Since its birth in 2017, the Hyundai Kona has done a spectacular job of turning heads with its progressive, quirky (in a good way) design and unique approach to the often-overdone crossover. Luckily, that won’t be changing with the 2022 model.
With that said, there is plenty that will change from the 2021 Hyundai Kona to the 2022 Hyundai Kona. Don’t fret, though — it’s more accurate to categorize them as “upgrades” rather than “changes.”
2022 Hyundai Kona: A Quick Introduction
The Hyundai Kona, named after the Hawaiian island of Kona, was designed to appeal to a modern generation of driver. And while that may sound like we’re claiming you have to be a 20-something to purchase a Kona, that’s not the intent.
Instead, it’s a reminder that the Kona was built to be a smart, intuitive, progressive crossover that puts the driver’s safety, comfort and enjoyment first. It offers a boatload of standard features, a surprising amount of power, and the pleasant drivability of a sedan.
It’s got all of the standard safety features you’d expect in today’s high-tech world, including automated emergency braking and lane-departure warning. While it’s smaller size does limit cargo space and legroom a bit, it more than makes up for it with fun-to-drive handling and plenty of horses under the hood.
Don’t worry about making up for that power at the pump, though. The 2022 Hyundai Kona is estimated to get 28 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.
2022 Hyundai Kona: What’s Changing?
Okay, enough tooting the Kona’s horn. Let’s take a look at a few aspects that are set to change from the 2021 model to the 2022 model.
Pricing
At this moment, we don’t know what the starting price for the 2022 Hyundai Kona will be. The 2021 model started at $20,400, so the expectation is the 2022 model should see a marginal uptick — likely in the $21,000-$22,000 range. Even assuming there is a slight increase, that’s a small price to pay for the package the Kona delivers.
Engine/Performance
Not too much has changed in the way of performance for the upcoming 2022 Hyundai Kona. It’ll still sport the 147-horsepower, four-cylinder powertrain on the lower trim levels, while the upper trim levels will feature the turbocharged four-cylinder variation that cranks out 175 horsepower.
With that said, there is a new N Line trim that packs a punch with an upgraded version of the turbocharged engine, which boasts 195 horsepower.
Exterior Design
This may be the most noteworthy of the changes the 2022 Hyundai Kona is set to undergo. The exterior will get a significant facelift, with a new wheel design, upgraded exterior lighting, a sporty new grille, and an overall more aggressive look.
Just to confirm — the funky, unique style isn’t going anywhere.
Interior/Technology
The fun doesn’t end on the outside.
The 2022 Hyundai Kona’s dashboard also gets a facelift and the infotainment display grows from 7” to 8”. Additionally, upgraded features like a digital driver information cluster and a 10.3” infotainment display are optional. Hyundai has also added modern conveniences like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration and USB ports.
Maybe the best (and most underrated) possible add-on is the wireless charging pad.
2022 Hyundai Kona: Release Date
As of this writing, an official release date for the 2022 Hyundai Kona has not been announced. However, the expectation is that we should see this character-laden crossover hit showroom floors sometime early in 2021. They can’t keep one of the market’s most intriguing small SUVs away from us for long.