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Which used Hundai Kona should you buy?

The Hyundai Kona is an appealing small SUV with a decent choice of engines and gearboxes. Although the diesel version was discontinued in 2019, you can still find some used models.

It was replaced by an excellent hybrid model with the promise of a diesel-rivalling 56.5mpg fuel economy figure. There’s also an electric Hyundai Kona, which offers up to 300 miles of range from a single charge.

Whichever version you choose, safety kit is impressive. Multiple airbags, lane-keep assist, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, hill-start assist and an emergency call function in the event of a collision are standard on all models.

Read our full Hyundai Kona review

 

What used Hyundai Kona trim levels are available?

There’s a wide range of Hyundai Kona trims on offer. Among the most popular are the S, SE, SE Connect, Premium, Iron Man, N Line and Ultimate trim levels. Read on for our buying tips on these.

Remember, all used Hyundai Konas are covered by a five-year warranty, so even three-year or four-year-old examples will be covered by a decent amount of the original manufacturer’s warranty.

Hyundai Kona S

The original entry-level Hyundai Kona S wasn’t particularly popular as many drivers fancied a car with more kit. If you’re on a really tight budget it could be a good choice, but a higher trim level will bring more of a feelgood factor. Most examples are powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine, which offers a terrific blend of performance and economy. Mild hybrid technology was added as part of a 2021 update, bringing a small boost in fuel economy.

  • 16-inch alloy wheels
  • Cloth seats with height adjustment for the driver
  • 60/40 split-folding rear seats
  • Air-conditioning with vents for rear-seat passengers
  • Cruise control
  • Electric front and rear windows
  • Digital radio
  • Bluetooth
  • USB port
  • Five-inch LCD dashboard display

Hyundai Kona SE

The Hyundai Kona SE was the second rung on the trim level ladder. Many buyers chose to upgrade from the Hyundai Kona S trim for the additional equipment and improved styling. Key kit included:

  • 17-inch alloy wheels
  • Roof rails
  • Foglights
  • Leather steering wheel
  • Electric driver’s seat lumbar support
  • Rear parking sensors
  • Reversing camera
  • Seven-inch touchscreen media system
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Android Auto

Hyundai Kona SE Connect

Once the Hyundai Kona S and Hyundai Kona SE models were discontinued, the Hyundai Kona SE Connect became the most affordable new model available. Power came from a 1.0-litre T-GDi mild hybrid petrol engine, and among the standard features were:

  • 17-inch alloy wheels
  • Leather steering wheel
  • Air-conditioning
  • Automatic headlights
  • Cruise control
  • Rear parking sensors
  • Reversing camera
  • 10.3-inch digital instrument display
  • Digital radio
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Android Auto

Hyundai Kona Premium / Premium SE

The Hyundai Kona Premium was one of the mid-range trim levels, and offered an array of additional equipment (below) over the Hyundai Kona Connect SE. A revised Hyundai Kona Premium from 2017 onwards had even more kit, while the Hyundai Kona Premium SE was even more generous. A subsequent update saw a revamped Hyundai Kona Premium blend the best of the old Hyundai Kona Premium and Hyundai Kona Premium SE variants.

  • 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Heated front seats
  • Automatic dimming rear-view mirror
  • Front foglights
  • LED rear lights
  • Solar glass
  • Electric parking brake
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Front parking sensors
  • Keyless entry and go
  • Front and rear USB ports
  • Wireless phone charging
  • Eight-speaker premium audio system
  • Eight-inch touchscreen media system with sat-nav (from 2017)
  • Leather-trimmed seats (Premium SE)
  • Electric adjustment (Premium SE)
  • Heated and ventilated front seats (Premium SE)
  • Head-up display (Premium SE)

Hyundai Kona Premium GT

This was the most lavish Hyundai Kona you could get prior to the arrival of the Hyundai Kona Ultimate. The GT part of the name is emphasised by a 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine, which offers more power than the smaller 1.0-litre petrol, plus four-wheel drive. This combination delivers greater performance and superior all-weather reassurance on slippery roads.

  • Full LED headlights with high beam assist and cornering function
  • LED rear lights
  • 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster
  • Safety Pack
  • Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection

Hyundai Kona Iron Man Edition

This special edition celebrating Marvel’s Iron Man Tony Stark comes with some distinctive styling details, plus additional equipment. 

  • Matte grey exterior paint
  • Red roof and exterior accents
  • Custom daytime running lights
  • V-shape bonnet bezel with the Marvel logo
  • Iron Man gear shifter
  • Head-up display
  • 4.2-inch digital instrument panel
  • Eight-inch touchscreen media system
  • 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels
  • Marvel door spotlights
  • Tony Stark detailing
  • Leather seats

Hyundai Kona N Line

Introduced in 2021, the Hyundai Kona N Line was inspired by the Hyundai i30 N high-performance hatchback, and is the sportiest-looking model in the range. It’s the ideal Hyundai Kona if you’re looking to make a statement on the school run, but don’t care so much for having all the latest in-car kit. Among the upgrades were:

  • Diamond-cut alloy wheels
  • N-inspired exterior styling upgrades
  • Dedicated N Line interior colour package in one-tone black
  • Cloth, leather or suede seats

Hyundai Kona Ultimate

Short of opting for the Hyundai Kona Hybrid or the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Hyundai Ultimate is the most expensive model you’ll find. It comes with a suite of safety systems that are optional on the other models, and is like the old Hyundai Premium GT, albeit with power sourced from a 1.0-litre mild hybrid petrol engine.

  • 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Electric adjustment
  • Heated and ventilated driver and passenger seats
  • Climate control
  • LED headlights
  • Electric slide and tilt sunroof
  • Rear centre armrest
  • Head-up display

Is a used Hyundai Kona a good buy?

The Hyundai Kona is a practical and great-value rival to compact SUVs such as the Nissan Juke and stablemate the Kia Stonic.

There’s very little to choose between the array of compact SUVs available in the UK, but the Hyundai Kona appeals with bold styling and an excellent five-year unlimited mileage warranty. This makes it an attractive choice.