Hyundai Kona review

You don’t have to read far into an issue of What Car? magazine to see how big the small SUV market has become over recent years. The British public can't get enough of them and car manufacturers are only too happy to jack up the traditional hatchback in search of sales. Indeed, you’ll be hard pressed to find a manufacturer that doesn’t offer a dinky car with a high driving position.

The Hyundai Kona fits that brief perfectly. Although it doesn’t look like one, it’s best to simply think of it as a raised version of the brand’s i20 family hatchback. That makes it very much a small SUV and a rival to models such as the Kia Stonic, Seat Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross.

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There’s a choice of two petrol engines – the diesels were taken off sale due to lack of customer demand. Or, if those sound a little out-of-tune with the times, there’s also a self-charging Hybrid and fully electric version, imaginatively called the Kona Electric, which we’ve reviewed separately. An automatic gearbox is optional on petrol models, the most powerful of which can have four-wheel drive. Hybrid models are automatic only, with front-wheel drive.

It's an impressively diverse lineup, but is this enough for the Kona to lead the small SUV charge? Which engine and trim level makes the most sense? Read our full review to find out. Don’t forget to check out our New Car Buying pages if you decide to buy a Kona – you may be surprised by how much you can save.