Hyundai Kona 2021 review
Overview
Hyundai's mid-life update of the Kona landed in UK showrooms on 18 January 2021, priced from £21,060 on the road, and it was far more than a styling tweak. The nose was completely reworked with sharper split headlights, slimmer LED daytime running lights and a wider grille, the body grew 40mm to 4,205mm, and the cabin was overhauled with a standard 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, an optional 10.25-inch central touchscreen with Bluelink connected services, revised suspension and retuned steering. A new N Line trim brought sportier bumpers, 18-inch diamond-cut alloys and a black cabin with red stitching, sitting above SE Connect in the range, while the 280PS Kona N performance flagship joined in mid-2021. At launch the UK line-up was all-electrified: the 1.0 T-GDi 48V mild hybrid and the 1.6 Hybrid, with the facelifted Kona Electric arriving that spring.
The volume seller is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol with 120PS and 172Nm, fitted with 48V mild-hybrid assistance and Hyundai's six-speed intelligent manual gearbox, which can decouple the engine to coast with the engine switched off. Drive goes to the front wheels, 0-62mph takes 11.9 seconds, top speed is 112mph, and official figures claim up to 48.7mpg (WLTP) with 135g/km of CO2 on the SE Connect. The full Hybrid pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 32kW electric motor for 141PS combined through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, cutting the 0-62mph sprint to 8.9 seconds and returning mid-50s mpg in real-world use. The Kona Electric comes with a 39kWh battery (136PS, 189-mile WLTP range) or a 64kWh battery (204PS, up to 300 miles WLTP, 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds). Boot space is 374 litres with the seats up — 332 litres on the Electric — and every Kona is covered by Hyundai's five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which transfers to used buyers.
Safety is a strong point. The Kona earned five Euro NCAP stars in 2017, and Euro NCAP's December 2020 facelift review extended that rating to the updated car, including the 48V mild-hybrid and full-hybrid variants — Parkers still lists a five-star rating for 2021-registered cars. Standard SmartSense kit includes forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keep and lane-following assist, driver attention warning and eCall, with blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance added on higher trims. Note that the four-star Euro NCAP result published in December 2023 belongs to the all-new second-generation Kona and does not apply to the 2021 facelift.
As a used buy the facelifted Kona makes a lot of sense. Prices start at around £11,000, with typical SE Connect, N Line and Premium cars changing hands for £12,000 to £16,000 and hybrids from about £11,000 to over £17,000 for low-mileage late cars — a 2021 Hybrid Ultimate with under 10,000 miles was advertised at £16,199 in early 2026. The transferable five-year warranty is the headline attraction, and owners rate the car highly — it took first place in the 2021 Auto Express Driver Power new-car survey. Check the recall history before buying: February 2021 cars were recalled for a faulty e-call system, the Hybrid needed a January 2021 software update for its autonomous emergency braking, and the Electric had battery-related recalls in October 2020 and April 2021. On a test drive, listen for a cold-start rattle from the 1.0 T-GDi's timing chain, check the Hybrid's dual-clutch shifts are smooth at low speed, and confirm the 12V auxiliary battery is healthy on the Electric.
UK price from: £21,060
Specifications
| Engine | 1.0-litre T-GDi 48V MHEV, 3-cylinder turbo petrol (998cc) |
| Power | 120 PS (118 bhp) @ 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 172 Nm @ 1,500-4,000 rpm |
| 0-62 mph | 11.9 seconds |
| Top speed | 112 mph |
| Transmission | 6-speed intelligent manual (iMT) |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Fuel economy | Up to 48.7 mpg (WLTP combined, SE Connect) |
| CO2 emissions | 135 g/km (WLTP, SE Connect) |
| Boot space | 374 litres (332 litres on Kona Electric) |
| Kerb weight | 1,265 kg (1.0 MHEV Ultimate; varies by trim) |
| Warranty | 5 years / unlimited mileage, transferable |
Features
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster fitted as standard across the range
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity on every trim
- Rear parking sensors, cruise control and alloy wheels standard from SE Connect
- 10.25-inch central touchscreen with navigation and Bluelink connected services on Premium and above
- Heated front seats and heated steering wheel on Premium and higher trims
- Forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keep and lane-following assist, driver attention warning and eCall
- New N Line trim with bespoke front and rear styling, 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, powered tailgate, wireless charging pad and black interior with red stitching
- Facelift-added SmartSense upgrades including blind-spot collision-avoidance assist and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist
Common parts & prices
| Part | Price (GBP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oil filter | £8 | Pattern filter for 1.0 T-GDi; change annually or every 10,000 miles |
| Front wiper blades (pair) | £18 | Blades typically £8-£26 each; check for smearing before an MOT |
| Front brake pads (set) | £38 | Pattern set for 1.0/Hybrid; discs often replaced at the same time |
| Front brake discs (pair) | £65 | Pattern vented discs; check for lip and scoring at service |
| Cabin pollen filter | £14 | Behind the glovebox; replace yearly to keep the ventilation fresh |
| 12V auxiliary battery | £95 | Worth testing on the Kona Electric — a tired 12V causes spurious faults |
Pros
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty that transfers to used buyers — unmatched in the class
- Generous standard kit even on SE Connect, including the digital cluster, CarPlay/Android Auto and rear sensors
- Hybrid delivers genuine mid-50s real-world mpg with no need to plug in
- Kona Electric's up-to-300-mile WLTP range was class-leading when new
- Revised suspension gives a noticeably better ride than the pre-facelift car
Cons
- Small 374-litre boot and tight rear legroom compared with rivals like the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq
- 1.0 T-GDi feels flat below 2,000rpm with a narrow power band; 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds is leisurely
- Firm ride on the N Line's 18-inch diamond-cut wheels over broken surfaces
- Cabin is narrow with plain plastics in places — the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq feel roomier inside
