a low howling whine - that we found distinctive and
amusing. (Your experience may vary.)
The cons
The Kona Electric had a few distinct disadvantages com-
pared to the Chevy Bolt. One is rear-seat legroom: there
was very little. I wasn’t able to sit comfortably behind my-
self, and fitting four US-size adults in the car proved to be
an exercise in minimizing harm. Riders sit more upright
in the taller Bolt, but its quarters are less cramped. The
Kona’s rear cargo space is generous, however.
As is the case with most EVs, when the Kona Electric
is driven predominantly on highways, the combined
range estimates don’t measure up to the advertised
number. The Kona Electric is rated at 108 MPGe on the
highway, 10 percent lower than the combined figure,
but we’d estimate the reduction at closer to 15 percent
when traveling on hilly California highways at prevail-
ing speeds - even in the Eco mode that we used for the
majority of our travels. However, that still left the car
with 200-plus miles of range, which worked fine for us.
The lack of all-wheel drive in what’s billed as a cross-
over is a drawback that this car sadly has in common with
the Bolt. Where we come from, any SUV or “crossover
utility” has to have AWD available - but if you want an
AWD Kona, you have to get a gasoline engine.
Experienced EV drivers may find the electric Kona’s
oddest feature to be its regenerative braking control.
Unlike the BMW i3, Chevy Bolt, Nissan LEAF and other
THE VEHICLES
56
electrics, it’s impossible to set the Kona Electric to con-
tinuous one-pedal driving.
The paddles behind the steering wheel increase (left)
or decrease (right) the level of regeneration, and hold-
ing in the left paddle steadily dials up regen until the car
stops. To bring the car to a standstill without touching the
brake, a driver must use the paddle at every intersection.
Also, each of the three power modes (Eco, Normal,
Sport) sets a different level of regen (1, 2, and 3, respec-
tively). That means a driver who wants the strongest
regen either has to use the least-efficient mode (Sport)
plus the left paddle, remember to click the left paddle
three times after every stop to boost the regen level to
3, or spend an inordinate amount of time clicking the
paddle to slow down at every intersection.A driver who wants the
strongest regen either has
to use the least-efficient
mode (Sport) plus the left
paddle, or remember to
click the left paddle three
times after every stop to
boost the regen level to 3.
Images courtesy of Hyundai