Photo: Gabriel Dias‎ on Facebook group Carspotting Portugal
The cat is out of the bag way before the Kona was supposed to make its world debut, but here it is, ladies and gents! Hyundai’s subcompact crossover is a superb-looking machine, and from the two camouflage-less pictures, it appears that a brochure is in the making as we speak.
Regarding the two photos, one comes courtesy of Facebook group Carspotting Portugal and the other from an AutoWeek reader. And now, let’s talk design. The front fascia of the Kona really steals the show, but the rear end is sharp in its own way. And of course, the South Korean manufacturer decided on using plenty of black plastic cladding to give its all-new model that unmistakable crossover feeling.
An obvious departure from the current crop of Hyundai models in the U.S. and Europe, the Kona has a bit of i30 to it. More to the point, the shape and mesh pattern of the front grille are the most obvious design details shared by the two siblings. The twin headlight design is a first, though, a motif that will soon be embraced by the next-gen Santa Fe.
Aimed squarely at the likes of the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke, the 2018 Hyundai Kona is likely to make its European debut this fall. The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show is arguably the best venue for the funky crossover to show off what it’s got, and speaking of which, it’s not known if Hyundai plans to offer all-wheel-drive for this application.
On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, turbocharged three- and four-cylinder engines are in the offing. The range is expected to start with the 1.0 T-GDI one might find in the i20 supermini, continue with a 1.4 T-GDI as found in the i30, as well as a fuel-efficient 1.6 CRDi diesel.
Hyundai also keeps the lid on the Kona’s availability in the U.S. But bearing in mind the automaker’s SUV lineup in this part of the world consists of just the Tucson and Santa Fe, it certainly makes sense to add a subcompact to the range. After all, Ford did pretty much the same thing with the advent of the unsightly 2018 EcoSport.
An obvious departure from the current crop of Hyundai models in the U.S. and Europe, the Kona has a bit of i30 to it. More to the point, the shape and mesh pattern of the front grille are the most obvious design details shared by the two siblings. The twin headlight design is a first, though, a motif that will soon be embraced by the next-gen Santa Fe.
Aimed squarely at the likes of the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke, the 2018 Hyundai Kona is likely to make its European debut this fall. The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show is arguably the best venue for the funky crossover to show off what it’s got, and speaking of which, it’s not known if Hyundai plans to offer all-wheel-drive for this application.
On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, turbocharged three- and four-cylinder engines are in the offing. The range is expected to start with the 1.0 T-GDI one might find in the i20 supermini, continue with a 1.4 T-GDI as found in the i30, as well as a fuel-efficient 1.6 CRDi diesel.
Hyundai also keeps the lid on the Kona’s availability in the U.S. But bearing in mind the automaker’s SUV lineup in this part of the world consists of just the Tucson and Santa Fe, it certainly makes sense to add a subcompact to the range. After all, Ford did pretty much the same thing with the advent of the unsightly 2018 EcoSport.
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