Hyundai Kona Electric Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

The Hyundai Kona Electric remains one of the best electric SUVs you can buy. It feels more grown up than its predecessor, but its bold looks mean it can't be accused of following the crowd. If you want a comfortable and spacious electric SUV with an impressive electric range, the Hyundai Kona Electric is an excellent choice.

Buy the highest-spec model you can afford. While the bigger battery won't be necessary for a lot of used buyers, it's all that's now available on the new car market, and the extra range and performance is welcome. The entry-level Kona Electric Advance is missing some desirable features (such as heated seats and a wireless phone charger): if budget allows, the Hyundai Kona Electric Ultimate is a very appealing SUV.

Don't buy a Hyundai Kona Electric without also looking at the Kia Niro EV. The Kia is a more sensible, staid alternative to the Kona, with slightly more interior space and - as it's been on sale for longer - more tempting deals available on the used market. Other desirable small electric SUVs include the Smart #1, BYD Atto 3, Renault Megane E-Tech, Volvo EX30, along with the Jeep Avenger, Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.

Volkswagen Group's electric cars are also worth a look, particularly the practical Skoda Enyaq iV and the stylish Volkswagen ID.3 or ID.4 SUV. If you like the Hyundai Kona Electric but would prefer something a little bigger, we'd recommend the excellent Hyundai Ioniq 5.

If you're looking for a posh electric SUV, we'd recommend looking at the Volvo EC40 or BMW iX1 instead. But the Hyundai Kona Electric certainly feels well screwed together, and a step above budget models like the MG ZS EV.

The centrepiece of the Hyundai Kona Electric's interior is the wide 12.3-inch navigation screen, which sits alongside another 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument display behind the steering wheel. It all looks suitably modern but the car isn't too heavily reliant on touchscreen operation: there's a useful bank of physical shortcut buttons positioned below the main screen.

The infotainment system is easy to navigate, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on hand to provide access to your favourite apps on the move. All Hyundai Kona Electric grades but the entry-level Advance get a wireless phone charger, while you'll need an N Line S or Ultimate model for the desirable BOSE premium sound system.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a fair bit bigger than before, meaning it's now practical enough to use as your main family car, rather than simply as an urban runaround. It measures 4350mm in length, 1825mm wide and 1575mm high, while luggage capacity has increased to 466 litres.

It certainly feels pretty spacious up front, while those in the back will have more room than they would in a Smart #1 or Jeep Avenger. There's a flat floor in the back, too, meaning middle-seat passengers won't be struggling for somewhere to put their feet.

While the boot isn't quite as big as the Kia Niro EV's, it's still a very handy size, while an adjustable boot floor reduces the amount of lip that you need to lift items over. If you need more space, the rear seats are split 40:20:40 (on N Line models and above), dropping to provide up to 1300 litres of luggage space.

Initially, the most affordable Hyundai Kona Electric came with a 'standard range' 48kWh battery pack powering a single electric motor driving the front wheels. This produces 156PS and takes the Kona Electric from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds: not particularly speedy, but more than adequate for a sensible little SUV like this. That powertrain option has now been withdrawn from factory ordering, though, so if you want it, you'll have to look to the used car market.

The 'long range' model was always more popular, with its bigger 65kWh battery pack and increased performance. With 218PS, this accelerates to 62mph a second quicker than the regular car. It's still not Tesla quick, but the Kona Electric feels pretty sprightly: it certainly has more urgency than, say, the Jeep Avenger.

Even if you buy a Hyundai Kona Electric with the smaller 48kWh battery pack, official WLTP tests suggest you should be able to travel 234 miles between charges. The bigger battery model has an official range figure of up to 319 miles: that's an impressive distance for a relatively affordable electric vehicle. Do bear in mind, though, that this figure drops to 282 miles in the N Line and N Line S versions due to their larger 19-inch alloy wheels

Of course, the Hyundai Kona Electric's real-world range depends on factors like how it's driven and even the weather conditions. A heat pump is standard, though, meaning the Hyundai Kona Electric should be more efficient in winter than many other electric cars (such as the Kia Niro EV) that aren't fitted with one.

Compared to rivals, the Hyundai Kona Electric performs very well in terms of range. For comparison, the most a Kia Niro EV can manage is 285 miles, the Smart #1 can cover 273 miles, while the Jeep Avenger is limited to 248 miles. If you need to travel further on a charge, you'll be looking at some of the longest range electric cars like the Tesla Model 3.

While there's a slight whine from the electric motor, the Hyundai Kona Electric is generally exceptionally refined. You won't notice a huge amount of wind- or road noise, and it's certainly a much more relaxing small SUV than any petrol or diesel alternative.

The crash safety bods at Euro NCAP have smashed the Kona Electric to smithereens and concluded that it's generally a pretty safe car, awarding it a four-star safety rating. It lost marks for the performance of its safety assist features, which is surprising considering the sheer amount of beeps and bongs you'll notice when driving the Kona.

Standard safety equipment across the Hyundai Kona Electric range includes a driver status monitor (which constantly monitors the driver's face and warns you to pay attention or take a break when necessary), as well as Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), Manual Speed Limit Assist (MSLA), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA 1.5), Rear View Monitor (RVM), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Highway Drive Assist (HDA) 1.5 and Hyundai's eCall system.

High-spec Kona Electric models also come with a Surround View Monitor, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA) and Blind Spot View Monitor (BVM).

Hyundai has an excellent reliability record, especially with its electric vehicles, so we have no doubt that the new Hyundai Kona Electric will be a totally dependable choice. In the latest 2025 edition of the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index - put together by our excellent sister website - Hyundai came 10th out of 33 carmakers in the manufacturer standings for reliability, while the previous Kona was voted as the 5th most reliable car in the entire study, making it Hyundai's best-performing model.

If that doesn't put your mind at rest, the Hyundai Kona Electric comes with the brand's five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, including five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks. The battery, meanwhile, is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

If you buy a used Kona with the smaller battery, then your car will slot into insurance group 25 (of 50, with group 50 cars being the most expensive to insure). So, expect middling premiums on that one.

The 65kWh version sits in group 31 when specified in Advance and N Line trims, or 32 in N Line S trim and 33 in Ultimate trim.

Gone are the days when buying an electric car would allow you to swerve VED tax: EVs now face the same annual costs as all other types of car. The standard flat rate for all cars built since 2017 is currently charged at £195 per year.

Cars that cost over £40,000 when brand new are also liable for the luxury car surcharge, which adds another £425 per year on top of that flat rate for a five-year period between years two and six of the car's life. Currently, no version of the Kona Electric costs more than that threshold, but a couple of higher-end versions get close, and adding a few optional extras could take you over the threshold, lumbering you - or the car's next owner - with liability. If buying used, it's always a good idea to Google the reg of your prospective purchase to find out what you're letting yourself in for.

The range kicks off with the Hyundai Kona Electric Advance. Spec highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, smart cruise control, a heat pump, front- and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and a three-pin internal plug.

The Hyundai Kona Electric N Line is a sportier choice, with 19-inch alloys, privacy glass and N Line cloth interior trim. The front and rear seats are heated in the Kona Electric N Line, as is the steering wheel. The N Line also comes with an electric tailgate.

Building on this, the Hyundai Kona Electric N Line S adds electric adjustment for the front seats, N Line Alcantara and leather trim, ventilated front seats, a head-up display, BOSE premium sound system and a range of driver-assistance tech (including Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Surround View Monitor and Blind Spot View Monitor).

The Hyundai Kona Electric Ultimate builds on the Advance trim with an opening sunroof, part-eco-suede-and-leather upholstery, heated front- and rear seats, ventilated front seats, an electric tailgate, and BOSE premium sound system with seven speakers and a subwoofer. The Kona Electric Ultimate also adds the Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Surround View Monitor and Blind Spot View Monitor.