The Hyundai Kona hit showrooms in the 2018 model year and has remained mostly unchanged since. When the 2022 Kona arrives, though, it’ll feature a significant refresh that will include a new front end, updated cargo capacity, updated tuning, new powertrains, and a new N Line trim.
On the outside, the 2022 Kona will arrive with the same basic design it’s had since it debuted in 2018, but it’ll get updated soft parts. These updates will include an all-new front end with thinner headlights, a new grille, two-tone bumper, a repositioned Hyundai badge, and updated fog lights. Around back, the updates will be lighter but still noticeable. They’ll include revised taillight graphics, a slightly revised bumper, and a new reverse-light assembly. These updates make the 2022 Kona 1.6 inches longer than the current model.
Also new on the 2022 Kona will be the N Line trim. This new trim will spice up the Kona’s appearance with a more angular body-color front bumper, a larger air inlet, a more traditional Hyundai grille with the logo placed in the center, triple nostrils above the grille, a body-color rear bumper with a black central diffuser, body-color body cladding, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the 2022 Kona will continue with the same basic design but with mild updates. The biggest update will be the upward angle to the gear shifter that will eliminate the console storage under the HVAC system and move it under the gear shifter. The Kona will also gain an electric parking brake, updated HVAC vents, new seat designs and colors, and more rear leg room and cargo room.
The N Line trim will add its own interior design with all-black upholstery, red stitching, metal pedals, and the N logo on the seats and shifter.
On the tech side, the 2022 Kona will gain an optional 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster and an optional 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. The infotainment system will also get a new split-screen function and the ability to connect more than one Bluetooth device at once. Another tech update will be the new Blue Link system, which will offer user profiles, last-mile navigation, connected routing, live parking information, and more. As for its standard tech updates, the only changes will be a new 8-inch touchscreen in place of the current 7-inch standard unit and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The 2022 Hyundai Kona’s U.S.-spec powertrain options are unclear, but Hyundai did announce its global powertrain offerings. The global Kona will have an available 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel engine paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that churns out 134 horsepower and pairs to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual. There will also be a 118-hp 1.0-liter gasoline engine with an optional 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The top-of-the-line powertrain will be a 195-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
There will also be a Kona Hybrid, which will pair a 1.6-liter engine to an electric motor for a combined 139 hp. The Kona Hybrid has been around since 2019 but never made it to the U.S.
Diesel models simply don’t sell well in the U.S., so we expect the U.S.-spec 2022 Kona to come standard with the 1.0-liter engine and have the turbocharged 1.6-liter and hybrid powertrains as options.
The 2022 Kona will also have a wide range of available safety tech, including adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind-spot monitors with automatic braking, active lane centering, automatic emergency braking with cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic warning with automatic braking, and rear-seat alert.
