Hyundai Australia Likely to Ditch High-Performance Option for New Kona

Will Hyundai Australia take a gamble on another N model for the Kona? Only time will tell.

Hyundai Australia may be saying goodbye to a high-performance option for the new-generation Kona SUV, following speculation that the Kona N model will not be continued. This comes as stricter emissions regulations in Europe threaten the future of the feisty turbo powerplant.

The first-generation Hyundai Kona N model had a powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and gained popularity on the streets and tracks.

However, Hyundai Australia has hinted that the new Kona line-up may not include another N performance variant.

This aligns with international speculation that the Kona N was a one-time release, similar to the i30 Fastback N that quickly disappeared from the Australian market.

The Kona N was a trailblazing model as the first affordable high-performance small SUV.

However, it may have been released too early, as stricter emissions regulations in Europe could lead to the end of the turbo powerplant.

Despite its initial success, the Kona N has fallen behind other N models in terms of sales.

Hyundai Australia’s general manager of corporate communications, Bill Thomas, has stated that the decision about a successor to the Kona N has not been made yet.

Guido Schenken, senior manager of public relations and customer service relations at Hyundai Australia, also mentioned that the Kona N was the least popular among the four N models.

He compared the sales of the Kona N to the i20 N, i30 N hatch and Fastback, and i30 Sedan N.

Hyundai’s N and N Line models have accounted for a significant portion of the company’s sales, despite the i30 N hatch and i20 N hatch being temporarily unavailable for order.

• The new-generation Kona SUV may not offer a high-performance N model
• The Kona N may have been too ahead of its time
• The Kona N has been less popular compared to other N models
• Hyundai Australia is still deciding on whether to release a successor to the Kona N
• N and N Line models accounted for 29% of Hyundai Australia’s total sales

The future of a high-performance N option for the new Kona SUV remains uncertain, as Hyundai Australia weighs its options. The Kona N’s lower sales compared to other N models and the potential impact of stricter emissions regulations in Europe may influence their decision.