Hyundai Kona to be launched in Malaysia by this year!



Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors (HDSM) has announced plans to launch the Hyundai Kona compact SUV in Q4 of 2020 where bookings can now be made at any Hyundai showroom beginning today.

The Kona, which was displayed at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, will be fully imported from Hyundai Motor Company’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. Since its global launch in 2017, Hyundai has sold over 600,000 units worldwide up to July 2020, excluding the EV and hybrid models.

Named after the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Hyundai Kona should arrive here with a 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder with 177 hp and 265 Nm, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Kona will go against the likes of the Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3.

Based on the estimated pricing of “from RM115,XXX” announced the Hyundai Malaysia official site, it’s safe to assume there’d be more than one variant. That would also make the Kona more expensive than the base model Honda HR-V at RM104k.

In the local teaser video, it’s also safe to assume that the Kona will arrive as a pre-facelift model. The 2021 facelift model teased recently seems to come with a much sharper front end, with sleeker, more angular headlamps. It also comes with a completely different fog lamp design and housing compared to the pre-facelift model.

Among the items promised in the new Kona include a head-up display, wireless charging, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with the Hyundai Smart Sense driver assistance system.

If you place a booking now for the funky fresh Hyundai Kona at just RM288, Hyundai will even extend an invitation to the exclusive launch event in Malaysia.