is not nearly as futuristic as that of the Bolt EV. Some
EV fans find the Bolt’s futurism appealing, but we think
your average buyer will be reassured by the electric
Kona’s predictability. Most of the controls work just as
the ones in the gasoline version do, with adaptations as
needed, which seems both practical and a smart way to
appeal to mass-market shoppers.
One area in which the Kona definitely beats the Bolt
is its front seats. The thin, narrow seats of the Bolt EV
suit some people fine - us included - but they’re a huge
sore point with enough owners and buyers that we urge
shoppers to test-drive a Bolt for an hour or so to make
sure they’re tolerable. The Kona and LEAF, on the other
hand, have conventional seats that should fit conven-
tional people just fine.
As we were facing a highway journey of more than
100 miles in our first 24 hours with the car, we started
out in Eco mode to preserve range. While the car wasn’t
snappy in this mode, it proved fine for the majority of
our running around. Normal mode was peppier, at a
slight cost in range, and Sport mode was downright fun
and speedy - at a rather greater hit to the range estimate.
For highway driving, we left the Kona in Eco mode,
used the adaptive cruise control wherever possible, and
enjoyed a calm ride. On twisty roads, handling was
confident and sure-footed, owing something to the more
sophisticated trailing-arm rear suspension that the EV
uses in place of the gasoline version’s twist beam.
We noticed that the electric Kona had a remarkably
loud whine at low travel speeds. Finally, we realized it
was the car’s low-speed pedestrian alert, issuing a sound
unlike any others we’ve heard. It could be described as
a sort of spaceship noise - if your local spaceship made
THE VEHICLES
54
Some EV fans find
the Bolt’s futurism
appealing, but we think
your average buyer
will be reassured by
the electric Kona’s
predictability.