Small and peppy, Hyundai Kona has what it takes

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- In a competitive field of small crossover sport-utility vehicles, the Hyundai Kona has a lot going for it.

That understanding was further stamped into my brain during a recent week with the tested 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate FWD.  Compact crossover SUVs are a U.S. market darling because they handle easily and are just big enough to do most of the drive-a-day chores that most folks expect of them.

And a little bit more, in the case of the Kona.

Mine wore a brighter-than-bright "Lime Twist" paint job, which stole some attention away from the Kona's smooth exterior lines.  Happily, the black interior was the perfect counterpoint to the glow-in-the-dark exterior coloring.

Power was provided by an enthusiastic 1.6-liter turbo-4 (175 horsepower) that was capable of speeding up the heart rate in a flash.  I was impressed by the Kona's ability to snap around freeway pokes with instant response. And it darted into neighboring lanes with the quickness of a cutting horse.  Those are not typical crossover SUV traits, but they're thoroughly enjoyable.

Interior comfort is nice, especially in the front seats, and everything is nicely arranged around the driver's cockpit.  Vision all around is excellent.

New for my Ultimate model was the Smart Cruise Control system recently developed by Hyundai.  Frankly, I enjoyed letting the Kona have its head by my own hands and right foot.  It was a decidedly pleasant driver.

An ample list of standard safety features was a bonus.  Ditto the fuel mileage numbers, which came in at a budget-saving 28 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

The price was fair for the tester's package -- $28,980 on the sticker's bottom line.

Please note, there's an electric version of the Kona, and a basic Kona can be had with a more-humble 147-horsepower, four-cylinder engine.  For my money, I'd opt for the stronger turbo power plant every time.

The Kona received an overall vehicle score of five stars -- the maximum -- in federal government crash-safety ratings.

All in all, Hyundai's Kona nicely fills a niche that is hugely popular with American motorists.  Sure, you might want to consider competitors made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even Jeep.

But if the Kona is not part of the conversation when you are compact crossover SUV shopping, your report card is incomplete.