Hyundai Kona Electric

Hyundai calls the Kona Electric ‘India’s first electric SUV’ though the model is more raised hatchback than burly SUV in look. Nonetheless, the Kona Electric is well turned out and Hyundai has used new-age details and cladding to good effect. It’s not revolutionary on the inside but the dashboard is smartly laid out and you get all the info you need from the large centre touchscreen and digital dials. Material quality is largely good though there are a few hard plastics on the inside as well. Hyundai has done well to equip the Kona Electric with a fair few features. There’s a powered driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charger, sunroof and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Buyers used to conventional combustion engine cars will find the switch to the all-electric Kona Electric fairly easy. The Hyundai is zippy and performance is actually quite good. The absence of noise from the engine bay is a boon but at speed you will hear some wind noise and a bit of roar from the tyres. The Kona Electric also handles reasonably well though the suspension can’t isolate you from bumps as well as other cars in the same price bracket. There are three levels of regenerative braking and there’s also the option to use the regen control (operated via paddles behind the wheel) to slow the car down.
We are yet to test the Kona Electric’s range in real-world conditions but expect 250-300km on a full charge. Charging times vary with type of charger. A 2.8kW AC portable wall charger can juice up the battery pack to full in 19 hours while a 7.2kW AC charger, also supplied with the car, brings charging time down to 6 hours. With 50KW DC fast charging, the Kona Electric’s battery pack goes from 0-80 percent in 57 minutes.