Pricing for the 2022 Hyundai Kona N is out, and it’s predictably a small chunk more expensive than the Veloster N. Hyundai says the starting price is $36,650, including the $1,225 destination charge.
That base price appears to be what you’ll pay, too, as there are no extra packages to add on to the car. Instead, it comes standard with every option that Hyundai allows the Kona N to have. Compared to the Veloster N DCT, the Kona N (which comes standard with the 8-speed DCT) will cost you an extra $1,625. For one extra door and the convenience of having a crossover, that’s not so bad, especially when we already know that the Kona N drives so well.
As for competitors, well, they don’t really exist at the Kona N’s price point. The closest thing to it would be something like the Mini Clubman JCW or Countryman JCW, but both of those have starting prices over $40,000 prior to options. Even more expensive competitors come from the luxury realm, as you could easily cross-shop it with a Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 or BMW X2 M35i. After options are settled, though, both of those hot German crossovers could be nearly double the price of the Kona N.
No, where the Kona N will compare best is against other non-luxury hot hatches. All of the above competition gets all-wheel-drive power, whereas the Kona N is limited to front-wheel drive. That makes cars like the new Volkswagen GTI and Civic Type R better points of direct comparison than the other vastly more expensive crossovers. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the possibility of the Kona N to cannibalize sales from the Veloster N. With both the crossover and the Elantra N in the picture now, things are getting busy in Hyundai’s compact N lineup.
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