Kona, the name inspired by a Hawaiian locale and given to Hyundai’s upcoming compact crossover, will be what’s uttered when future buyers are considering rivals like the Nissan Qashqai, Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, and Toyota C-HR. Here, now, we have a clear idea of the car’s front end.
The Kona was teased once before and spotted wearing thick layers of camouflage and other material to shroud its true shape when being taken between destination testing. It’s earmarked for a ‘winter 2017’ unveil and a showroom appearance in early 2018.
Back to the teaser which, again, doesn’t reveal much aside from details we already suspected it to have, specifically a front illumination configuration that resembles that of the Citroen C3’s in that its main beam source is positioned at the same level with the grille, supplemented a secondary cluster above it that houses the daytime running lights and turn signals.
In Hyundai’s own words: The All-New KONA’s front is expressive and powerful, adopting Hyundai Motor’s new family identity, the Cascading Grille. The new twin headlamps enhance the visual impact, with the LED Daytime Running Lights positioned on top of the LED headlights. The separated lights at the front deliver a confident, progressive appearance with sleek and sharp shapes. The bold front and rear are emphasised by the car’s wide stance and its voluminous, aggressive body styling.”
Knowing that the Kona would need to match the sporty exterior of its main rivals, and based on the scant information available now, Hyundai has given it touches like an aggressive looking fascia and a more sculpted bonnet. Presumably, these will be complemented by a body that also makes use of creases and fluidic lines.
From its size, it’s likely that the Korean automaker will build the Kona on the same platform that underpins the Creta, another compact SUV that the marque has been selling in certain markets.
Also possible would be that the Kona will be based upon all-new Hyundai i30, with an identical powertrain array, comparable exterior shape, and interior space, albeit with enough modifications to accommodate all-wheel drive.
It won’t be a stretch to imagine that the Kona could borrow heavily from the engine and transmission line-up used in the larger Tucson, either, including turbocharged petrol engine and turbodiesels.
For more on Hyundai vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
