What car do you think costs about $35,000 new, can carry a lot of photography equipment, and can make you smile every day while driving it?
Well, according to one owner, the vehicle that fits all of those criteria is the Hyundai Kona N. And after a year of ownership of the 2022 model, he’s published his thoughts in a 12-minute YouTube video (embedded above) where he explains what he likes and hates about the hot Korean crossover.
The car was bought because the owner wanted something fun, as well as something practical, seeing as how he runs his photography business and needed a spacious trunk to haul all his gear for a photo shoot. Problem was, he had never heard of the Kona N before buying it, so he did a lot of research and found that Albert Biermann of BMW M fame had a hand in creating the Hyundai performance sub-brand, which was a pleasant surprise.
Two of his favorite past cars were the Volkswagen Golf R32 and Audi S4, both of which had dual-clutch automatic transmissions, and the Kona N had something similar, so he ended up driving one and quickly fell in love with the Korean crossover.
Now, after a year of driving it as a daily, owners say the seats are great and the infotainment is even better, with up-to-date maps and reliable navigation, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. But it’s not perfect, as is the tough ride and the fact that the interior is black on black, without any colorful touches.
As such, the driver of this red Kona N appreciates what Hyundai has done with it, in the sense that a lot of work has been put into the performance side – brakes, transmission, steering and engine.
In the United States, the 2023 Hyundai Kona N starts at $34,950 (no destination charge) and is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four petrol engine that produces 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque which is sent to the front wheels via a standard eight-speed automatic transmission with wet-friction dual clutch.
As always, we want to know what you think of the video embedded above, so after watching it, head over to the comments section below to let us know what you think.
