The pre-facelift Hyundai Kona Electric currently faces direct competition from only one car in the Indian market, i.e. the MG ZS EV
Hyundai revealed a mid-life facelift for the Kona Electric globally in November last year whereas the Indian market continues to receive the pre-facelift version. However, this is going to change soon, since Hyundai is finally planning to introduce the facelift here as well.
Launched in July 2019, the Kona Electric went on to become Hyundai’s first fully electric vehicle in the Indian market. The Hyundai EV is managing to sell in adequate numbers, but the growing competition in the electric vehicle space could make things difficult for the car. Hence, Hyundai is expected to launch the Kona facelift in India in 2022.
In comparison to the pre-facelifted version, the Kona facelift features a host of visual enhancements. It looks sharper, thanks to the slimmer LED DRLs and redesigned headlamps. The side profile remains largely similar, while the rear-end gets restyled LED tail lamps, as well as restyled rear reflectors and reversing lights. Overall, the Kona Electric facelift is 40 mm longer than the outgoing model.
Inside the cabin, the updated electric crossover gets a new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a similarly sized touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, BlueLink connected-car tech, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, heated and cooled front seats and tons of other feel-good features.
In India, Hyundai offers the Kona Electric with a sole 39.2 kWh battery pack that has an ARAI-certified range of 452 km. The Hyundai electric SUV comes equipped with an electric motor that puts out 136 PS of power and 395 Nm of torque, which helps the car sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in 9.7 seconds, before topping out at 155 kmph.
The Kona facelift will likely carry over this powertrain without any changes. As of now, the Kona Electric is retailed at a base price of Rs 23.79 lakh for the single variant on offer, while the dual-tone version costs Rs 23.97 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom). That said, the facelifted version will likely see a slight increase in price owing to all the changes.