Fun to Drive and No More Range Anxiety
I spent a lot of time researching options and waited patiently for more vehicles to be available. Once I was able to test drive the Kona EV, I was absolutely certain it was the right way to go. Compared to the Tesla Model 3, the Kona isn't as fancy or tech forward, but between the price difference and the available tax credit, it is hard to justify the $10K+ difference in price of the Tesla. My coworker has the Model 3, which is excellent by the way, and I've driven that car many times (he likes letting others drive it).
The stated range is 258 miles on 100% charge, which is only realistic if you don't use the climate system. That said, because the electric motor doesn't generate heat as a byproduct, I actually find lots of times where I have no need for A/C or heat. And the heated/ventilated seats are an amazing ally for not using the other climate systems. My daily commute is about 75 miles to/from work (about 25K miles/year), so I charge it every other night so I don't run into a situation where errands or other short trips put me at risk of running out of power. Previously, I was spending about $225/month on gasoline for my car; now I spend under $40/month in electric power for the car. (I don't have solar, yet!)
This car drives like a "Hot Hatch" with super nimble handling and rocket fast acceleration. (The acceleration is similar to other electric vehicles because of the torque.) In fact, the Kona is so much fun to drive that I've had to seriously temper my inner 18-year-old from doing stupid things on the road. After a couple of weeks, I set the regenerative braking to the max, which helps add to the battery range, but also allows for the 1-pedal driving along with the steering wheel paddles, where the only use of the brake pedal is in emergency situations. It takes a bit to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you are able to smooth out the drive and conserve power.
The Kona doesn't scream out "ELECTRIC" when you see it, since it looks identical to the gas version. The downside of this is that there probably could have been more storage, perhaps even in the front (like the Tesla "frunk") where the traditional gas motor would go. Instead, there is a lot of wasted space in the front and the rear has smaller useful storage area. Also, even at the top trim level, you don't get a spare tire, rather a "fix-a-flat" kit. It seems like they choose this route to give you some extra storage space, but the fix kit could easily fit in the wasted space in the front engine area. Folding down the rear seats makes the storage capacity excellent, although it isn't long enough for really long IKEA boxes. The back seats are a little cramped for people 6'+ tall, but average sized adults are okay.
I am super happy with this car and by simply keeping track of the charge level, I haven't run into any situation where I felt limited by the range.
Recommended
Verified Owner
