What do you know about the Kona ?

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j_mac

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I'm ready to buy a Hyundai Kona. Going for the SEL with the Tech Package. They run appx. $24,850 sticker. I have cash. What should I offer? When do the 2020s come out? Should I go for a 2019 or wait on the 2020?
Any issues with these vehicles? Anybody know all the weird little options I might look for? I'm dead set on the Sonic Silver color. I know they offer a kinda rare option of a black roof. I've seen cargo foam?blocks as an odd option. And a bike rack option. And roof cross rails. Where can one find all the options available?

But more importantly, does anyone know of any issues with these vehicles?
 
looked at them when was shopping for my daughter. they are tiny inside so we ended up getting a tucson. it drove ok but was slow . .also the dct trans was a no go. in my area hyundai has great discounts going . can get about any hyundai for 4 to 6 k off msrp. we got 6400 off of our tucson. also with the holiday they will be running sale.

this is our first hyundai and so far its been good. build is ok and feels tight. been looking to get an iconiq for my son fo commute to school . will pick one up if the price is right

httphttps://www.hyundaiofkirkland.c...dai-Kona-57417ab30a0e0ae847bd028fbdc95245.htm
 
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I wouldn't walk in and immediately say "I'm paying cash!" They usually don't like that, they make money on the financing as well as the actual vehicle. If they know you're financing, they might be willing to go a little lower on the actual cost of the vehicle since they think they'll make it up on the back end. Could always finance it, then pay it off right away also.

I see Hyundai is offering 0% APR for those, assuming you have good credit I'd say go for that, put your cash into an account and just set up autopay and don't worry about it. That way, God forbid, something happens and the car gets totaled you're not out the entire $25k.

You can go to Hyundai's website and "build" one, it will show all options/packages available for whatever specific trim level you're looking at. It will also show you local inventory that matches or best matches what you built.
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
I wouldn't walk in and immediately say "I'm paying cash!" They usually don't like that, they make money on the financing as well as the actual vehicle. If they know you're financing, they might be willing to go a little lower on the actual cost of the vehicle since they think they'll make it up on the back end. Could always finance it, then pay it off right away also.

I see Hyundai is offering 0% APR for those, assuming you have good credit I'd say go for that, put your cash into an account and just set up autopay and don't worry about it. That way, God forbid, something happens and the car gets totaled you're not out the entire $25k.

You can go to Hyundai's website and "build" one, it will show all options/packages available for whatever specific trim level you're looking at. It will also show you local inventory that matches or best matches what you built.

100% this. Finance it and get the rebates. Then pay it off asap, or dont if you got 0%. Just get gap and make payments. That protects your investment for the first 2 to 3 years that you'd lose money if it were totalled.
 
We just got a sonic silver Kona SEL with the non-turbo 2.0 motor a few months ago. It's a nice little car with no known issues that I know of. The drawback is that it is a small car. My wife loves it but I really have to scrunch down to get in it. Of course if you wanted a big car you wouldn't be looking at a Kona to begin with.

It isn't particularly fast, it's probably typical for a car that size and weight and engine size. Again, if you want a hotrod look elsewhere but it accelerates just fine entering freeways.

And, of course, you have to decide whether to run 0W20 or 5W30 in it!

Pricing seems to depend on the dealer. The local Reno Hyundai dealer tried to add all kinds of things like nitrogen filled tires and some imaginary sticker price number to add thousands to the price. Couldn't get off their lot fast enough and ended up getting one from a California dealer a couple hundred miles away.
 
I suggest you test drive it again and actually pay attention to the steering feel and lack of.

Anyone who's driven in WV knows you spend a whole lot more time steering left and right because of the curvy roads unique to WV.
Hyundai has the worst electric powered steering in terms of feel compared to everyone. And where you do drive it straight, see if it requires micro steering adjustments to keep it straight which is annoying.
 
I was just shopping Hyundai last week for one of my kids....I found a place with great come-on ads but when push came to shove...they added $800 doc fee and the financing was 1.9 (not 0)....this was for the Ioniq.... the Kona may be different. I'm not set on the Ioniq .....maybe the Elantra.... but I think it would take a lot of wheeling and dealing to get $5 or $6K off...if it could even be done.

I agree that VWs handle better but Hyundai's are more trouble free.

The car magazines really seem to like the Kona but they were testing the 1.6T which has 175HP (I think) while the base 2.0 is 147.
 
Originally Posted by pbm


I agree that VWs handle better but Hyundai's are more trouble free.

.


Pretty sure he said WV not VW....
wink.gif


Guy at work just leased an AWD Kona for cheap. He uses his stuff pretty hard, it's going to be interesting
 
Hyundai has sorted out the steering feel as mentioned in many publications of recent (2018+) products. I can attest to this since feel on my 2018 Sportage is much better than on my wife's 2013 SFS. I keep the SFS in Sport Mode for this reason.

The Kona 2.0 handles just fine if your not playng "Carlos Sainz" behind the wheel. The 1.6T is definitely sportier.
 
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As far as vehicle reliability or specific issues with the KONA, the vehicle is really too new to have much data. Time will tell but, Hyundai is committed to these vehicles and their warranty is the best in the business.
 
Just purchased a 2020 Kia Soul, which is now being built on the Kona platform. If you're budget conscious and you don't absolutely have to have AWD, I would definitely consider it.

I test drove both the Kona and the Soul, and preferred the larger cabin area, greater headroom and better visibility of the Soul LX. Mechanicals are pretty much the same with the 2.0 Nu Atkinson-cycle I-4 engine coupled to a CVT. Nicely equipped, I was out the door for $17,880.
 
Looks like they solved the d.i. probs with the new dual injection engine. My only question would be with new CVT. Some durability stories on some of the Soul boards. Have had four Kia's and a Hyundai without incident. My go-to brands.

This and a new Soul would be on my short list if I was buying new. Like the Kona looks better than any sub compact SUV, but the Soul has great interior room.

I'm sure some brands handle better but the steering in my 17 Soul is just fine.
 
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Buy at end of month. I bought my Elantra on last day of month. Dealership had Hyundai cash and saved $700 over the other 2 dealerships. What helped me was pricing same car between 3 dealerships. You seem a little too eager. The dealership may use that to their advantage.
 
We have 16k on ours, zero issues so far. The 1.6T is surprisingly quick; the car must be fairly lightweight. It is somewhat small on the inside for a CUV.
 
Like the looks of the Kona, but the interior is too small. I'd go with a Soul, but that's just me. Can't beat the interior room of the Soul.
 
not a kona but girlfriend loves her 8 thou preowned 18 kia optima + she won't need a qt of oil every thou or so like the 13 63 thou 2.5 LS malibu she traded! had not seen they were using direct + port injection, a good thing for sure but keep the CVT!!
 
My BIL has had his 2018 Kona SEL FWD for about 5 months. I think he paid just over $22K +TTL, but he had a trade in. It's the 2.0L with conventional 6spd automatic. He claims he averages 36mpg tank to tank with his highway travel and loves the car. He's come from a series of Hondas and Subarus and (so far) wishes he'd considered Hyundai years ago. He puts lots of miles on his vehicles. I think his 2017 Civic he traded in had just under 100K miles on it.
 
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Originally Posted by JTK
My BIL has had his 2018 Kona SEL FWD for about 5 months. I think he paid just over $22K +TTL, but he had a trade in. It's the 2.0L with conventional 6spd automatic. He claims he averages 36mpg tank to tank with his highway travel and loves the car. He's come from a series of Hondas and Subarus and (so far) wishes he'd considered Hyundai years ago. He puts lots of miles on his vehicles. I think his 2017 Civic he traded in had just under 100K miles on it.

Wow. Guy drives like I do.
 
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