Hyundai spent the first months of 2021 testing its new high-performance crossover, the Kona N. Hyundai’s N line reminds me of the early days of BMW’s M Division and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG, except for one thing: Hyundai N models (including the new Kona N) won’t cost an arm and a leg to enjoy the fun.
“The Kona N is a truly attractive SUV with a performance level,” said Albert Biermann, President and Head of the R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Group. Biermann is the former head of BMW’s M Division (surprise, surprise!) and is responsible for the outstanding E46 M3 (2000 to 2006) and E39 M5 (1998 to 2003).
So, yes, the man knows a couple of things about turning ordinary cars into track monsters for the street. “The Kona N can take corners on the race track and bring excitement to daily driving,” Biermann added. “As an N model, it goes beyond the limits of a common SUV and breaks the rule that SUVs are less fun to drive.”
As expected, the Kona N has inherited custom hardware from Hyundai’s hot hatch, the Veloster N. This includes the raucous 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and the in-house-developed eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.
Hyundai Kona N 2022: Turbocharged Power
The Hyundai Kona N features a 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. The engine drives the front wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a wet-clutch pack and an electronic limited-slip differential. We can nerd out all day about this gearbox, but all you need to know is that it has two electric oil pumps to ensure maximum traction from the get-go.
But wait, there’s more. If the system activates the N Grin Shift mode (which we’ll talk about in a second), the engine summons an additional 10 horsepower to increase power to 286 horsepower for 20 seconds. The only crossover in the same category faster than the Kona N is the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35, which goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with its upgraded AMG 302-horsepower turbo-four.
But the AMG GLB 35 is a Mercedes, so it costs over $50,000, and you won’t pay that much for the new Kona N.
The Hyundai Kona N isn’t incredibly fast, but it’s enough to make sports car owners take notice. Hyundai says the Kona N accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds using the launch control. The top speed is electronically limited to 150 mph.
Hyundai’s N Grin Shift mode maximizes transmission response for 20 seconds while further boosting the engine to produce 296 horsepower. You can activate N Grin Shift by pressing the bright red button on the steering wheel.
As you can imagine, N Grin Shift is ideal for overtaking slower vehicles on a mountain slope or racing from one traffic light to another, but you didn’t hear it from us. After 20 seconds of boost, the system needs 40 seconds to recover before the fun starts again.
The Hyundai Kona N 2022 also features N Power Shift (NPS) and N Track Sense (NTS) like the Veloster N. The former activates automatically by applying 90 percent throttle pressure and mitigates torque reduction when upshifting. Meanwhile, the latter optimizes gear shifts on the race track by analyzing motorsports data and your driving style.
The 2022 Hyundai Kona N has body-color fender flares, 19-inch wheels, a front-edge spoiler, side skirts, red stripes, and a two-wing roof spoiler as telltale signs of its sporty inclinations. It also has a fuller lower air intake in the front bumper for improved engine cooling. Exclusive to the new Hyundai Kona N is a Sonic Blue paint job, a unique twist on the Performance Blue paint of the Veloster N.
Inside, the Kona N has N-specific advantages like a bespoke steering wheel, shifter, pedals, and blue details. Standard equipment includes a digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display, a race-inspired head-up display, and five driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, N, and Custom).
