Hyundai Kona Electric review

Like all electric cars, the Kona Electric is eligible for a £3500 grant from the Government. You probably won’t get anything more off the car’s price by haggling, though; demand is currently outstripping production to the point that there’s actually a long waiting list.

Although the Kona Electric will cost you quite a bit more to buy than a conventional petrol-powered small SUV, there are savings to be made elsewhere. You’ll spend a lot less on electricity per mile than you would on petrol, for example, and you won’t pay a penny in road tax. Company car drivers will be treated to a low 16% benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rate, while those who venture into London’s Congestion Charge zone will escape from payment. There are various cheap or free parking perks for electric cars, too, in cities across the UK.

A 0-80% rapid charge takes around 75 minutes. At home, using a regular 7kW charging point via a Type 2 cable (included as standard) takes around 9.5 hours. In emergencies, you can also use a domestic three-pin charging lead (also included), but this method takes more than three times as long. 

The Kona Electric hasn’t specifically been safety tested by Euro NCAP, but the regular Kona has and achieved a five-star (out of five) rating. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard.

We reckon Premium trim makes most sense, because it comes with all the luxuries you’re likely to want. Stepping up to Premium SE adds heated, electrically adjustable front seats and a heated steering wheel, but it’s quite a bit more expensive.