Hyundai boosts Kona safety

HYUNDAI has made urban autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist and driver attention alert standard across the whole Kona small SUV range in a model year 2020 update that also adds adaptive cruise control to higher-spec Elite and Highlander variants.

The AEB system applied to the Kona Go and Active is a camera-based set-up that can bring the vehicle to a complete stop if it detects an impending collision between 8km/h and 75km/h, and is paired with forward collision warning system that works up to 80km/h.

A more sophisticated version fitted to Elite and Highlander variants combines the camera with a radar and can detect and avoid pedestrians at up to 64km/h and can slow the vehicle from as much as 160km/h to avoid or reduce the severity of collisions.

On all variants, Hyundai’s lane-keep assist and lane departure warning features kick in from 60km/h where they can detect lane markings, while the adaptive cruise control on the Elite and Highlander can be activated between 30km/h and 180km/h, prompting the driver to re-take control if the preceding vehicle slows to less than 10km/h.

A price increase of $500 has been applied to variants bar the lower-mid-spec Active, which instead downgrades to a smaller 7.0-inch touchscreen that lacks the satellite navigation, DAB+ digital radio and eight-speaker Krell premium audio set-up of MY19 versions.

Pricing now ranges from $24,000 plus on-road costs for the front-drive Go and extends to $39,500 plus on-roads for the all-wheel-drive Highlander. No update to the battery-powered Kona Electric has been announced.

All combustion Konas continue to be offered with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels through a six-speed torque converter transmission or a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto that carries a $3500 premium.

Premium paint is $595 on all variants and a contrasting Phantom Black roof remains a no-cost option on the Highlander, supplanting its standard glass sunroof.

Hyundai launched the Kona to Australia in October 2017 and added the entry-level Go just under a year later. It is one of the brand’s top sellers after the i30 small hatch, Tucson mid-size SUV and Accent light car.

It is also one of Hyundai’s only models for which sales have not sunk this year, posting a 10.2 per cent volume increase to the end of July, with 7574 units shifted. The other two are the iMax people-mover, up 31.4 per cent with 506 sales, and the electrified Ioniq hatch for which figures are skewed as this is its first full year on sale.

2019 Hyundai Kona pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs