2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD – The Cross Over Blurring the Lines!

The market for subcompact crossovers has more than quadrupled over the past few years, and for anyone shopping for one, it can be a complete nightmare. Not only are they a whole sea of options, but it appears that each one tends to copy the specs and styling from the other. 

Allow us to introduce the 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD that does more than enough to stand out, but does it beat the competition? That’s what we decided to see over the weekend with the 2020 Kona.  

Funky Yet Functional 

One of the first impressions we got was that the 2020 Kona had a rather funky design as compared to the current crop of crossovers like the Nissan Kicks and the Honda HR-V. We like that the Kona does not take itself too seriously, while still offering a similar 102.4-inch wheelbase which in on par with the Chevy Trax and Toyota C-HR. 

Now while the Kona does not stretch as long as the C-HR, the fact is that the extra stretch does not translate to more space inside. The Kona, while being a few inches shorter, tends to have 0.1 cubic feet more of cargo space as compared to Toyota’s offering. Lower the backrest and that extends measurably to 45.8 cubic feet of space which is far more than the C-HR’s 37 cubic feet. 

Cozy Interior Paired with Brilliant Design 

We’d go so far as to say that the 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate 4WD has one of the best-designed cabins compared to the competition. The dashboard is pretty straightforward, and the company has thankfully used nice materials. Attractively grained polymers, compared with soft plastic running across the dashboard, gives it a premium feel. It’s hard to imagine the feeling of soft polymers in a budget vehicle, and we were surprised with the way they were masterfully used in all the space people would normally be touching. 

The Ultimate comes with leather seating which looks excellent and feels a little like vinyl, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The seats feel soft, and it is almost like what you’d find in higher-end Hyundais, costing several thousand more. 

The lime twist hue gives the Kona that much-needed pop in an otherwise all-black interior. Though if green isn’t your color you can choose from others like silver, black, white, blue, grey and even orange. 

Driving Pleasure 

We’d say that the Kona offers a highly refined driving experience. The seven-speed dual-clutch tranny shifts fast, and almost feels like a well-engineered CVT but without its drawbacks. We drove it at several speeds and were impressed with the sound deadening, which meant we didn’t hear the wind, road, or anything else for that matter. 

The driving experience is pleasant with quick acceleration and firm braking. In our experience, it offers the same level of refinement as the Mazda CX-3 while being way quicker than the Trax or the HR-V. 

Final Word 

The 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD is one of the best and most refined budget-friendly cross overs on the market today. Its snappy, enjoyable and most of all, practical.