Those numbers are also impressive given the fact that the current generation is celebrating its third birthday in 2026, meaning it’s a properly tried-and-tested platform. It now offers three powertrains – electric, hybrid and regular internal combustion engine (ICE) – with the ICE version always excelling in its category. In fact, it took out the top spot for Drive Car of the Year Best Small SUV Under $60K.

While the ICE version seems to get it right, the electric version has a lot more to compete on – massively increasing the price over its fossil-fuel counterpart, and competing in a completely different field of unrecognisable model names with some seriously low prices. When the electric model first made its way Down Under in 2019, it was marketed as a new entry point to electrification, but the market has changed a lot since then. However, is it still good enough to poke its head up above packs of BYD Atto 3s and Leapmotor B10s?

Or is its trusted Hyundai badge the only saving grace for what is one of the more expensive electric small SUVs? Key details2026 Hyundai Kona Electric N LinePrice$62,000 plus on-road costsColour of test carUltimate RedOptionsPremium paint – $595Price as tested$62,595 plus on-road costsDrive-away price$67,974 (Sydney)RivalsBYD Atto 3 | Leapmotor B10 | Kia EV3 Is the Hyundai Kona Electric good value? The Hyundai Kona Electric range starts at $54,000 plus on-road costs for the 48.6kWh battery, 99kW, 370km WLTP-claimed range, standard-range model.

You can opt for the base model to receive the ‘Extended Range’ package with a 64.8kWh battery, 150kW motor, and 505km WLTP range for $58,000 plus on-road costs. Anything above this, including the base with the N Line pack starting from $62,000 plus on-roads, only has the Extended Range battery and motor. You can bump your budget to the Premium variant for $68,000 plus on-road costs, and top-of-the-range is the $71,000 plus on-road costs for the Premium N Line version.

Standard equipment sees much of the same equipment found in the ICE counterparts, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch full-colour instrument cluster, cloth seats, rain-sensing wipers, LED lighting all round, and dual-zone climate controls. Opting for the N Line kit (as fitted to the car we had on test) sees the addition of colour-matched plastics around the outside, N Line-specific bumpers, side skirts and spoilers, wheels upped from 17-inch to 19-inch alloys, N Line badging, leather-appointed/Alcantra interior trimming, sport steering wheels, red highlights and metal interior trims.

If you’re coming from a standard ICE Kona, the majority of the equipment will be the same, besides the EV getting smaller 17-inch wheels on the base, built-in satellite navigation, voice control, different driver assist systems, and a few EV-centric things like vehicle-to-load and single-pedal mode. The price is still very pre-2020. The market has moved on a lot, and it seems that the Kona has stayed the same.

Since its launch, a plethora of small SUVs have reached the market, and the BYD Atto 2 holds the current record of the most affordable EV SUV at $31,990 plus on-road costs. I’d say the Atto 3 sits closer to the Kona than the Atto 2. Still, the entry cost of those has been permanently discounted to $39,990 plus on-road costs in recent years.

The Leapmotor B10 is also an excellent comparison, starting from $37,888 plus on-road costs. If you want an EV from an equally historic brand as Hyundai, a Kia EV3 starts from $47,600 plus on-roads, while the Skoda Elroq 60 starts from $49,990 drive-away. There are certainly better value-for-money vehicles on paper available, and Hyundai knows it.

Drive-away offers occasionally pop up for the Kona, like currently, where you can get into an electric Kona for around a $9000 discount over the standard list price. Sure, it’s not the best-equipped car or the cheapest by far, but it certainly has some saving graces that make for an excellent drive experience. How energy-efficient is the Hyundai Kona Electric?

Hyundai states the Kona EV is good for a WLTP-claimed 370km in its base guise, the Extended Range bumps that up to 505km, while the Premium and N Line kits see it drop back down to 444km. You can read more about the other trim levels in