Images of an undisguised Hyundai Kona have surfaced online ahead of the it’s impending debut next month. Based on the underpinnings of the i20 hatchback, the new Kona will be positioned below the Tucson in international markets as a rival to the likes of the Nissan Juke.
In terms of design, the Kona bears little resemblance to any other Hyundai on sale internationally with common styling elements coming down to Hyundai’s new family grille design. It gets a dual headlamp setup with slim LED units set under the edge of the bonnet with projector units lower down on the front bumper. From the sides, the SUV has a coupe-like profile with a receding roofline ending with an integrated spoiler on the tail-gate. The model pictured also had a black contrast roof. The rear too features a dual-lamp setup with the main tail-lamps set high with the turn indicators lower down in prominent inserts on the rear bumper. Overall, the Kona looks more like a crossover than a tough-looking, upright SUV.
As with other crossovers, the Kona gets plenty of cladding along with front and rear faux skid plates and large alloy wheels.
The Kona is expected to borrow its powertrains from the recently-unveiled i30 hatchback sold internationally, which includes a 1.0-litre and a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, alongside a 1.6-litre diesel mill.
The Kona will be targeted at more developed markets with the crossover expected to be parallel to the Creta – which is designed for developing markets – in terms of size and positioning.
As of now, Hyundai has no plans to bring the Kona to India. The automaker is currently working on a slew of SUVs for the Indian market, including the all-wheel-drive Tucson, the Creta facelift and an all-new compact SUV based on the Carlino concept showcased at last year’s Auto Expo.