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The new Hyundai Kona Hybrid returns 72.4mpg and 90g/km CO2 combined (with 16-inch wheels; or 99g/km CO2 with 18-inch wheels). Impressive figures, but the overall feedback that Green Car Guide gets is that UK motorists would prefer Hyundai to ramp up the supply of the Hyundai Kona Electric instead (we should also say that you can buy a Kona petrol and a Kona diesel).
However, if you want an efficient car and can’t plug-in at home to charge then the Kona Hybrid could provide a solution. It features a 105 PS, 147 Nm 1.6-litre petrol four-cylinder engine together with an electric motor delivering 43.5 PS and 170 Nm of torque, giving a total system output of 141 PS and up to 265 Nm of torque.
The Kona Hybrid has a 6-speed dual clutch transmission. Pressing the gear stick to the left, drivers can switch to Sport mode. Paddles on the steering wheel act as manual shifters.
The all-new Kona Hybrid also features Blue Link, a connected vehicle system which uses embedded telematics to allow drivers to remote lock or unlock their vehicle via a smartphone app.
The Kona Hybrid with the 10.25-inch AVN is equipped with the ECO-Driving Assist System (ECO-DAS) to help improve fuel economy. The integrated Coasting Guide analyses road information from the navigation system to notify the driver when deceleration (for example change of direction, cross-roads, highway exits) is imminent. The feature aims to reduce fuel consumption and minimise brake usage.
The Coasting Guide can be activated when in Eco mode between 25 and 100 mph.
Eco-DAS is further equipped with a Predictive Energy Management system, which manages charging and discharging of the battery in uphill and downhill situations to maximise the battery usage. When an incline is expected on a route, and the battery state of charge is low, the vehicle increases engine operation slightly to pre-charge the battery ahead of the uphill section. This ensures that the electric motor can assist going uphill and minimises the inefficient use of the petrol motor on incline driving situations – so optimising fuel-efficiency. If the battery is sufficiently charged, the Kona Hybrid increases the level of electric motor power usage before driving downhill to minimise fuel consumption. The electric power is then recovered on the way downhill by regenerative braking.
The All-New Kona Hybrid will be available to customers from August 2019.
