Hyundai Kona N will likely use the same 2.0-litre turbo engine from i30 N and Veloster N to develop 271 bhp and it could be mated to an eight-speed DCT
Hyundai’s N performance brand has gained good attention among global customers and thus naturally the company is looking at expanding its reach to other models. In recent years, Hyundai has certainly expanded its SUV portfolio with vehicles such as Kona, Venue and Palisade, and all of them are performing well in sales pertaining to the needs of the modern day customers.
Earlier this year, the Hyundai Kona N was spotted testing heavily disguised and several reports indicate that it will use the same mechanicals as the i30 N and Veloster N. If it turns out to be the case, the Hyundai Kona N will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In the performance-spec i30 N and Veloster N, the powertrain is good enough to develop a maximum power output of 275 bhp.
Spied during cold weather testing as well as doing hot laps at Nurburgring, the Hyundai Kona N is reported by The Korean Car Blog to be the first N badged model to have an all-wheel-drive system. The aforementioned engine will be connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sending power to all the four wheels.
In the lower variants, it could use a six-speed manual transmission. As for the exterior, the Hyundai Kona N will have several design updates to differentiate itself from the regular model. Judging by the spy shots and speculations, the performance-based Kona will have colour-coordinated elements in the lower section amidst a slew of subtle revisions.
It must be noted that the SUV will be shod on 19-inch N-branded wheels with sporty red brake calipers while the front grille, bumper and skid plates will see changes. At the rear, there is a pair of new exhaust outlets as well. Additionally, the interior will likely get contrast seat stitching and other notable styling enhancements.
Moreover, it could get aluminium pedals and sports seats. Hyundai engineers will fine tune the suspension bits and decrease the ride height for committed handling characteristics. The production of the Hyundai Kona N may begin this July before making global debut a few months later.