The Kona N, Best cost to fun factor.
I purchased a New 2023 Hyundai Kona N after having a Veloster N years prior. I have wanted the Kona N since they came out but waited till I could afford it. After owning it for some time now, I still love the car. I usually trade vehicles after a year but I will end up keeping this one.
The infotainment is very nerdy (In a good way), lots of features from Android auto to HD Radio. The screen is extremely responsive, swiping back and forth between pages looks and feels great. No lag, no waiting. The interior is mostly plastic with some very nice leather / suede seats. They are heated but in my trim, no heated steering wheel. The rear seats continue this design and they match perfectly. You sit in an upright position high in the vehicle which is a bit to get used to but surprisingly has over 4 inches of headroom for me at 5' 11". Its roomy while still feeling like a smaller vehicle. The exterior and interior styling is aggressive but 1 out of 5 people will say "Yes I want to look at that every time I walk to it".
The performance for the N model is what shines and the reason I purchased it. The 2.0l turbo will spring into life with the press of the N button on the steering wheel. The exhaust valve opens up and an audible growl is heard. The suspensions damping becomes extremely tight. The front differential is set to be more aggressive with clutch electronic locking. The transmission is set to snap gear changes as quickly as possible. The steering assist is reduced to give the driver more feeling in the road and the vehicle. Now this is all down within a second after pressing the button. Oh and you feel like customizing all these things with multiple levels? No worries, it will do that and give you a second separate N button that you can also customize just for that. There is an NGS button for when the 260 something HP is not enough and need more for passing a mini van full of kids on there way to soccer practice.
Its a car that you can rip around at full speed back firing everywhere on your way to your in laws but then put in ECO mode when picking them up to impress them on how quiet and comfortable it is. Its the eco mode that allows you to not get a noise complaint at your apartment complex but can hit N mode and open up the exhaust once you hit the main road.
Its not the quickest, but you will beat most regular vehicles out there, including your buddy with the WRX that wont stop talking about symmetrical AWD this and Boxer power that. I still get around 26 MPG around town as its very rare I am on the highway. You can fit four full size adults mostly comfortably in it as long as they are not too tall. The rear cargo area is shallow but still allows even my largest RC cars, folding chairs, and other stuff I throw back there in a rush to leave.
The Kona N and N vehicles are cars for certain people. Its stiff suspension, loud exhaust depending on mode, and bolstered seats are not for everybody but when you are on a windy road, you have it in N mode, enjoying the sounds and feeling the car rip around corners that you didn't think you could go that fast into, it makes driving fun again at an actual affordable price.
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