2019 Hyundai Kona Electric Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byBrent RomansSenior Manager, Written Content

　　Brent Romans has worked in the automotive industry since 1996. He has written or edited thousands of expert car reviews and road-tested hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Brent is a senior manager of written content at zzdcar and previously contributed to publications such as Super Street and Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road. His personal car is a 2019 BMW M2 Competition, which he bought for its ideal combination of performance, style and practicality.

　　

What's new

All-new electric version of the KonaBased on the first Kona generation introduced for 2018

　　Most news stories about electric vehicles center around Tesla, but savvy shoppers would do well to pay attention to Hyundai. The South Korean automaker has quietly developed one of the most compelling electric vehicles to come out this year: the all-new 2019 Kona Electric. Hyundai has given the Kona Electric plenty of range and satisfying performance, even improving over the standard Kona in some ways.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

2019 Hyundai Kona Electric EV Insights

Trim:Kona Electric SEL

　　SEL 4dr SUV (electric DD) - $36,950 MSRPLimited 4dr SUV (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $41,400 MSRPUltimate 4dr SUV (electric DD) - $44,900 MSRP

　　

Estimated Range Based on Age

　　234 milesThe range for a used 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric is estimated to be 234 miles because electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year, with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 234 miles.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　10 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　Estimated battery warranty remaining is 5 years or 30,000 miles for this car.Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.

　　

Charging at Home

　　9 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$4,400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Federal Credit

　　$4,000

　　Restrictions: Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer.

　　For the vehicle to qualify: Price cannot exceed $25,000. Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased. Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted. Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.

　　For individuals to qualify: Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status. Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle. Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle. Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$59/mo

　　Kona Electric

　　vs

　　$166/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　The main draw is the EPA-estimated 258 miles of driving range on a full charge. That's more distance than you'll get from any other similarly priced EV, and our real-world testing has verified that the Kona can deliver. It's true that Tesla's Model 3 can go even farther, but only when equipped with its big and expensive long-range battery pack. From our experience, the Kona's range is more than enough for the typical driver.

　　Aside from its electric powertrain, the Kona Electric is a lot like the gasoline-powered Kona, offering snappy acceleration, secure handling and a decent amount of cargo-carrying utility. There's also strong value for money here, at least among electric cars. The Kona Electric comes standard with plenty of technology and advanced safety features. We'd even argue the Electric's styling is less polarizing than the regular model. About the only thing you miss out on, compared to the regular Kona, is the option of all-wheel drive.

　　Cross-shopped against the Chevrolet Bolt and the Nissan Leaf, the Kona Electric is impressive. In fact, the Kona Electric is our pick for the best electric vehicle of 2019 for the zzdcar Editors' Choice Awards, as well as one of the Recurrent for this year.

　　

What's it like to live with?