A surprisingly great car
After 16 months with a 2022 Chevy Trailblazer Activ and being slightly underwhelmed, I decided to take advantage of the high trade-in value and try my luck with a 23 Kona Limited. So far, it was definitely a good choice!
The exterior styling is either a "love it or hate it" deal, but I'm on the side of loving it. Interior is decent as well in the Limited, as there are soft touch spots throughout the cabin. Yes, there is more hard plastic than in luxury vehicles, but at this price point, I don't expect to be coddled in leather or total plushness!
As for driving, this car is amazing. The 1.6T 195hp engine is very peppy and actually feels more powerful than it is. No worries about accelerating up an on ramp or even better, passing cars on the highway is a breeze. Add in all of the driving nannies such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive cruise and the very cool Highway Drive Assist (sort of semi-autonomous driving), and you've got a tremendous value. Oh, and the Harmon-Kardon stereo is quite good, again considering the price point of the vehicle.
My main gripes are that there is no heated steering wheel, the Limited (and N Line) models do not offer wireless Apple CarPlay, and the DCT seems a bit janky when in stop and go traffic situations. The car sort of shimmies a bit, which isn't a big deal, but I do think it's fair to point out.
Overall, I am very pleased with my Kona. Nice job Hyundai!
Recommended
Verified Owner
