Hyundai Kona N & egrave; a very special car. Pu & ograve; be defined using the categories available today, but in reality; it would be more & ugrave; correct to analyze it as an example of the changing times , of the evolving history. And like all stories, you have to start with the classic 'once upon a time'.
- DOES THE SPORTY SUV EXIST?
- KONA N VS HYUNDAI I30 N PERFORMANCE
- HOW DOES IT GO? TEST ON THE ROAD
- THE KONA RANGE: ENGINES FOR EVERYONE
- PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- THE ALTERNATIVES
- VIDEO
WHAT SPORTS CAR MEANS 
Once upon a time there was the world of sports cars. The term si & egrave; evolved over time because & eacute; yes & egrave; started with exclusive models for the track or for road competitions and, then, the market accepted the existence of road cars modified in set-up and engine to re-propose in everyday driving some of the sensations that they could be tested on the track.
From that point on, the term sports car is; been associated with power, performance, driving pleasure, responsiveness. Comfort was sacrificed, but it was an acceptable price for common thinking. The sports car had to be rough, hard, even bare in the interior because & eacute; the weight had to be reduced to a minimum . It didn't matter how easy it was, it had to involve and challenge the driver.
Parallel to the evolution of engines, however, the car market has worked on two fronts: comfort , because & eacute; the roads are not all perfect, and safety , also active. Compromise setups are also born in the world of sports cars, where the suspensions with adaptive shock absorbers allow you to change the behavior of the car according to driving situations: here I will tell you how the AMG GT R does it divinely. Mechanics and electronics worked together, with the electronics managing the different response of all the elements of the car to transform it from a rigid sports car ready to eat the curves, to a car that was easy to maneuver and manage during daily errands.
The electronics then also brought safety: it is not just ADAS and anti-collision systems but a control unit that communicates with the myriad of sensors of the car and is; able, today, to hear pilots by minimizing the risk of hurting us … or doing it to others. With rare exceptions, & egrave; this is the reason why today there are many cars with unimaginable powers a few decades ago, yet the number of those crumpled in the hairpin bends or in the ditch on the side of the road is; inferior.
Some time ago I tried the most Peugeot 205; sports, those of the past, and to the more & ugrave; young people, I assure you that these are cars that, even if stopping at a maximum of 160 HP, would lead to disaster most of the drivers who today drive cars of 300 HP or more .
In short, the world changes and the generations with it. We can linger as long as we want to regret a 205 Rallye or a Gutmann that on the road is; a challenge that few can face, but the truth is; & egrave; that the concept of the sports car must evolve and embrace new categories. And today SUVs and crossovers are in fashion because they are comfortable.
Let's all face it: we can tell as much as we want, but street sports cars were born in the name of marketing even when they were raw, without electronics and represented a real challenge. They were used and are used to sell us the echo of the companies of the track, a dream … and if today there & # 39; & egrave; someone who wants to dream while staying for a while more up and a little more comfortable, because & eacute; should we stop them?
DIFFERENT TWIN 
Thus was born; Hyundai Kona N and it does so by bringing with it all the passion and technique of a brand like Hyundai that has been able to be versatile. Yes & egrave; adapted to electric cars creating one of the most & ugrave; efficient (albeit on a non-dedicated platform), Kona Electric. At the same time he took hydrogen to the streets with a production model, and it didn't happen; completely forgotten about petrolheads thanks to a perfectly fitting N range that finds in the i30 N the perfect toy for many enthusiasts who cannot afford a track car and a road car, but want one that does it all and that is also modern.
We are talking about a brand that does their homework well , just to contextualize. Having said that, therefore, the starting point for making the sporty crossover was the right one: a 2.0 liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 280 HP and 392 Nm , the same as its low-wheel sister. The exchange? 8-speed double clutch with paddles on the steering wheel, the one also introduced in the i30 N restyling.
The manual is missing, but & egrave; just like that . If you want, go to the i30 N which is; one more car extreme, true, but which already makes you pay a pledge; in the operations of entering and exiting the passenger compartment.
HOW IT GOES: ROAD TEST 
In addition to the engine of the last considered this announcement, the recipe & egrave; that of the electronically controlled suspension with 3 levels of shock absorber response, r arit & agrave; in segment B . To these are added a lowered structure which for & ograve; maintains that ease & agrave; access by car typical of crossovers and appreciated more and more; people. MacPherson front, Multilink rear and a driving position that remains high and therefore, once again, is; the one preferred by those who want to see more & ugrave; beyond your nose in today's traffic. Otherwise you drive without knowing what happens one car away … and it is; unnerving.
Kona N therefore maintains the characteristics appreciated in the SUV world, but it will be; able to prove herself a true sportswoman? Let's start with the engine that there is all: i l sound & egrave; modular depending on the mode, the drain & egrave; of the real ones with the electronically controlled valve, the four-cylinder & egrave; full-bodied, full-bodied, responsive and perfectly matches the automatic double clutch: on a compact SUV it no longer has; sense to put a manual gearbox and the matching chosen by the Koreans & egrave; the right one.
Cornering & egrave; impressive when you trust him . The generation of electronics made it possible to drive crossovers almost like hot hatches or sedans. Quick insertion, stability and excellent grip: the differential always works to maximize the performance/safety ratio and then there & # 39; & egrave; a surprisingly contained roll. Compared to the i30 N Performance is perceived, clear, but among the SUVs & egrave; really a pleasure.
The other side of the coin is the cost to pay for these performances . First of all comfort: Kona N & egrave; a & # 39; rigid car that on our disjointed citizen hops almost as if it were a racing kart.
Of course, by intervening with the adjustments you can create the Custom mapping to associate the withmore calibration soft for the suspension to an extreme setup in terms of steering and engine , and & egrave; the one I prefer for everyday life, but then the second pledge is triggered. The consumption.
Kona N drinks like an & # 39; Irishman in the brewery : in mode & agrave; Normal you have a less sensitive gas pedal, but it is still a 280hp car which, moreover, invites you to activate the mode & agrave; Not even when you go to the supermarket , to collect your pension, to send a registered letter … or to pay a fine for speeding.
That little button on the steering wheel & egrave; like honey for flies, a magnet so powerful that it changes the rotation axis of your finances with frequent romantic dates at the gas pump. Yet you will care & agrave; little , because & eacute; you will always be happy with a stupid smile on your face.
The work in the brake system is also commendable : 18 & quot; front discs and rear from 17 & quot; they ensure to stop the 1,500 kg in a handkerchief: they attack well and are modular, even though it is a system that is good for the road but does not hold up to the frenzied rhythms of the track. After a while they lose something to the heat and the attack gets a little bit more & quot; spongy & quot ;: if you stress them they do not cool like systems dedicated to the circuit and, if you have that extreme use in mind, you have to enter the fabulous world of tuning. The advantage is; that you will not have to upset the rest of the car because & egrave; already “ ready to use ''.
Kona N & egrave; made to give addiction, many small aspects demonstrate this. The management of the gearbox with that automated tap on the back that can be activated from the on-board menu, made on purpose to make you feel like a driver. Or the pops of the exhaust.
The gamification of sporty driving & egrave; almost a drug that finds the keystone in the red key called N Grin Shift . The car sets itself up for 20 seconds of peak performance , but most won't notice it; not even.
Even without pressing the red button, however, Kona N & egrave; already a funny little beast. Yet knowing you have 20 seconds of “extreme” performance makes us feel all pilots and & egrave; a moment imagine yourself as Toretto pressing the NOS button.
There are some weak points. The steering is direct but less sharp than the i30 N Performance and the limit of the hot hatch & egrave; greater than this crossover that suffers more & ugrave; understeer in extreme situations. On the other hand, however, it compensates with ease & agrave; correction: just lighten on the gas to take advantage of the load transfers and then let the chassis and electronics work. Other crossovers with less curated setups require you to sweat more or cut power abruptly. Not her.
Where Kona N loses points & egrave; in the interior : the sporty features are there (steering wheel, seats, dedicated instrumentation), but that extra effort is missing; in personalizing the passenger compartment with materials that can make it more the price is digestible, however justified by the technical sheet.
THE KONA RANGE: FOR ALL TASTES 
c & # 39; & egrave; also hybrid-diesel 48 V (also 4WD), a rarity in the B segment.
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PRICE AND EQUIPMENT: ALL STANDARD 
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Compared to i30 N, then, Kona N & egrave; categorical and does not offer the possibility; to choose the & quot; anti-super-stamp & quot; version: the 280 CVs force us to pay it and the price list places it at 42,500 & euro; . Unique figure that gives you back a full optional car but, as anticipated above, for these figures the average customer expects a more cockpit; well cared for … it doesn't matter if under the body there is a differential, an excellent double clutch or an engine made on purpose to satisfy the wishes of enthusiasts.
N Performance & egrave; the only set-up, full optional . Electronic limited slip differential, electronically controlled suspensions, tinted windows, Full LED, electric mirrors (heated, foldable, adjustable), 19 & quot; alloy wheels, electric front seats (heated and ventilated), leather and suede seats, heating also for the rear seats, HUD, infotainment and digital instrumentation, all ADAS LVL 2 , parking sensors in front and behind, rear view camera, wireless charger for smartphones, keyless, Krell Premium 8-channel audio with subwoofer and so on.
It costs a lot, & egrave; real. But she has it all and compared to the Germans the advantage is; in the quantity & agrave; of expensive options that are included here . 700 & euro; for the paint alternative to the standard red, the only option in the catalog .
HYUNDAI KONA N (2021): TECHNICAL SHEET
TECHNIQUE
- ENGINE: four-cylinder turbo (petrol)
- DISPLACEMENT 1.998 cc
- MAXIMUM POWER: 280 HP/206 kW (5,000-6,000 rpm)
- MAXIMUM TORQUE 392 Nm (between 2,100 and 4,700 rpm)
- DRIVE: front
- GEARBOX : N DCT 8-speed dual clutch
- CO2 EMISSIONS: 194 grams per km (combined WLTP)
- SUSPENSION: MacPherson + Multilink
- EXTRA: E-LSD
DIMENSIONS
- LENGTH 4,215 mm
- WIDTH: 1,800 mm
- HEIGHT: 1,565 mm
- PITCH 2.600 mm
- BOOT: 361-1143 liters
- RIMS AND TIRES: 19 & quot ;, 235/40 R19 96Y
PERFORMANCE
- SPEED & Agrave; MAXIMUM: 240 Km/h
- ACCELERATION 0-100 Km/h: 5.5 seconds
- WEIGHT: 1,585 Kg (in running order)
- PRICE : 42,200 Euros
THE ALTERNATIVES
Compared to the T-Roc R this Kona N & egrave; more playful, takes itself less seriously and does so by offering a more serious guide; & quot; ignorant & quot ;, the kind that fans like. More close to the i30 N which in the world of SUVs, Kona on steroids costs more; of the Puma ST which & egrave; a less powerful rival, just as fun but far more; raw.
The level of sophistication there is; on the Kona N Performance, from the engine to the electronics, justifies the difference, even if the price is not; for everyone.
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