New 2023 Hyundai Kona: prices, specs and release date

The radical Hyundai Kona arrives in 2023 to provide a striking new choice in the small SUV sector.

It sits below the similarly distinctive Hyundai Tucson family SUV and will be offered with an array of powertrains, including a pure electric version.

The new Hyundai Kona will go head-to-head with its sister car, the adventurous Kia Niro. Other competitors include the best-selling Ford Puma, the Volkswagen T-Cross, Vauxhall Mokka and Peugeot e-2008 (which also all offer electric versions), along with the hybrid-powered Toyota Yaris Cross.

New 2023 Hyundai Kona price and release date

New Hyundai Kona prices will be announced in 2023. It is likely to cost from around £25,000 for regular petrol-powered versions (ICE), and £27,500 for the Hyundai Kona Hybrid (HEV). The new Hyundai Kona Electric (EV) is expected to cost from £35,000.

The new Hyundai Kona will be released in summer 2023. Orders will open ahead of its UK launch, so those buying or leasing a new Hyundai Kona can configure the perfect car in advance.

All new Hyundai Konas will benefit from a five-year, unlimited-mileage manufacturer warranty.

New 2023 Hyundai Kona: exterior and interior

The new Hyundai Kona has a genuinely radical and futuristic exterior that is certain to turn heads. Its defining feature is an unmistakable full-width LED light bar at the front, which is called the Seamless Horizon Lamp. This has a pixelated appearance on the new Hyundai Kona EV, similar to that on the new Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The lower halves of new Hyundai Kona variants have different appearances, depending on the grade chosen. The bumper has a clean, closed-off look on the new Hyundai Kona Electric, in the interests of aero efficiency. There are extra styling elements on regular models – and the new Hyundai Kona N Line has an open-plan grille finished in black, giving it a much sportier look. There are other detail differences between ICE, HEV, EV and N Line models, too.

The new Hyundai Kona retains the rugged, high-set SUV appearance of today’s car, with tough plastic wheelarch cladding and crisp parametric side feature lines. At the rear, there’s another Seamless Horizon Lamp, continuing the theme at the front, plus a big Hyundai badge and Kona lettering.

“Upscaled with Kona’s unique character, the all-new Kona confidently expresses its bold and dynamic presence,” said Hyundai design chief SangYup Lee. “Kona has evolved in every respect to embrace an even wider range of diversity, to become a true lifestyle supporter.” 

Inside, the new Hyundai Kona has a cleaner and more upmarket appearance than today’s car, with brighter colours and smoother trims. The driver enjoys a dual-screen display, with twin 12.3-inch wraparound monitors, which appear to ‘float’ above the dashboard. Pleasingly, the new Hyundai Kona maintains physical buttons for climate control and other major functions. It makes good use of colourful ambient lighting as well. 

The new Hyundai Kona has a larger interior, with more practical features to make living with it easier. The gear shifter has moved from the centre console to behind the steering wheel, for example, so the dashboard is less cluttered and can offer extra stowage space.

In the rear of the new Hyundai Kona, there’s a ‘curveless seat bench’ which the firm says will feel more modern to sit on than regular rear seats. It’s also more usable and convenient. The boot is also larger than the 374-litre capacity offered by today’s car.

New 2023 Hyundai Kona: engines and gearboxes

The new Hyundai Kona uses the same ‘K3’ platform as the well-received new Kia Niro: the two are sister cars. It means the new Hyundai Kona offers the same broad range of ICE, HEV and EV engines as the Kia Niro.

We can expect the most affordable new Hyundai Kona, the ICE version, to use a 1.0-litre turbo engine combined with a 48V mild hybrid system. It will be similar to today’s model, producing around 120PS and averaging around 47mpg.

A more economical Hyundai Kona HEV will use a 1.6-litre petrol engine combined with a small self-charging lithium-ion battery. This will produce 139PS and average around 64mpg. Hyundai may also choose to offer a plug-in hybrid version of the Kona, with a 180PS drivetrain and 11.1kWh battery. This will have a pure electric range of around 40 miles.

The new Hyundai Kona EV will have a 64.2kWh battery, delivering an electric range of around 285 miles, combined with 201PS of power. Using a 70kW rapid charger, it’s expected to take around 45 minutes to top up from 10 to 80 percent capacity. More technical details of the new Hyundai Kona will be confirmed nearer to launch.

Overall, the new Hyundai Kona measures 4,355mm long, which makes it 150mm longer than the old version. It is 25mm wider too, which will serve up more interior space, while overall height is likely to be similar.

Find a used Hyundai Kona for sale

Used Hyundai Konas can now be found for less than £12,000 in 2010 1.0 T-GDI Blue Drive guise. We found a Hyundai Kona S with just over 29,000 miles on the clock on sale for exactly £12,000. A 2019 model, with some of the firm’s famous five-year warranty still in place, was £13,995.  

Hyundai Kona models with the 48V MHEV drivetrain cost from just over £16,000, while used examples of the Hyundai Kona Electric cost from around £23,000.

• Find a used Hyundai Kona for sale

Looking for more new car news?

There’s another exciting new Hyundai coming in 2023: the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 6. Here at heycar, we have all the news on the Tesla Model 3-rivalling new car, which is a dramatic ‘streamliner’ saloon alternative to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Prices start from £46,745. Also check out the new Mercedes-Benz EQT all-electric MPV and the new 2023 Subaru Forester, complete with prices, specs and release dates. For all the latest news, check out our guide to new cars 2023.