The list of more affordable EVs that offer 200+ miles of range, a decent DCFC charging curve, and great tech are few and far between. More common are $50,000+ entries. Luckily, Hyundai has a product that fits right into this category of high-quality sub-$40,000 EVs. We recently had a chance to check out the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric Limited model for a quick test drive and first look.
For 2022, Hyundai has given the Kona Electric lineup a facelift on the exterior and some updates in the interior, which vastly improve the electric car from previous model years. MSRP for the Kona Electric starts at $34,000 for the SEL trim and tops out at $42,500 for this Limited trim before any available incentives. The Kona has a 64.0 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for a range of up to 258 miles. While it may not win any charging speed games, 100kW of DCFC is ahead of some of its competition in this segment.
On the interior, the Kona has a great amount of tech that comes standard and extra tech that becomes available on the Limited trim. For starters, the 10.3” digital driving display gauge is now standard and offers a crisp and clean readout for the driver. It also changes the display based on the drive modes you select.
The available Harman Kardon premium sound system on the Limited trim definitely has a higher end sound than the base Kona Electric and offers a wide range of adjustment. We found that it is a little more bass heavy than other sound systems.
While the back seat and cargo space may not be as large as the Chevy Bolt EV or EUV, the Kona Electric still offers a great amount of cargo space and legroom for all passengers. We will preface this by mentioning that taller passengers should be fine on shorter trips, but, on longer trips, taller passengers may find the back seat a little cramped.
How is the Kona Electric to drive? We’ll save that portion for the video, which you can check out here. If you’re looking for an EV in the sub-$40,000 price bracket, is the Kona Electric worth a look and drive? Check out our video to see what our thoughts are on the Kona Electric.
A shoutout to MAMA in Chicago for putting on this event and bringing together a number of EVs for us to briefly check out.
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Source: Clean Technica