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The 2022 Hyundai Kona N is the automaker’s latest full-fledged performance model, placing the Veloster N’s powerful powertrain in a slightly more practical crossover body. We didn’t think we’d get behind the wheel of the sassy SUV for at least a few weeks, but Hyundai pulled us a quick one and gave us some time in a pre-production example on our first ride of the 2022 Santa Cruz Pickup.
With just a few minutes available to put the Kona N to the test, we hopped in the saddle and made our way to the Bay Area’s Skyline Drive, a winding sliver of pavement near Palo Alto. The skyline is full of tight hairpin bends and lots of bumps and cracks in the asphalt, meaning this would be a perfect place to test the Hyundai’s agility at reasonable speeds. Without revealing the ending, our brief stay in the Kona N made us all the more excited to slip behind the wheel for a more extended test drive.
Some like it hot
Like the sportier Elantra and Veloster, the Kona has two pale blue buttons on the steering wheel, activating either the vehicle’s most aggressive N drive mode or a pair of owner-customizable settings. Do yourself a favor – before turning the vehicle around, make sure the multi-mode exhaust is set to its loudest setting. If you do, you’ll encounter a decidedly non-Konalike bark coming from the N’s dual tailpipes, with a lot of crackling and crackling as you crank it up. It’s the first indicator, aside from the wild body kit and well-formed performance seats, that you’re driving something special.
That sound is courtesy of a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, which produces 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet. Since the Kona N is front-wheel drive, some of that growl turns into wheel spin from a standstill, and once the tires regain grip, they tug at the steering wheel despite the Kona’s standard electronic limited-slip front differential.
However, the couple’s steering is more charming than annoying, giving the Kona a much-needed dose of driving personality reminiscent of an old Acura Integra or a first-generation Mazdaspeed3. As in these vehicles, combat behind the wheel is part of the allure of the vehicle, as if you are taming a wild beast to subdue it.
The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission delivers aggressive gear changes in N mode accompanied by a healthy little growl from the tailpipes with every gear change. Responsive paddle shifters are standard, giving the driver plenty of control if desired. That said, the drivetrain does a great job of choosing gears on its own, offering ready downshifts under heavy braking, and maintaining coasting gears even at the red line.
There is also a bright red “N Grin Shift” button on the steering wheel that prepares the engine for temporary supercharging and puts the transmission on high alert. It’s perfect for quick passing maneuvers (on highway or track), giving the driver 20 seconds of hyperactive performance before turning off for a minute to prevent the vehicle from nibbling.
In the corners, the Kona N is an obedient driving partner, with surprisingly precise turns and limited body roll thanks to reinforced adaptive dampers and a completely revised suspension geometry. There is a bit of understeer when exiting the corners, but the Kona is short enough to respond to throttle lift with a little touch of balanced oversteer. In its stiffer Sport Plus setting, the suspension beats occupants quite a bit, so a road like Skyline deserves to use Sport or even Normal – even at their softest, these shocks are still very stiff.
More more more
Our brief period of driving the 2022 Hyundai Kona N ended after a short jaunt on the highway, and here it showed some warts. Aside from choppy driving over expansion joints, the Kona never really calms down, with a ubiquitous exhaust drone, regardless of what the sound baffles are doing. And it’s hard to ignore some chintzy interior materials and plastics, a holdover from the Kona’s affordable prices in a non-N form.
However, he might be more comfortable on a daily commute than other members of the N family, and hot hatch fans and performance newbies alike will find a lot to like about the Kona variant. We’ll have a lot more time in Hyundai’s sportiest SUV soon, so be sure to stay tuned. But with plenty of driving fun and more interior and cargo space than a Veloster, the Kona N could be one of our new favorite Hyundai’s.
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