2022 Hyundai Kona

The volume SE and SEL trims of the facelifted 2022 Kona use the 2.0L MPI Atkinson four at 147 hp; the 1.6T was uprated to 195 hp for 2022 but is limited to N Line and Limited.

The 2.0L's 132 lb-ft peaks at a high 4,500 rpm, near the bottom of the SUV band; the 1.6T's 195 lb-ft arrives from 1,500 rpm.

No major outlet instrumented a 2022 2.0L; the same 147-hp engine tested 8.3 s (MotorTrend, FWD) and 9.2 s (Car and Driver, AWD SEL), so ~9.0 s is representative of the volume trim. The turbo N Line is roughly 1.7 s quicker.

The 2.0L is adequate around town but gets loud and strained when merging or passing; the 195-hp turbo is punchy but its DCT pairing introduces low-speed hesitation. About average for the class.

The volume trims' chain-belt IVT uses simulated steps and behaves better than most CVTs, though it drones under load; the turbo trims' 7-speed dry DCT is slow to upshift at low speeds and sometimes reluctant to downshift.

Hyundai publishes no US tow rating for the first-generation Kona and the US owner's manual does not recommend towing, so it scores zero on capability. Overseas braked ratings do not apply to the US car.

HTRAC all-wheel drive is optional on SE, SEL, N Line and Limited, which is broad availability, but it is a basic on-demand front-biased system with a lock mode and no low range or torque vectoring; Kona N and Kona Electric are FWD only.

A pavement-oriented subcompact crossover with about 6.7 inches of ground clearance, no skid plates, no locker or crawl control and no off-road trim; the AWD lock mode helps only on slippery roads.

Four genuinely distinct US powertrains in 2022 — 2.0L NA, 195-hp 1.6T, the 276-hp Kona N and the 201-hp Kona Electric — is unusually broad for a subcompact, though there is no hybrid.

The volume 2.0L FWD with the IVT is rated 32 MPG combined, strong for a gas subcompact SUV; AWD costs 2 MPG.

EPA city rating for the volume 2.0L FWD configuration.

EPA highway rating for the volume 2.0L FWD configuration.

EPA total range for the volume 2.0L FWD; a small 13.2-gallon tank limits range despite good economy.

EPA annual fuel cost estimate at current standard assumptions for the volume 2.0L FWD on regular fuel.

The volume 2.0L and the 1.6T both run on regular unleaded; only the low-volume Kona N calls for premium.

NHTSA rated the facelifted 2022 Kona 5 stars overall in both FWD and AWD, with 5-star frontal and side results and 4 stars for rollover. That ties the top of the subcompact class.

Every IIHS crashworthiness test came back Good, including both small-overlap tests. The 2022 Kona still earned no award, because the refreshed headlights were never rated and the pedestrian-capable AEB was optional. The 2020–21 car had been a Top Safety Pick, but only with specific headlights and optional equipment.

Every trim gets forward collision-avoidance assist with car detection, lane keeping assist and driver attention warning. On the volume SEL, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings are standard, but they are absent on the SE. Adaptive cruise and pedestrian/cyclist AEB are limited to the N Line and Limited, so key items sit high in the range.

The camera system earned IIHS's Superior rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. Pedestrian detection is reserved for upper trims, where it rated only Advanced in the daytime test, and it has no nighttime pedestrian rating. The volume SEL's system detects cars only.

Blind-spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic collision warning are standard from the volume SEL up, but the base SE lacks them. The SEL system only warns. Active blind-spot avoidance and Safe Exit Assist are limited to the top trims.

Lane Keeping Assist and lane departure warning are standard on every trim. Lane Following Assist centering is only on the N Line and Limited alongside Smart Cruise, so the volume SEL gets edge-of-lane nudges rather than true centering.

The volume SE and SEL trims have only conventional cruise control. Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go is limited to the N Line and Limited, where it is competent, so most buyers go without adaptive cruise.

No hands-free driving system is offered on any 2022 Kona trim. The most it gets is Highway Driving Assist-style lane following on the top trims, and that requires hands on the wheel.

IIHS did not rate the 2022 refresh's redesigned slim headlights. Before the refresh, the lower trims' lights rated Poor while the upper trims' LEDs rated Good, and the volume SEL keeps the less advanced projector lamps. High Beam Assist mitigates this somewhat.

The upright greenhouse and small footprint give decent forward sightlines. The thick C-pillars and small rear window limit the over-shoulder view, and no 360-degree camera is offered, only a rearview camera.

IIHS rates the Kona's LATCH Marginal: the lower anchors sit too deep in the seat bight and are hard to maneuver around. The narrow subcompact rear bench makes multiple car seats tight.

Every 2022 Kona is a two-row, five-seat crossover. No other seating layout is offered.

Front headroom is adequate for the class. The sunroof that comes with the SEL Convenience package and upper trims takes away 1.6 inches.

Front legroom is on the short side for an SUV, but the driving position still fits most adults.

Rear headroom is reasonable, although the sloping roofline makes it feel tighter for tall passengers.

The first-generation Kona's back seat is among the tightest in the subcompact class. Adults fit for short trips only.

No third row is offered on any trim. The Kona is strictly a two-row, five-seat crossover.

Cargo space behind the rear seat is small for the class. The Seltos, HR-V and Trax all hold more.

Even with the 60/40 rear seat folded, total cargo space trails most subcompact rivals.

For 2022 Hyundai redesigned the lower console storage, with a tray ahead of the shifter that holds the wireless charger on equipped trims. Door pockets, a modest console bin and a cargo-floor tray are typical, with no standout solutions.

The front seats are supportive enough for daily driving, but the volume SEL has a manual driver's seat with limited adjustment. The rear bench is upright and short on thigh support.

The ride is firm and gets busy over broken pavement, especially on FWD models with the torsion-beam rear axle. Body control is good, and AWD models with the multi-link rear ride somewhat better.

Hyundai added an acoustic windshield and extra insulation for 2022, but road and tire noise still come through clearly at highway speed, and the 2.0L gets buzzy under load.

Heated front seats and automatic climate control come only with the SEL Convenience package or on the N Line and Limited, so the base SE and a plain SEL go without. There are no rear air vents, and comfort features are thin unless you move up the lineup.

The facelifted 2022 Kona SE starts at $20,950 plus a $1,225 destination charge. That entry price is at the bottom of the SUV band and among the lowest in the subcompact class that year.

The SEL is the volume trim. With the common AWD option or the Convenience package, it lands around $25,000 delivered.

Running costs are low for the class. CarEdge projects about $2,646 over five years, and Hyundai's 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance (which still applies to MY2022) covers early oil changes. Edmunds' True Cost to Own projection is more conservative, so I used a blended figure.

The gas Kona holds value at roughly the subcompact-SUV class average, keeping about 55–63% of MSRP after five years depending on the source and trim.

Hyundai Assurance's 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty is among the longest basic warranties in the mainstream market.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage tops the band. It applies to the original owner only.

Hyundai bundles 3 years/36,000 miles of complimentary oil changes and tire rotations with 5 years of unlimited-mile roadside assistance and a 3-year Blue Link trial. Few mainstream subcompact rivals offer that much (Toyota gives 2 years).

$25,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (58% retained, or about $14,500) leaves about $10,500 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $14,000 in total.

The 2022 facelift brought a new 2.0L/IVT powertrain to the volume trims, and the sources disagree: J.D. Power owner data rates quality & reliability around 80/100 ("Great"), while Consumer Reports flagged reliability and owner-satisfaction problems with the 2022 Kona. Mixed signals, mid-band.

Around 2022 Hyundai was a mid-pack dependability brand: it ranked in the middle of Consumer Reports' brand reliability tables and sat near the industry average in J.D. Power's VDS, behind Toyota, Lexus and sister brand Kia. The Theta II engine-failure legacy still weighed on its long-term record.

NHTSA lists no safety recall for the gas 2022 Kona (SE/SEL/N Line/Limited); the 2022 Kona campaigns cover only the Kona N's DCT and fuel pump. It loses points because the key-ignition SE/SEL trims belonged to the 2018–2022 Hyundai models without an engine immobilizer that the 2022–23 theft wave targeted. Hyundai's fix for that was a service campaign (software update and steering-wheel lock), not a recall.

The volume SE/SEL use the 147-hp 2.0L Smartstream MPI with the chain-belt IVT, both new to the Kona for 2022. This is a low-stress, port-injected pairing that no recall has touched (the 2024 EGR recall hit the next generation), but it has a short track record. The 1.6T upper trims keep the 7-speed dry DCT, which drew low-speed clutch complaints.

The 2022 refresh added a cleaner dash and an available 10.25-inch digital cluster and screen, but reviewers still describe a cabin dominated by hard plastics, with little soft-touch material below the Limited trim. That is typical for a budget subcompact, and it trails the Mazda CX-30.

Assembly is generally solid on this mature generation, now in its fifth year of production, and J.D. Power's owner-based quality score is good. Consumer Reports' owner-satisfaction complaints and scattered owner reports of rattles keep it out of the top band.

Hyundai's roughly 800-store US franchised network gives dense national coverage. Owners rate the dealer and service experience only average, so it stays mid-band.

First-generation Kona parts are abundant and cheap after five years of high-volume US sales, and the aftermarket is established. RepairPal puts Kona repair costs well below average, and the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty plus 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance cover much of early ownership.

The volume SE and SEL use the 8-inch touchscreen. The 10.25-inch navigation screen that arrived with the 2022 facelift is reserved for the Limited and Kona N.

Hyundai's 8-inch system is simple, quick and backed by physical volume/tuning knobs and climate controls. The 10.25-inch system adds split-screen and multiple Bluetooth connections. Neither is flashy, but both are easy to live with.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard with the 8-inch screen on SE, SEL and N Line. Oddly, the Limited's 10.25-inch navigation system supports only wired projection.

Built-in navigation comes only on the Limited and N, where Dynamic Voice Recognition can also run climate, mirror and wheel heating. Volume SE/SEL buyers rely on phone projection for maps and voice.

The volume trims' six-speaker system is adequate. The eight-speaker Harman Kardon upgrade is limited to the Limited and N and is a modest step up.

The SE and SEL keep analog gauges with a small center TFT. The new 10.25-inch fully digital cluster is standard on the N Line, Limited and N.

The 2022 Kona gets no whole-vehicle over-the-air updates. Map and infotainment updates on the 10.25-inch navigation units are largely a dealer or USB job, and the 8-inch units have none.

Blue Link connected services come from the SEL up, with remote lock, locate and remote start/climate on push-button-start trims after a free trial. The phone-as-key Hyundai Digital Key comes with the SEL Convenience package.

Front USB ports are standard, but rear USB ports come only on the Limited, and wireless charging requires the SEL Convenience package or N Line/Limited. There is no household outlet.

Proximity entry and push-button start are standard from the volume SEL up, though the base SE uses a key. Hyundai Digital Key (phone-as-key) is available with the SEL Convenience package. There is no hands-free liftgate.

A rear-view camera is standard, but rear parking sensors are limited to the top Limited trim, and no surround-view camera or front sensors are offered.

The US 2022 gas Kona offers no head-up display. The pop-up unit on earlier top trims was dropped with the facelift, and a HUD remains only on the Kona Electric Limited.

A tight 35.2-inch rear seat, small rear door openings and a 19.2 cu ft cargo hold make rear-facing seats and strollers a squeeze. IIHS rates its LATCH hardware Marginal.

Crash credentials are strong (NHTSA 5 stars overall, IIHS Good across the crash tests), and AEB and lane keeping are standard. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts are missing on the base SE, and adaptive cruise is limited to the N Line and Limited.

With four aboard, the cramped rear seat, lack of rear vents and small cargo hold limit trips to short getaways. Rear USB is a Limited-only feature.

The Kona is small, light and nimble in traffic, and the IVT behaves smoothly at low speed. The firm ride and road noise add some fatigue, and the base 2.0L is strained when merging.

32 MPG combined on regular fuel from the 2.0L FWD is near the top of the gas subcompact class, and the small tires and simple powertrain keep consumables cheap.

A short 164-inch body and a tight 34.8-ft turning circle make it easy to thread through cities and fit into tight spaces. The thick rear pillars and lack of parking sensors below the Limited are the drawbacks.

There is no US tow rating, the cargo hold is small and the 147-hp 2.0L has little reserve under load. It is not meaningfully work-capable.

The Kona is built for light personal use, with hard plastics that wear well but no fleet or hard-use reputation. Owners report it holds up with ordinary care.

Beyond cargo-floor tie-down hooks and available roof side rails, there are no work-oriented provisions: no outlets, no factory hitch and no upfit ecosystem.

A 422-mile EPA range is good, but road noise, the firm ride and the lack of adaptive cruise on the volume SE/SEL make long highway stints more tiring than in the best rivals.

HTRAC AWD with a lock mode is available on every gas trim and roof side rails take bike or ski racks, but 6.7 inches of ground clearance and no tow rating keep it on gravel roads at most.

A 60/40 split rear seat and a two-level cargo floor help, but at 45.8 cu ft maximum the Kona swallows less bulky gear than most rivals.

The Kona is one of the more agile subcompact crossovers: light, composed and grippy in corners, with good body control. AWD models gain a multi-link rear suspension.

The steering is quick and accurately weighted but transmits little road feel.

The brakes stop the Kona smoothly in town, with a predictable pedal and average emergency-stop performance for the class.

The new-for-2022 IVT is smooth and simulates shifts well, but the 147-hp 2.0L with its high-rpm torque peak feels strained when merging or passing.

The 2.0L drones and gets coarse when revved under the IVT, and engine noise adds to a cabin reviewers already call loud.

A very tight turning circle for an SUV makes U-turns and parking easy.

Controls are logically laid out with physical knobs and buttons, and the seating position is commanding enough. The volume SEL's manual seat has limited adjustment, and the rear pillars limit over-the-shoulder view.

The chassis is playful for the class, but the 2.0L volume trims lack the punch to make it truly fun. The 195-hp N Line and 276-hp Kona N are the enthusiast picks.

The 2022 refresh made an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping and driver-attention warning standard on the $20,950 SE. The volume SEL adds blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, so the Kona is well equipped for the money, though not class-leading.

A sub-$26k delivered SEL AWD and a 195-hp turbo N Line under $28k give strong content and performance per dollar. The weak 2.0L and the tight rear seat and cargo area keep it short of a standout bargain.

There are five gas trims (SE, SEL, N Line, Limited and the performance Kona N), plus the Kona Electric. AWD is optional on four of them and the SEL offers a Convenience package. That spread is broad for a subcompact, running from a $22k base to the 276-hp N.

US Kona sales dropped from about 90,000 in 2021 to about 64,000 in 2022 under supply constraints. That left it a mid-pack subcompact seller, well behind class leaders like the Crosstrek and HR-V.

By 2022 Hyundai's image was rising on bold design, warranty strength and the N performance sub-brand. It remains a mainstream brand without Toyota- or Subaru-level loyalty.

The 2022 model year sold in the depths of the chip shortage, when most subcompact SUVs went for MSRP or above and dealer markups were common. Incentives on the Kona were minimal until late 2023.

MY2022 brought a mid-cycle facelift (new styling, a 195-hp turbo, the N Line and Kona N, a new IVT and an updated interior) on a 2018-era platform. A fully redesigned second generation followed for 2024, so the 2022 sits late in its generation.

The Kona was well reviewed for styling, handling, value and safety. It earned Good scores in all six IIHS crash tests and a 5-star NHTSA overall rating, and the Kona N drew enthusiast praise. It was rarely the outright pick in subcompact-SUV comparisons, where the Crosstrek and Mazda CX-30 usually won.