Pictures of an undisguised Kona have leaked prior to its debut next month. The Kona is based on the i20 hatch and will be positioned below the Tucson in international markets. Its main rivals will include Nissan’s Juke and the likes.
The Kona bears little resemblance to any other Hyundai, spare for the new family grille design. The front features a dual headlamp setup with slim LED units set under the edge of the bonnet. There are projector units lower down on the front bumper. Move to the side and the SUV has a coupe-like profile with a receding roofline ending with an integrated spoiler on the tail-gate.
The rear also gets a dual-lamp setup with the main tail-lamps set high. The SUV’s turn indicators are lower down and sit prominently on the rear bumper. Overall, the Kona looks more like a crossover than a tough-looking, upright SUV. There’s plenty of cladding along the front and rear faux skid plates; this car also comes with large alloy wheels.
The engines will be shared with the recently-unveiled i30 hatchback sold internationally - a 1.0-litre and a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, alongside a 1.6-litre diesel motor. The Kona will be targeted at more developed markets with the crossover expected to sell alongside the Creta.
For now, the carmaker has no plans to bring the Kona to India.