18 minutes 43 seconds perfectly summed up the Kona, a brilliant car so much so good very few negatives thanks for your analysis superb best video on the Kona on You Tube!
Watched all your videos on the Kona EV. I've been driving my own since Xmas '18 and found all your reviews very informative and helpful in adapting to this new way of driving. Thanks so much and hope you find the right EV for yourself.
Congratulations and a big thank you for all of your hard work making these awesome informative videos! I really think that this Kona will be a top contender for my EV choice in the (hopefully near) future. Best wishes to you from Canada (Québec)!
Hi Chris, Just to say thanks for such a labour of love in producing these 27 videos. I know how hard it can be and the amount of planning for each one. The fact that you only had the car for 4 days, it’s an amazing achievement. I think I’ve viewed most of them and they’ve made my expectations even higher as I’m hoping to get my Kona in May, although it should have arrived in February. Thanks for the final wrap up. I don’t think there are any deal breakers for me which is a relief! I look forward to your reviews of other EVs and hope that you get yourself one soon. Thanks Don PS Don’t worry about the dings. They were fine 😉
Hi, thank you very much for your detailed analysis, it's great, and I agree with you on ... basically all points except 1. In your "average" section, the last point, you regret that you have to keep the regen pedal on to make the car stop. I'd like to offer another view point (I do not want to say disagree cos' I think your video is great, so I don't want to write any word with negative connotation) , I find it very good because the speed will decrease as long as you hold the pedal, but you can release it anytime you want, and the car will keep the speed it has at that moment. So maybe you lose something if you want to fully stop, but if you want to decelerate down to 10, or 5, or 2 km/h, it makes it particularly easy and efficient !
You answered the thing I most wanted to know, which was dislike #3. The Kia Soul EV I drive now also needs to be plugged in to turn on climate. I thought it was because they didn't want people to run down the big battery (although it could probably run the heater for at least a week). The Leafs we had prior to that did not have to be plugged in, which was great, since I would park in a garage for the subway, and when I was a couple stops away I would preheat or precool so that the Leaf was nice when I got there. I tell my friends the Leaf treats you like an adult, while the Soul (and apparently the Kona) treats you like a child. I haven't been in the Kia e-Niro, but I suspect it would be the same as the Soul and Kona in that respect.
Thanks for all the Kona videos!! Very instructional, indeed!! Kudos! I can't even imagine how you could film everything (really everything there is to know) in just 4 days. Congratulations!! I got my Kona EV 64 two weeks ago and I agree with all your comments. I searched a lot, before deciding for Hyundai, and read a lot of comments from Forums around the world. The only thing I would add is: Kona has + and - (like every car), but the sum remains highly positive, and it's worth the (lot of) money you have to pay. --- Some more comment: - Some of our "dislikes" are clearly Hyundai choices and could be easily fixed with a software update. - The Model Year 2020 HAS the BlueLink app but I have not tested pre-heating via app, yet; besides, data coverage is AWFUL (I mean: REALLY AWFUL!!! OK, apparently a Vodafone Italia problem, not Hyundai's, but still.......unacceptable!!). - The Kona AVN has changed: now EVs have the same 10.25" display as fuel models; the functions are (more or less) the same, but your AVN video might appear confusing to owners of the 2020 models. - The 2020 model has an internal 11kW charger (paid option in Italy) - I bought the equivalent of the "Premium" model (which has a different name, in Italy) and the heated steering wheel is no more there: not even as an option.
I am surprised that you did not add the rear seat space to the dislikes. It really needs just a few more inches/ centimeters. Otherwise, a very fair analysis.
Your videos are excellent. I have owned my second hand Kona Electric (Nov 2019) about two weeks now and I am very happy. Today I tried to disable the adaptive (SCC) cruise control to "normal" cruise but I couldn't do that. I think you explained that in some of your videos but I can't find that video. Do you remember how to do that?
@@BatteryLife Thank you very much! I need to postpone that test until tomorrow because I have now celebrated my Kona with few glasses of good red wine :)
They forgot to make a light in the trunk. In these dark days, you cannot find anything in the trunk, it just is too dark.For the rest it is a great car. Please be aware that you must have the Vess on to make a little bit sound, just to be noticed in the traffic. That's why it is switched on automatically.
You summed up my own likes & dislikes very nicely. I would add HUD (its angle should be adjustable, though) and vented, motorized front seats to my list of likes, and the lack of cellular connectivity, lack of front seat (and mirror) memory and very cramped rear seats to my dislikes. Still, I find it a better buy than Tesla 3 or Chevy Bolt.
I like my Kona very much. Of course there are better eCars, bigger ones and so on. But they are much more expensive. So its a very good eCar for the price at the moment. And it makes fun every day. Tanks for your good videos !!!! What i not like is: - Cannot set rekuperation to zero in a drive mode, only reko one is possible to save as standard. - No app - No memory driver sit With utlity mode (camping mode) you cannot heat without the key in the car?
Nice. I agree with MOST of your points there.. except for one.. I like that start-up chime sound... like on my Nissan LEAF. Oh, and there's no Trip B, that is disappointing. My LEAF has that. Also, I like the charge port upfront , like you do. However, I don't like those plastic covers over the ports itself with the dangling plastic cords.. looks flimpsy and cheap... They should have made them more solid , like Nissan LEAF cover and Ampera-E CCS charge port inside cover.
Interesting. Great to listen on the pros and cons really valuable. So many "professional" magazines just gush over the styling, the trim, gizmos and first impressions, no depth to the reviews so useless, but you have achieved depth here, thanks.
Today went to test drive kona ev. Had really fun and the acceleration was amazing. Disliked the small back seat, small trunk. Regen is hard to get used to at test drive. Feels like you get sea sick kind of.
Regen is awesome if you are not driving it as an ICE car. Not foot full of the accelerator pedal when you want to slow down. You can adjust regen with the gas pedal perfectly.
@@BatteryLife yes i think you get used to driving differently. Coming from stick shift ice so it was hard not to keep finding the clutch and stick all the time. So had my foot off the "gas" pedal everytime i though i need to change gear.
I have enjoyed all of your videos. They have been informative and helpful in my approach to owning an EV. Thank you. Question: a Kona Premium or a Tesla?
I bought the Kona Ultimate because the lower cost Tesla is not being made yet, will have many fewer features, there is no local store or repair depot near me, the centre computer screen constantly caused you to draw away your attention, there are only two Tesla chargers near me and many more Ccs and even enough of those if travelling east or west to a larger city and hundreds of kilometers. If I need service there are six Hyundai dealerships in my city. Even their hourly Labour rate is not as outrageous. The Kona Electric has most of the Tesla features at a more affordable cost.
@@BatteryLife That would cost you about 30% more than the Kona Electric which is already unaffordable for many people despite longer term ownership and operating savings compared to an ICE vehicle.
About the accelerator slow initial response: I have a 2021 Kona EV and don't have that experience. I see your video was posted in 2019. Perhaps this was an issue that Hyundai dealt with in subsequent models..? About the slow DC charging in colder weather: yeah, that is a pain. As I'm writing this in December, temperatures where I live range from a little below freezing to a bit above. I have my Kona EV 'winter mode' turned on, but it isn't helping much. When I fuel up at a local DC Level 3 charger that in summer provides up to 43 kWh of energy, the best I can get is 23 kWh. Don't know if that is a limitation of the charger or the car. Either way, it is annoying.
In Canada the Kona EV is $53,500🤕🤕🤕 yet the 1.7t version is $35k FULL LOADED. You cannot tell me EV is saving me money it would take 8-10yrs to break even in cost of fuel to come out on top. Thought EV was great til I did the math.
I didnt like the charcing port in front. I allways park car by backing up since most accidents happen at parking lots and even more when they back up from slot. This is proven fact by insurance companies. Thats why i need it in the back. Its just easier to leave when you can go forward and can see better.
@@BatteryLife it would be great if you could choose the placing of the port when you buy it new. Love your videos they are very informative and you can get sense of normal car buyers feelings of the car. No brand hype and stuff like tesla owners/testers. They just say everything is awesome and i can see its not from the video. Hope you drive the Niro or german evs in the future. Will be tuning in everytime.
The car has rear cross section alert and cross traffic for both people and cars. I do find it easier to pull into a spot and charge although I am worried about the impact of bad weather days on access to the port. I live in a very cold climate. I expect Hyundai to come up with a viable solution to that problem.
the kona starts up but you dont have to wait for all that nonsense. pretty much as soon as you hit start you can put it in gear and go there isnt some 5-7 second boot up delay. its as fast as a gas car going from start to drive / reverse. mine comes with a winter mode for the battery so ill probably turn that one when winter comes and suffer some range loss. its extremely annoying to find the option its from the home screen hit the battery go to gear icon and its in that menu. its not readily accessible. there is a utility mode for drive in theaters to keep the climate on and you can turn on the climate remotely with the blu link app. im not sure that solves the key problem but its advanced some in a few years.
Thanks for your work. Really informative, and useful. Hyundai should gave you a Kona EV for free because you made a better job than them to publicize the car! :D
II Could be better: 03 Map functionality - the 10.25 'Infotainment' screen has fixed this issue - touchscreen with pinch and obviously larger. III Dislike: 03 - The Kona has a 'Utility Mode' that allows the heating/cooling, radio etc. to operate without the 'engine running'. Not sure if the key fob is needed to be in the car for this to work.
Thank you again of your good Kona EV video. I agree most of the things you said in this episode 27 but in my Nov 2019 Kona the pedal works absolutely perfect from stand still. There is no "play" in the pedal and Kona starts moving just the way I like. My car may have newer software.
Thanks for taking so much time to share experiences...so do we buy a Kona or wait for model 3 in the UK? My Kona arrives in a few weeks, model 3 maybe a few months or so
Neil Brandon The RHD ones are coming! Model 3 benefits: much faster acceleration, much better handling, much much faster DC charging and charge network, much more useable back seat, 1,000% better looks, much better navigation screen, much better autopilot, much better “smarts”, much better headlights, much better crash test results (best car ever tested!), and everything on the car will get better and better with software updates. Better range for the LR, nearly as good for the standard range+ Kona benefits: rear hatch. To me it’s no contest.
FutureSystem738 agree with most points. Also m3 has Tesla charging network. Rear seat actually not that good..ride is firm for UK roads, turning circle is stupidly wide at 11.8m compared to model S 11.4m.
Yes, your Kona video series was super great, perfect! I do like the fact that you have to press more to start from stand still, it saves power and it is nice to drive gently entering your garage. Agree with regen 4 missing. at 15:00, if you power off and were in sport mode, it goes back to comfort mode after init ^^ The head up display only goes low after 30 minutes t my side. Another downside: In belgium, the all week-end is cheaper electricity time, and with the current Kona menu's, it is not possible to tell it that it can charge any time during the week end, have to press the front button for 3 seconds to force charging immediately, a pitty (using a wall box at home).
The Excelerator problem that you had isn’t the case on my Kona in fact I find it very easy and progressive. Perhaps as my car is only 3 weeks old it’s may have had a software upgrade. I know another blogger who said the same thing, he found it hard to pull away without wheel spin, I’ve not found it to be the case on mine.
5 лет назад
Of course you can preheat without charger, why do you say so.
They are a great little car, but Hyundai is just ripping people off, 48k for this car before grants is just crazy, the Kona Petrol is 21k pretty much the same car except one has a petrol engine, gearbox and clutch assembly --the other has an inverter, electric motor and battery.
You have to think of it the other way. A car with that much range, battery size, motor is usually more expensive. But more cars like this will come soon.
@@BatteryLife No I don't think so , watch when Ford and VW mass produce these cars next year , watch how the price falls . Governments are asking us to buy these cars and are even giving 10k grants to help bring the prices down , the car companies are robbing this grant and keeping the prices high --it's wrong and it's immoral .
Uh just one moment. a) It isn't a rip off, EV batteries cost more and also you are paying for a huge battery. b) TCO. I do 25000km per year in my Toyota Yaris, that is $3kUSD in petrol when an EV would cost me
The price markup is even worse in Australia, extortion. I’ll have a Model 3 thanks- our wait should be over soon. Model 3 benefits: much faster acceleration, much better handling, much much faster DC charging and charge network, much more useable back seat, 1,000% better looks, much better navigation screen, much better autopilot, much better “smarts”, much better headlights, much better crash test result, and everything on the car will get better and better with software updates. Kona benefits: rear hatch. (Model Y will fix that.)
@@BatteryLife not really ,you have to remember why governments are asking people to transition and why the subsidies are in place (climate change) it's immoral for car companies to pocket the grants ,it's fucking outrageous.
