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2018 Hyundai Kona Arrives In The U.S. At 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show

The subcompact segment is growing in the United States, and not because of hatchbacks such as the Honda Fit. Crossovers drive the rising demand, and Hyundai is much obliged to duke it out with the likes of the Mazda CX-3, Chevrolet Trax, Nissan Juke, and soon-to-arrive Ford EcoSport.
2018 Hyundai Kona (U.S. model) 31 photos
Photo: Hyundai
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Kona is the name of the contender, and you might know it from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, where it went official for the European market. At the end of November, the U.S.-spec model will be revealed at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. The first teaser for the Kona meant for the United States is somewhat baffling, for it shows the European-spec model.

Not only that, but it’s the overshadowed teaser that Hyundai published in April, way before the subcompact crossover was spied uncamouflaged by the carparazzi. Despite this mess-up from the public relations department of Hyundai Motor America, the wait will be worth it.

Described as a “convention-shattering” CUV by its creator, the Kona will be available in two flavors in the first instance: 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and 1.6-liter T-GDI. The latter is the one to get thanks to forced induction, for the turbocharged Gamma is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and boasts 175 horsepower and 196 pound-feet.

The free-breathing 2.0-liter, on the other hand, makes use of a six-speed automatic that channels 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet to the driven wheels. Customers who don’t want FWD can get all-wheel-drive as an option, an option that also happens to improve the handling characteristics of the Kona. Not because of the added traction, but because the Kona AWD flaunts a multilink setup at the rear instead of a torsion-beam axle.

Come spring 2018, the newcomer will welcome a third member in the United States in the form of the Kona Electric. The electrified model is expected to be NEDC-rated 390 kilometers by Hyundai. That’s 242 miles in U.S. currency, but the EPA range is certain to be lower than the NEDC rating.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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