Hot Kona lineballing with i30 liftback equivalent.

POTENTIAL for sibling rivalry within Hyundai’s expanding ‘N’ performance model family surely seems imminent with the brand determining to price the latest addition directly against another recent joiner.

A sticker of $69,990, the most being asked for any N car, attaches to both the Kona N, the new performance flagship version of Hyundai’s compact sports utility, as the top version of the i30 liftback.

 Though each heads in a different styling direction and fundamentally aim at different buyer sets, they are closely conjoined in underpinning design and mechanicals.

 Both run a direct shift transmission and have the same engine in identical 206kW and 392Nm tune, which in each instance also an ability to raise those outputs slightly for brief period when in N Grin Shift mode. Hyundai has no released a 0-100kmh time for the Kona but cites the i30N as being good for a 5.4 second blast.

An announcement from the brand says the hot Kona – surely to become known as the ‘Conan’? – will be on sale within weeks.

 Hyundai NZ general manager Andy Sinclair expects it to do well, cutting that Kona has become a Kiwi favourite in its four years on the market. The car also represents in mainstream, N Line (meaning sports appearance) and electric formats, those having recently undergone a Series II refresh.

“The Kona N not only provides an excellent halo model to the ever-increasing Kona range but adds to our N range. N models are popular amongst performance car enthusiasts. With the introduction of the Kona N, we anticipate it will attract more new customers to either the Kona range or the N brand,” says Sinclair.

The Kona N provided the first opportunity for the make’s N Division and the Hyundai Design Centre to work together on this kind of body type, and as images show, the ‘hot SUV’ ideal is being taken seriously.

The car has a wider and lower stance than the donor and, accordingly, “clearly

represents a powerful presence and driving fun,” the maker says.

The front view is dominated by large, sporty and “iconic” air intakes, and the new light signature lends an aggressive, powerful appearance, the brand contends.

The lower grille defines the character of the bumper fascia; “its shape is inspired by an aeronautic fuselage and extends to the side of the car, emphasising its aerodynamic efficiency and speed. An N logo on the unique upper grille completes the look.”

At the rear, a large double-wing roof spoiler for enhanced downforce gives spice to the rear view. It also incorporates a third, triangular brake light, as is customary with N models. 

Large N dual exhaust mufflers fully express the high-performance spirit, according to today’s release.

Exclusive alloy wheels and red accents embellishing the side sills are exclusive exterior N signatures. Within the cabin, N specific details affect the steering wheel, shift knob, sports seats and pedals.

 The new 10-inch infotainment and digital cluster system with digitalised elements provides a driving experience as though playing a game. The new ‘N mode design’ delivers information such as lap time and N track map, while the N buttons can be customised to toggle frequently used drive modes. 

As in the i30 N DCT cars, the Kona N’s transmission has high-performance functions: N Power Shift (NPS), N Grin Shift (NGS) and N Track Sense Shift (NTS). In the ‘grin’ setting the powertrain potentially reaches up to 213kW.

The car is front-wheel-drive, but has an electronically-controlled limited slip differential to enhance what the brand says is a “corner-carving feeling.” It says the differential is specifically tuned “to give it enough traction so you can drive at ease on any road condition.”

Braking has “enhanced pre-fill braking logic, making you more confident on the road. The brake pads’ high friction material and bigger front and rear discs help maximise heat endurance.”

Hyundai NZ has one more N model to add, with imminent arrival of the i20 N that derives styling cues from the World Rally Championship car that Kiwi Hayden Paddon raced for several seasons.