Used Hyundai Kona 2023-present review

Petrol, hybrid or electric? It’s a question that many car buyers struggle with, but the Hyundai Kona is a car that gives you a choice. That’s right, the Kona is a small SUV available with all of those power options, but in this review, we’ll be focusing on the petrol and hybrid versions.

The Kona’s formula has been very successful over the years, and it’s now in its second generation. Launched in 2023, it brought with it RoboCop-esque looks, a larger body and improved interior quality. This was important because the small SUV class is hotly contested, with cars like the Ford Puma, Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Roc being popular choices – both new and used.

Engines and performance: There are three engine options available in the Kona, either with petrol or hybrid power. The entry-level engine is a 99bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit that officially gets from 0-62mph in 13.3sec. That’s slower than entry-level versions of the Puma and T-Roc, but it’s still nippy enough for town driving. It comes with a light, precise six-speed manual gearbox.

If you want more power, along with the option of an automatic gearbox, there’s a 136bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine. Performance is stronger, but with a 0-62mph time of 10.2sec, it’s still slower than a 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol T-Roc.

Then there’s the regular hybrid version. This combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver a total of 127bhp. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 12.0sec – again, not great relative to most other small SUVs.

Ride and handling: The Kona is a pleasingly comfortable small SUV. The suspension does a good job of absorbing most road imperfections, including large potholes. If we’re to nitpick, it doesn’t waft over speed bumps quite as well as the T-Roc, but it’s not far off.

The top-spec petrol and hybrid versions are the least comfortable in the line-up. Being heavier than the 1.0-litre petrol, they do fidget more at high speeds.

Considering the Kona is one of the larger small SUVs, it stays planted and composed in corners. It’s not as sharp as a Puma, but then that car isn’t as comfortable.

Around town, the steering is light and quick, but as you build speed, the steering weights up, and it feels accurate as you add lock, giving you plenty of confidence in corners. Overall, it’s a pleasant and tidy car to drive.

Interior and practicality: Unlike the Seat Arona and Skoda Kamiq, the Kona’s driving position places you high up, giving you a raised SUV feel. This brings benefits for visibility, with a good view forwards aided by relatively slim pillars and tall windows. While the Kona’s thick rear pillars and small rear window restrict your rear view, standard-fit front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera help with this.

The Kona’s interior won’t woo you with its design, but it’s very user-friendly, with lots of physical buttons. Along with this, every Kona comes with a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen, DAB radio, Bluetooth and built-in sat-nav (with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay). The screen is high-definition with sharp graphics and the software responds quickly to your request.

Unfortunately, hard scratchy plastics dominate the dashboard and insides of the doors. As such, the Kamiq and T-Roc are better for interior materials, with more soft-touch surfaces to add some plushness. Having said that, the Kona feels well-built; all the buttons, switches and knobs feel solid and satisfying to use.

For six-footers, there’s loads of head and leg room in the front of the Kona. However, it’s in the rear where it really impresses; there’s loads of rear leg room for a small SUV and head room is good too. It’s on a par with the T-Roc and better than the Puma for carrying people in the back.

In the boot, there’s 466 litres of space, which is more than enough for everyday duties. We managed to fit five carry-on suitcases and a couple of soft bags below the parcel shelf. That matches the Arona but falls short of the T-Roc, which took seven cases. If you need to carry long items, the rear seatbacks split and fold in a useful 40/20/40 configuration in all but the entry-level Advance trim. That’s a handy feature, because most rivals come with a less flexible 60/40 setup.

Trims and equipment: All versions of the Kona come with lots of standard equipment. The entry-level Advance trim includes 17in alloy wheels (18in on the hybrid), power-folding door mirrors, automatic lights and wipers, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control and cruise control (adaptive cruise on hybrid and automatic models). That’s on top of the 12.3in touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and rear-view camera.

N Line trim adds sporty styling details, 18in alloys, privacy glass, a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, aluminium pedals, ambient interior lighting, a powered tailgate and wireless phone-charging. N Line S gives you Alcantara and part-leather seat trim, electric seats, ventilated front seats, blind-spot monitoring and a Bose stereo on top. Top-spec Ultimate trim has full-leather upholstery and a sunroof.

"I find button-less interiors deeply irritating, but thankfully, the Kona has plenty of them. This is a big plus point in my book, because small adjustments – like changing the temperature – are super easy to do while driving." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

If you're interested in buying a used Hyundai Kona or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

Used prices for the Kona start from around the £17,000 mark, with most examples at this price point being 1.0-litre petrol Advance trim cars from 2023. Similar-spec cars from 2024 start from around £19,000, as do 1.6-litre petrol and hybrid cars from 2023.

If you up your budget to £20,000, you’ll find plenty of N Line and Ultimate-spec cars from 2023, with either petrol or hybrid power, along with some newer 2024 and 2025 cars with the entry-level engine and trim. A budget of £23,000 finds you an N Line or Ultimate car with the upper petrol and hybrid engine.

Check the value of a used Hyundai Kona with What Car? Valuations

Find used Hyundai cars for sale

MPG

The official average fuel economy for the 1.0-litre petrol is around 47mpg, which is similar to the entry-level T-Roc 1.0-litre TSI. The 1.6-litre engine drops the average down to around 42mpg. The hybrid model is the best of the bunch, with a figure of more than 61mpg and the lowest CO2 emissions.

Road Tax

All versions of the Kona will be subject to the standard road tax fee, which currently stands at £195.

Servicing

Hyundai has a fixed price servicing scheme available for the Kona. This costs from £199 for a Core Service, which includes a visual health check with oil and filter change. There’s also a Major Service option from £299, which includes added checks, parts and fluid replacements. That’s less than equivalent service costs for the Puma, Toyota Yaris Cross and T-Roc.

Warranty

From new, all versions of the Kona come with Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. It’s one of the best warranties in the business, beating those from Ford and Volkswagen by quite some margin. The battery in the hybrid model is covered for eight years under a separate warranty.

Insurance

Insurance groups for the Kona range from 16 to 18 (out of a possible 50), which means it will be more expensive to insure than the Puma but less than the T-Roc.

Safety

The Kona was given four stars out of five by Euro NCAP when it was safety tested in 2023. That's not terrible; it did well in the Adult Occupant and Child Occupant protection categories, but less well in the Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist sections.

All versions of the Kona come with plenty of safety kit as standard, with features such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keep assist. If you want rear cross traffic alert or blind-spot monitoring, you’ll have to go for N Line S or Ultimate trim.

Reliability

The Kona is too new to feature in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but Hyundai placed 14th out of 30 manufacturers in the brand rankings – above Ford, Skoda and Volkswagen, but behind Kia and Toyota. That’s a good sign, but to find out more about used Hyundai Kona reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

The 1.0-litre is the cheapest and most popular engine on the used market. While it’s not as quick as the 1.6-litre petrol or hybrid, we think it’s worth choosing for the value it offers. It should be cheap to run, too.

Specification

All versions of the Kona are well equipped, which is why we recommend the entry-level Advance trim. It gives you a lot of kit for the money, with features such as a 12.3in infotainment screen, automatic lights and wipers, keyless entry and dual-zone climate control. The price jump for N Line, N Line S and Ultimate cars is too much to recommend them for now.

Our favourite Hyundai Kona: 1.0 T-GDi Advance

The Volkswagen T-Roc is one of the Kona’s closest competitors. It has a spacious, well-made interior, a comfortable ride and a wide range of engine options. It’s good value on the used market, too, making it a great used buy. Its reliability record has been pretty good recently, which adds further appeal.

The Skoda Kamiq is based on the same underpinnings as the T-Roc, with a similar line-up of engines. It’s also comfortable, spacious and well priced.

The Ford Puma isn’t as big or spacious in the back as the Kona, but it’s more enjoyable to drive, with quicker performance and more agile handling. It’s well priced on the used market, coming in significantly less than the Kona. Its reliability record is a little bit mixed.

For a hybrid alternative, take a look at the Toyota Yaris Cross. It has an efficient hybrid system, a spacious interior and a competitive, service-activated 10-year warranty (that can be moved across owners). It’s not the cheapest option, though.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

If you're interested in buying a used Hyundai Kona or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.