Hyundai Shows Kona N Prototype and Confirms Powertrain Specs
- Hyundai has revealed more details about the upcoming Kona N.
- We also now have the first official photos of the high-performance crossover in prototype form.
- The Kona N will go on sale in Europe this year and may reach the U.S. market later.
Hyundai’s third high-performance N model will take the shape of the Kona small crossover. It will follow the Veloster N hot hatchback and the Elantra N sedan, and we now have our first official photos and a few key specifications for this upcoming performance version of Hyundai’s smallest SUV.
As we suspected, the Kona N will be powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that offers up 275 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in the Veloster N. Unlike the Veloster, though, the Kona N sadly won’t have a six-speed manual transmission as standard. Instead, it will come only with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that was added to the Veloster N lineup for 2021. Hyundai hasn’t said yet whether the Kona N will have front- wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
While we’ll miss the driver engagement of a manual transmission, we can’t complain about the DCT’s performance potential. If the Kona N comes close to the Veloster N’s numbers, it’ll be a swift SUV, as we tested a dual-clutch Veloster N recently and got it to 60 mph in a quick 4.9 seconds. Hyundai also says the Kona N will have launch control and that it’ll have an amped-up soundtrack similar to the Veloster N’s rowdy exhaust note.
Predictably, the prototype pictured here hints at the N model’s more aggressive body kit, larger wheels and tires, and add-ons such as a rear spoiler and dual exhaust tips. The interior will likely feature seats with extra bolstering and plenty of N badges.
So far Hyundai has only confirmed the Kona N for the European market and hasn’t said anything about U.S. plans for this model. But we wouldn’t be surprised to see it make its way here eventually, as Hyundai is busy building out its N lineup and has already confirmed that the larger 2022 Tucson crossover would come in an N Line variant for the U.S.
More details about the Hyundai Kona N will be coming soon as it makes its European debut within the next few weeks.
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