Hyundai’s compact crossover, which slots beneath the huge-selling Tucson in the lineup, is one of the most striking-to-look-at SUVs of all, with a complex, complicated front end that mixes and matches air intakes, split lighting elements, and plastic cladding.
It all looks hugely complex, even complicated, and can be a little overwhelming if you go for a bright body colour, but in more sober silver, grey, or black it’s rather better to look at, and actually quite smart. A shame then that the interior can’t live up to the exterior. While it’s decently roomy, the plastics on show feel rather low-rent, and as with so many compact crossovers, its boot (at 334-litres) is positively tiny.
You’re much better off with an i30 Fastback or Tourer estate if practicality is high up your list. That said, the Kona is actually quite good to drive, with well-balanced suspension and reasonably sharp steering. Coming very soon is the all-electric version which, with its massive 64kWh battery, could at last bring long-haul electric driving to a much more affordable price point. That could see it soaring much higher up this list.
Best model: Kona Premium 1.0 T-GDI for €25,995
Price range: €20,995 to €31,095. Finance from €229 per month.
Co2 emissions: 111 to 153g/km
Sum up: Groovy styling, but poor interior.