Hyundai has put out a teaser of the all new compact SUV, Kona, ahead of its global unveiling this summer. The Kona will be the fourth addition to Hyundai’s SUV range and will be positioned below the Tucson and Santa Fe. The Kona will inherit a new design language from the Korean carmaker.
The name Kona is derived from Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii. In this single teaser, we could see the Hyundai’s ‘cascading’ grille, adorned by a twin headlight arrangement. The sleek upper LED strips are daytime running lamps, while the lower set will serve as headlamps. This set-up seems similar to one on the highly criticised Nissan Juke. As Hyundai asserts, “the separated lights at the front deliver a confident, progressive appearance with sleek and sharp shapes. The bold front and rear are emphasised by the car’s wide stance and its voluminous, aggressive body styling”. The bonnet and bumper creases suggest that the Kona will have a flamboyant styling.
There is no word on the powertrain as yet, but we know that the compact SUV will come with an optional four-wheel drive system. Also, Hyundai might plonk its range of petrol and diesel engines from the i30 into the Kona. It will take on the likes of Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke and Suzuki S-Cross in the European compact SUV segment.
According to Hyundai, the Kona is expected to play an important role in the brand’s aim to become the leading Asian car brand in Europe by 2021.
