New Kona – Hyundai's first sub-compact SUV

Hyundai revealed its first sub-compact SUV Tuesday at a world premiere at the automaker’s amusement parklike facility an hour northwest of Seoul. The Kona is to go on sale in Korea this month and is to hit the U.S. in early 2018. It will be the fourth crossover in Hyundai’s U.S. showrooms after the Tucson, Santa Fe Sport and Santa Fe. The Kona is expected to lift Hyundai’s U.S. sales, which have dropped 7.5 percent this year through May with a lineup dominated by cars and coupes, segments that have slumped in recent years.

Built on the platform that also underpins Hyundai’s Accent subcompact car and Kia’s forthcoming Stonic subcompact crossover, the Kona also introduces a design language that departs from that of Hyundai cars and will spread through Hyundai’s crossover lineup. The company aims to set new standards for the compact SUV segment, with appealing design, cutting-edge connectivity and class-leading safety features. The design is meant to set the Kona apart from other forward-leaning models in the segment – which includes the Nissan Juke, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V and Jeep Renegade – and appeal to millennials. Read more