2022 Hyundai Kona Electric SUV

The 2022 Hyundai Kona electric SUV is now available in only two trim options. The 2021 Hyundai Kopna electric had a top Ultimate trim, which has been discontinued for 2022. The base SEL trim is now speculated to be available at an MSRP of $39,000, while the Limited trim would be available at $46,000. Here is a list of the key features that are available with the trims of the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric.

Right from the base SEL trim, the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric now comes with better driver-assistive features like blindspot monitoring, lane keep assist, cross-traffic alert, automatic braking system, and many more discussed in the safety section. The Limited trim, which is now the top trim, gets more premium features as mentioned above. 

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We would recommend you to opt for the base SEL trim as it gets all the necessary features that provide a great driving experience. The Limited trim does bring in luxury features like a sunroof, a buffer infotainment display, wireless charging, and many more, but the $7000 increase in price is not justified. Thus the base SEL trim provides the best value for the money spent. Along with that, the 2022 Hyundai Kona is eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 which further helps save some money.

Release Date

The 2022 Hyundai Kona is all set to be available in the market by the end of 2021.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona is quite great when it comes to the mileage that it provides. We consider the MPGe which is a gasoline-equivalent for the electric energy spent to cover the distance. As the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric carries forward the same electric powertrain as the previous year, we expect it to provide a mileage of 132 MPGe in the city and 108 MPGe on the highway. Thus we get a combined mileage of 120 MPGe from the Hyundai Kona electric. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 64kWh and thus on a full charge, the Hyundai Kona electric provides a maximum range of 258 miles. 

The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV provides a similar range of 259 miles with its 65 kWh battery pack as the Hyundai Kona electric. The Chevy Bolt also provides a similarly combined mileage of 119 MPGe. The Kia Rio lacks in terms of the mileage and range that it provides. With a carnage of 239 miles, the Kia Niro sits at the bottom of this list. The Kia Rio also provides a lease combined mileage of 112 MPGe even if it gets the same 64 kWh battery pack as the Hyundai Kona electric.

As soon as we enter the interior of the Hyundai Kona electric, we see how well thought out the overall interior design is. It is more driver-centric that helps to reach the controls for better convenience. There are some unique design elements like the ambient blue lighting, the floating infotainment touchscreen, and circular vents to name a few that gives the Hyundai Kona electric its characteristics. The center console houses all the control buttons and is called a ‘waterfall’ design by Hyundai. There is no shifter in the Kona electric, but it gets push-button shifters for driver, neutral, and parking modes. 

Not just the design, but the overall interior build quality of the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric is quite premium with the use of soft-touch materials. The seats are well-bolstered and provide enough grip to keep you in place. They are comfortable for long rides as well. The higher trim gets power seat adjustments along with heating and ventilation functions. The Hyundai Kona electric provides considerable spacing at the front, but lacks in terms of rear-seat legroom and thus feels cramped at the rear. It can carry up to 5 passengers in total, but the limited rear legroom makes it difficult for the passengers. 

All the vehicles in this comparison can accommodate up to five passengers in total. The Kia Niro provides the best spacing for passengers at both the front as well as the rear. The Chevrolet Bolt as well as the Hyundai Kona provides similar spacing to the passengers. The Chevy Bolt has got a redesigned interior of the 2022 model and thus looks modern. The 2022 Hyundai Kona electric provides the best-in-class cargo capacity of 19.2 cu.-ft. while the Chevrolet Bolt and Kia Niro follow with a cargo capacity of 16.9 cu.-ft. and 18.5 cu-ft. respectively. Here is a list of the interior features that are available with the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric:

• Heated front seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated steering wheel
• Ventilated front seats
• Head-up display

How intuitive is the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric infotainment unit?

The infotainment system of the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric gets a bigger 8-inch touchscreen display for the SEl trim, while the Limited trim gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen display. This is a considerable improvement as compared to the 7-inch display available in the previous year’s model. Along with that, the Hyundai Kona gets smartphone integration through Android Auto and Apple Carplay. It also gets Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system, satellite radio, and USB ports. 

The base SEL model gets a 6-speaker audio system as standard, while the Limited trim gets an 8-speaker Infinity audio system which sounds much better and provides a great in-cabin entertainment experience. The Limited trim brings in a wireless mobile charging pad at the front as well. Here is a list of the infotainment features that are available with the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric:

• 8-inch or 10.25-inch touchscreen display
• Apple Carplay
• Android Auto
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Satellite radio
• USB ports
• Wireless charging
• 8-speaker Infinity audio system

One of the major changes that we see in the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric is its exterior design. The front and the rear fascia have been completely redesigned to give it a more electric vehicle look with minimal elements. The perforated design on the front bumper is not gone and the headlamp design has been changed. The Hyundai kept the front lower grille along with the front charging port. Well, the location of the charging port could have been better as it disturbs the continuity of the front design. The rear design has also seen a considerable upgrade. The design looks more aggressive with the edgy lower tail lamps with integrated turn signals. The 2022 Hyundai Kona electric has not changed much over the side and carries the same smooth lines. 

The overall exterior design seems smooth with the reduction in unnecessary elements. One of the upgrades that we see in the Kona EV is the new acoustic windshield along with better overall sound insulation that helps keep the noise and vibrations in control. This improves the overall ride quality of the vehicle. The Kona electric is not that heavy with a curb weight of 3770 pounds and is quite short in length. The smaller wheelbase of 102.4-inches limits the rear passenger legroom. The Kona provides a decent ground clearance of 6.2-inches which is quite decent to tackle the off-road as well. 

The Kia Niro EV is the heaviest in this comparison with a curb weight of 3854 pounds, while the Chevy Bolt EV is the lightest at 3563 pounds. The Kia Niro also has considerably higher exterior dimensions that provide better interior spacing along with a larger footprint on road. But the Chevrolet Bolt EV provides us with the maximum ground clearance of 7.9-inches which makes it a much better competitor on off-roads. The exterior design of the Chevrolet Bolt is one of the best in this comparison. It is much more athletic and caters to the young audience. The Kia Niro on the other side is much more poised and has a similar overall design to the Hyundai Kona. Here is a list of the exterior features that are available with the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric:

• 17/18-inch alloy wheels
• LED Headlights
• Keyless entry
• Powered sunroof
• Rain sensing wipers

The electric variant of the Hyundai Kona has not been tested separately, but the gasoline variant has gone through testing from both the NHTSA as well as the IIHS. The NHTSA has given it a combined 5-star safety rating which is the best rating a vehicle can get. The IIHS has given it an overall ‘Good’ rating along with a Top Safety Pick Plus award for the year 2021 in the small SUV segment. 

Thus the Hyundai Kona is one of the safest cars out there. The 2022 Hyundai Kona electric gets additional driver-assistive technologies that further improve the overall safety factor of the vehicle by preventing accidents in the first place. Here is a list of the safety features that are available with the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric:

• Forward collision avoidance
• Pedestrian detection
• Smart cruise control
• Blind-spot collision avoidance
• Rear cross-traffic avoidance
• Lane-keeping assist
• Driver attention warning
• Rear occupant alert
• Lane following assist
• Highway driving assist
• Safe exit warning

2022 Hyundai Kona electric vs Chevrolet Bolt EV

Just like the 2022 Hyundai Kona, the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt has seen a major redesign in its exterior and interior design. The edgy design of the Chevy Bolt surely makes it stand apart from the crowd and looks much more young and energetic. The Chevy Bolt has a similar electric powertrain as that of the Hyundai Kona electric and thus provides a similar power output of 200 hp. The Bolt is quite quick as well with 6.5 seconds from 0-60 MPH but has a lower top speed of just 90 mph. 

The 2022 Chevy Bolt provides a maximum range of 259 miles which is quite decent for a 65 kWh battery capacity. The powertrain is quite efficient while driving the Bolt is a fun experience. The major advantage that the 2022 Chevy Bolt has over the Hyundai Kona is the base price. The 2022 Chevy Bolt is available on sale at a base price of $31,995, which is around $6,000 cheaper than the base Hyundai Kona electric. 

2022 Hyundai Kona electric vs Kia Niro EV

The Kia Niro EV gets the same electric powertrain setup as that of the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric, and exact same maximum power output of 201 hp along with 291 lb-ft of torque. But even after that, the Kia Niro EV is slightly slower than the Kona EV with 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds. The Kia Niro is not efficient as well, as it provides us with a lower combined mileage of 112 MPGe as opposed to 120 MPGe of the Hyundai Kona electric. 

The Kia Niro also has a lower range of 239 miles, while the Kona Electric provides a maximum range of 258 miles. But the Kia Niro EV beats the Kona EV in terms of practicality. With its longer wheelbase and length, the Kia Niro EV provides a much better interior spacing for the passengers. The Kia Niro is similar in pricing to that of the Hyundai Kona EV. It is available on sale at a base price of $39,090. 

The 2022 Hyundai Kona electric has seen a major refresh for this year and looks much more modern and appealing in the EV SUV segment. It keeps the same electric powertrain from the previous year’s model and thus there would be no change in performance. The single motor setup is quite powerful in this price range and thus provides great overall performance. The Hyundai Kona is a fun-to-drive vehicle, and its re-tuned suspension now provides a much better ride experience. Starting at a base price of $39,000, the top trim can reach up to $46,000. Thus the 2022 Hyundai Kona is surely on the expensive side.