Hyundai Kona

FIRST DRIVE EV gets bigger and posher for second generation

- John Mcllroy

HYUNDAI scored such a massive hit with its loniq 5 that it's easy to forget the brand's earlier EV efforts. There was the Prius-rivalling model called loniq, but also the Kona, a small SUV offered with a choice of hybrid powertrains or as a pure-electric version. Now there's a second generation of the car, and we've grabbed an early chance to drive it in the UK.

Buyers loved lots about the original Kona, but many reckoned it was a little too compact. Hyundai has responded to this by moving the car onto the same K3 platform as the likes of the Kia Niro, and stretching its length and wheelbase. The end result is a car that now sits halfway between a Nissan Juke and a full family SUV, instead of one that was barely a jacked-up supermini, previously.

The Kona really does look like a mini Tucson from certain angles, too, thanks to complex surfacing along the flanks especially around the rear wheelarches, which some may find a little fussy. But there's a sleek sci-fi look to the front end, with its wraparound pixel bar.

Inside, the pair of 12.3-inch displays that dominate the facia are lifted pretty much straight from other Hyundais, but they run new software here, with a cleaner interface that features larger and easier-to-prod 'widgets'.

The rest of the cabin feels notably more upmarket than the previous Kona; there are soft-touch finishes on all of the key surfaces, and robust, well made plastics where they're needed, in heavy-use areas. The open interior architecture also means storage is great.