- Base price of $34,270 EPA secures 200 miles from less than 50 kwh
- Fast charging times fall short of Hyundai's E-GMP (Ioniq) EVs, but V2L adds support
- Smart interior design, latest infotainment system equals modern look and feel
The Hyundai Kona Electric is one of the Green Car Reports' To Buy 2025 finalists, and it exemplifies the formula missing in today's US electric car market: that of an open, affordable small car that makes a decent driving range from scratch. decent battery pack.
The Kona Electric isn't built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, but that may be to its own fault. Despite its 171.5-inch length, the Kona Electric can comfortably fit four adults—or five at a stretch. Packaging is smart, allowing for 25.5 cubic feet of space behind the second row and 63.7 cubic feet when folded forward.
This time around, the Kona Electric outshines the gasoline versions of this small car family in terms of performance, ride, and handling, so everything but the base SE gets perky. 201-hp electric motor on the front wheels. It drives in a smooth, responsive manner, and its cool, modern displays and switchgear feel directly inherited from Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 EV. All models get a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Autobuilt-in wifi hotspot, over-the-air update capability, and V2L (car charging) compatibility on all versions offered 3.6 kw of AC power for workplace tools, camping accessories, and more.
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
The Kona Electric runs on 400 volts, unlike those 800-volt Ioniq models and their E-GMP platform, but its faster DC charging time 43 minutes from 10-80% it is appreciated by urban commuters who take the occasional highway trip.
With the Chevrolet Bolt EV on hold until at least the late 2025 calendar year and the 2026 model year, the Kona Electric is a near-modern EV alternative, occupying a corner of the market—high price, small size—that's wrong. represented in the American market. The Kona Electric starts at $34,270, including a $1,395 destination charge. That's for SE, and 48.6-kwh battery pack and 200-mile EPA grade rating. SEL models, going up 64.8-kwh battery pack and 261-mile average width, costs $38,270, has heated front seats and a power driver's seat, and is probably the sweet spot of the lineup for many considering this model.
Sporty N Line versions start at $40,270, and get a variety of sporty cosmetic upgrades and Bose premium audio, while the top-of-the-line $42,445 Limited version has a hands-free tailgate, a surround-view camera system, and several additional active safety systems. At that price, however, you run into the same value-for-money hurdles we identified with the Kia Niro EV.
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
The competition is small—only the Nissan Leaf has been written about; the Fiat 500e, a two-door model; and the Mini Countryman SE ALL4, which starts at $46,195 and is now a larger car than the Kona. The overdue and delayed Volvo EX30, which was supposed to start at $36,245 will make a strong competitor to the Kona Electric, once it arrives.
Is the Hyundai Kona Electric making a big enough impact on the EV market to rise to the top four of the Best Cars to Buy 2025 Finalists? Check back on Jan. 6.