels one to three mean when you lift off the accelerator the Kona slows itself and harvests this energy back to the battery. You switch between levels using paddle-shifters.

Iain: Well explained. Maximum level is for cities or down hills but I prefer level two on the highway. Otherwise, every time you lift off it slows so rapidly the brake lights come on.

Jules: It sounds like a spaceship and I love it. Put your foot down and the power is immense. I can’t believe how quick this Kona EV is.

The Kona Electric is a great drive.

Iain: It does 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds but feels faster. The tyres are designed for economy rather than grip, so if you plant the throttle they claw for traction and squeal madly. Gentle inputs are best for rubber and range.

Jules: I didn’t get the range anxiety I did in the Nissan Leaf. When it shows more than 400km range remaining, I’m at peace.

Iain: So few journeys are that long, especially without a break. As a word of warning, when
I cranked up the aircon the range dropped by 10 per cent.

The shopping

Jules: The boot’s not huge but typical for a small SUV.

Iain: Batteries mean there’s a little less load space than in a petrol Kona.

Jules: Do you know what supermarket car parks need? Electric charge stations. My weekly shop takes 45 minutes and in that time I’d nearly fill the Kona’s batteries.

The Kona Electric looks cool but not too strange to have wide appeal.

Sunday run

Iain: As you’ve raised it, let’s talk charging. We don’t have solar at home. I refuse to charge it on a domestic plug as that defeats the zero emissions point.

Jules: There’s a free fast-charge point at our local hotel but — how frustrating is this — it’s the wrong charging nozzle.

Iain: It fitted the Nissan Leaf but not the Kona, which has a CCS Type 2 port. We had to drive
25 minutes to the Queensland Electric Super Highway’s charge point at Cooroy station just off the Bruce Highway. Incredibly, it was free to use. Thanks, Mr Government.

Jules: It’s easy to use and the giant 64kWh battery takes 75 minutes to go from zero to
80 per cent when using a 50kW public charger. The train station was fine during the day but I wouldn’t want to be hanging around there at night waiting for my EV to charge.

Iain: Hyundai’s home charger is $1950 and that gives 100 per cent charge in just under 10 hours.

Jules: That’s only relevant if you’ve got solar, otherwise you’re still creating carbon dioxide.

Iain: Regardless, the Kona EV is a gem to drive. When cruising you’re troubled only by wind and tyre noise, it handles in a fun, engaging manner and I really liked watching my range increase when lifting off the throttle.

Jules: On a big downhill I claimed back better than 5km extra range apparently. Nice feeling.

Electric cars limited the speed of charging for the last 20 per cent to avoid damage to the battery.

The family

Iain: Rear space isn’t huge but for our two kids it’s big enough. There are no rear air vents and that’s a shocker.

Jules: I love it when charging is free. Services are just $165 a year and Hyundai gives a five-year warranty and eight-year battery warranty. These help when family budgeting.

Iain: But we can’t forget that purchase price. Realistically, right now, you’re not buying an EV to save money. You’re doing it to embrace the technology and to help the planet.

The verdict

Jules: It’s a brilliant car. I love how it sounds like a spaceship and accelerates like one, too. Plus, I had no range anxiety thanks to its massive battery. I know other EVs are cheaper as they have smaller batteries and less range but I reckon Hyundai’s got it just right. Were it priced the same as a petrol Kona, I’d go electric.

Iain: True. Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric is $15,000 cheaper but it has roughly two-thirds the Kona Electric’s range. It’s a brilliant thing to own and drive but there are the barriers to purchasing — its high purchase price, Australia’s poor charging infrastructure and the similarly priced Tesla Model 3.

Hyundai Kona Electric Highlander

Price: About $69,000 drive-away

Warranty/servicing: 5 years/unlimited km, battery 8 years/160,000km, $825 for 5 years/75,000km

Engine: 150kW/395Nm electric motor with 64kWh battery

Safety: 5 stars, 6 airbags, AEB, radar cruise control, rear camera, rear sensors, forward collision warning, blind spot warning, driver attention warning, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic assist

Thirst: 0L/100km

Spare: None; repair kit

Boot: 332L

Originally published as Hyundai Kona Electric: Is this Australia’s most capable electric car?