Hyundai Kona 2021 review: N Line

The Kona N Line lists for $36,300, before on-road costs, which is at least $10K more than the entry grade in the range but half the price of the electric version of this model.

The standard features lists has some luxurious items such as leather seats, eight-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo, wireless phone charger, a 10.25-inch media screen and rear privacy glass, but misses out on power adjustable and heated front seats, a fully digital instrument cluster and the head-up display found in the N Line Premium above it in the range.

Inside is a 10.25-inch media screen.

Still there’s sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control and a proximity key with push-button start. 

The N Line and N Line Premium also come with a more powerful engine than the other grades and you can read about that further on. To go with extra sportiness is a tough-looking body kit which I’ll take you though in the design section below.

The N Line wears 18-inch alloy wheels.

The proximity unlocking and push-button start score a big urban thumbs up, because while most of my trips were short, there are many of them in a day and not having to constantly take a key out of my pocket to unlock and start the car is glorious.

Built-in sat nav, too, is another urban bonus and the system in the Kona is easy to follow – and I liked the way even when I wasn’t using the navigation there’s always a street ‘spotlight’ on the screen’s map which will help you find short cuts on the fly.

I tested this Kona N Line straight after I’d spent a week reviewing the Hyundai i30 hatch and for two cars which share so much, it amazed me how less practical the Kona is in comparison. 

Inside is a sports gear knob and an N Line steering wheel.

Sure, the Kona is about 13cm shorter in length than the i30 hatch, but there are places where the Kona could do far better.

Door pockets are letter-box-slot thin, the boot is small at 374 litres (VDA), there are no directional air vents in the second row, and legroom for me back there is impossibly tight behind my driving position (I am 191cm/6'3" tall though).

The rear doors don’t open far either, making entry and exit to the back seat difficult when helping kids into their car seats. 

Saving the Kona N Line from a practicality fail is the wireless charger, four cupholders (two up front and two in the rear) a USB port in the second row and another in the first along with two 12V outlets.

Rear headroom is pretty good, too, for a little SUV and up front there’s enough elbow and shoulder room for even me.

Legroom behind my driving position is tight.

The main feature drawing you to the Kona N Line and away from the other grades is most likely the more powerful engine. 

Inside that angry looking face is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine making 146kW/265Nm, which feels so much more oomph compared to what the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder can produce in the other grades.

The 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder produces 146kW/265Nm.

The N Line doesn’t have the regular six-speed auto found in those other Konas either, instead it has a seven-speed dual-clutch which shifts quickly, but not always smoothly.

The N Line is all-wheel drive. Nope you can’t have it as a front wheel drive.

Personally, I’m a fan of all-wheel drives for the extra stability they offer but for an urban environment it’s overkill. 

The N Line’s 1.6-litre turbo engine is the most powerful in Kona range, but its urban fuel economy is better than the 2.0-litre in the lower grades. 

That said, the fuel economy isn’t outstanding with Hyundai’s official urban consumption figure being 8.2L/100km.

My own driving which took in only city and urban roads saw me ‘score’ 11.6L/100km. That’s thirsty and if you’re looking for a super-efficient city car then the Kona N Line isn’t it. 

To be clear, I wasn’t trying to achieve the lowest possible consumption figure. I drove the Kona N Line in real world conditions – doing the school drop offs, the shopping centre trips, going nowhere in traffic and often using the ‘Sport’ mode for better acceleration.

Motorway running would bring the overall consumption figure down and Hyundai says that after a combination of open and urban roads the Kona N Line will use 6.9L/100km, and that is pretty darn good for the class.

But this is an urban test, however, and urban fuel economy is what counts. 

Let me end this on a bright note: you might not be saving a stack of fuel, but because the Kona N line can happily run on the cheaper 91 RON petrol and that may save you some money.

The Kona N Line is covered by Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. That's still lagging behind sister brand Kia's seven-year warranty.

Servicing is recommended every 12 months or 10,000km. A three-year pre-paid plan costs $957, four years is $1276 and five years is $1595.