0:01

So here we are in the brand new 2024 redesigned Hyundai Kona. Last

0:06

Kona we drove was the N that

0:09

we had in a comparison with the GR Corolla because that

0:11

was the closest thing Hyundai was selling to an actual hot

0:13

hatch here because we don't get the i30. Right.

0:16

So here we are in the updated Kona. It's bigger and

0:19

different all around. You know,

0:21

redesigning things just for the sake of

0:24

redesign without making them better isn't

0:27

better. So you're saying you're a

0:29

fan. Okay.

0:31

All right. For $33,645 as the limited trim

0:33

level. Loaded

0:37

up except no all wheel drive. This

0:40

is good for transporting

0:42

humans. Yes. Yes. Cars

0:45

look a certain way because they transport humans.

0:47

Yes. Cars also sell or

0:50

do not sell because of their

0:52

style. You're easing your way into something here.

0:54

I can feel it. I can feel you just kind of

0:56

easing your way into a cold. Do

0:59

I start with styling or do I start with power? I

1:02

should tell you about the power. It's

1:04

a 1.6 liter turbo inline four with 190 horsepower

1:06

and 195 pound feet of torque. And

1:10

it it moves the car. It's adequate.

1:13

There's an eight speed transmission in here that is fine. Excellent.

1:16

No problems there. Because 190 horsepower is enough to

1:18

have this car do what it does. Let me

1:21

give you a couple of interesting stats. Zero to

1:23

60 in this. It's not look, that's not the

1:25

deciding stat. It has a zero to 60. But

1:27

zero to 60 in this is just over seven

1:29

seconds. So that gives you a frame of

1:32

reference that there are minivans faster.

1:34

Okay. This is not fast, but

1:36

it's turbo. So there's that mid range. It put grunt

1:38

a little bit. I don't want to say punch grunt

1:40

a little bit. It's got a little bit of turbo

1:42

things in the middle. Yeah. So that's

1:44

good. What you

1:46

don't want is the lower models. True.

1:49

Which have the non turbo two liter and 147

1:51

horsepower with a grand zero to 60. 60

1:57

in the mid nines. The mid

1:59

nines. do we stop measuring

2:01

zero to sixtyism? Well, that's a benchmark

2:03

when they get, when the times get

2:05

too high. Well, my point is though,

2:07

when you're close to double digits, it's

2:10

starting to be borderline dangerous. Right. Everything

2:12

is faster than you at that point.

2:14

So at least this is enough. My

2:16

thoughts are just market and

2:18

how many other little SUVs or

2:20

hot hatches that are right on the border, right

2:23

on the cusp, trying

2:25

to get your money. Yep. Because these are not

2:27

necessarily lost leaders. These are the ones trying to

2:29

pull money into the company. They're trying to sell

2:32

enough of them, which means they have to be

2:34

appealing enough to appeal to enough customers and be

2:36

good and meet everybody's need at a certain price

2:39

point and discuss that.

2:41

But there's a lot of competition. Yes.

2:43

There's so much competition that

2:47

I'm even thinking about the

2:49

Volkswagen Taus, which I loathe.

2:51

It's in this segment. The test is not even

2:54

a kind word for the Taus. True. You're

2:56

not a fan. And I would almost suggest

2:58

looking at the Taus over the new Kona.

3:01

Wow. Wow. Okay. All right.

3:05

The Kona checks everything

3:07

off the list. Okay.

3:11

Surprisingly good. Yes. Well, my

3:13

son sat back there and he's a tree

3:15

now. They've reduced the actual thickness of the

3:18

front seat. Something we've raged about a lot

3:20

of automakers. They've made these really thin and

3:22

they are both heated and ventilated and it

3:24

gives you more leg room. This guy got

3:26

a longer wheel base in the prior Kona

3:28

thinner seats. So you have usable

3:30

back. Okay. I sat back

3:32

there. I really thought it was pretty great. I

3:34

wasn't cramped anywhere. I

3:39

cannot praise Hyundai's warranty enough.

3:41

It's brilliant. And you feel

3:43

like you're going to get a lot for your money

3:45

in here. The steering

3:48

wheel heater has two settings, not

3:50

just one. The seats will

3:53

cook food. They get so hot. You're

3:55

right. Yes. You're going to feel like

3:57

I got a lot for my money.

4:00

It doesn't feel interesting, it feels good. The

4:03

only other thing that I can think of, and I mean

4:05

thing, Also

4:07

checked all the boxes. 2001

4:09

to 2005, Pontiac Aztec. That

4:13

also checked all the boxes.

4:15

Everything we wanted it to do. Plus it had a

4:18

tint. Pint doesn't

4:20

even have a tint. What are we talking about?

4:23

But there's too many cooks in the kitchen for that

4:25

one, and too many cooks in the kitchen for this

4:27

one. This is designed by,

4:29

not committee, but I think everybody

4:31

had input. And it dilutes

4:33

it. There is no real driving experience to

4:36

be had. And it's not compelling enough for me

4:38

to recommend this over something else. It's even like

4:40

the towels, and I hate the towels. It

4:42

is thrown in, it is like the worst acting

4:45

performance ever from an actor. Org is made out

4:47

of a third. I

4:49

mean you did some perfume ad for

4:51

Japan. Yeah, lucrative. They are lucrative.

4:54

You didn't pay attention to your core audience.

4:57

And that's what I feel like Hyundai is dealing

4:59

with the new Kona. Interesting, okay. The last Kona

5:01

was a hot hatch. This one is

5:04

a hot hatch. Oh, that's

5:06

interesting. Alright, I see it. Because

5:09

proportionally speaking, again, this fits humans. It looks like it

5:11

fits humans, but I can't determine if this is supposed

5:13

to be a hot hatch, or now a little bit

5:15

of an SUV. Which is it?

5:17

You have put it so succinctly

5:20

for this category that

5:22

appeals to people. When you open the

5:24

door, you just stop walking. You're right.

5:26

You don't sit down in it. You don't climb

5:28

up into it. You just stop walking. This

5:31

is the definition of that. But

5:34

you look around the car and I think,

5:36

okay, Hyundai with their Elantra. Not

5:38

everybody liked that Elantra. I thought it was actually successful,

5:40

but they changed it, they updated it, and the new

5:43

Elantra looks even better. A lot of

5:45

what Hyundai style has been setting their direction, they

5:47

have done a great job. It

5:49

looks like leaders in their category. Except

5:52

for this. It's like all

5:54

the worst style elements littering the

5:56

design studio floor, were tacked onto

5:59

this one. What! Loving them little

6:01

bit of enjoy this. Let's put

6:03

that are we all the house.

6:06

I see robotic. Sort.

6:09

Of a cyber truck. I

6:11

see headlights in a weird spot

6:13

as fender flares that are directional,

6:16

but they terminate strangely. Vigilance is

6:18

too much. so is this a

6:20

policy? Beers a low hatchback. Really?

6:22

Tell us. Seventy

6:25

Six Nights. Yeah, the worst part is

6:27

when you see the Tv version of

6:30

this because the plastics and your body

6:32

cladding that takes the visual mass out

6:34

of this actually is painted on the

6:36

Tv version and you're going to have

6:38

to turn away. Your

6:41

such a fan? I am I

6:43

a lot of around? Yes! Okay,

6:45

look this beats the towels in

6:47

every category. From door slam to

6:49

Howard drives to amenities, everything about

6:51

it I would prefer the perfect.

6:55

House looks better. And

6:57

with. The

7:01

last one was and different and hi hats. Off

7:04

to bed all day long over this one Interests This does

7:06

not look compelling. It does not look fun to drive. It

7:08

does not look like. Any. That

7:12

transports humans who does it well. It does

7:15

that well done. Well defined. I take I

7:17

live for are y'all no absolutes I was

7:19

subject know you have styling that I do

7:21

not so I get that we all know

7:24

starting subjective, visitors or folks water miss right

7:26

now many of whom probably bonner Kona who

7:28

are raging about how awesome they think it

7:30

looks so that most people will be a

7:33

letter. Wonderful feel. Same thing I did he

7:35

receive would be Mw absolutely that will exit.

7:37

Turns out you were wrong about the be

7:39

him that he beaver to they're selling like

7:41

crazy. There will be a market for

7:44

this. I agree. it is not a compelling design

7:46

on it's own. The thing I'm very impressed by

7:48

though the not that I cannot overstate is there's

7:50

an actual a lot of value for money. a

7:52

little game we play my family or don't you

7:54

wish you one of us is it. would people

7:57

claiming to press corps all his time in a

7:59

press her but. The car

8:01

costs. Okay okay so I tell my

8:03

son's gotten pretty good out at my wife's good at

8:05

it. They they guess what the car cost. Both.

8:08

Of them. Thought. This cost mid

8:10

forties. Really? And

8:12

it's thirty four thousand dollars?

8:14

loaded? Once. You actually start playing

8:16

with it, you start to go okay. I

8:19

see how this is his thirty's not okay,

8:21

what else but the the first blush and

8:23

the actual interaction and the amount of tech

8:25

that of has in here. there is a

8:28

lot of value here. I am actually incredibly

8:30

impressed with all the stuff you get. Okay

8:32

yes and if you are a person shopping

8:34

for driving experience meaning I commute and I

8:37

need a commute device this does Everything is

8:39

a dreamer. All of it and doesn't well

8:41

and it has usable back seats in a

8:43

small package. Now the thing. the. Last corner

8:46

struggled with is it was. It was

8:48

small. It was gonna he

8:50

was interesting but it was small. true. Travis has

8:52

become more usable and I think that people that

8:54

are by must keep in mind the last com

8:56

haven't in this one doesn't. And be

8:58

well to this one doesn't Right now, it's just

9:00

this: I don't think I've gotten to the end

9:02

version. the and labor underscore yet they made this

9:05

is an easy first and then figure out how

9:07

to make it an internal combustion engine car. That's

9:09

how they desire. Yeah, which is very interesting, but

9:11

this was clearly like they took the last that

9:13

a when. how do we make it better? To

9:15

your points for the people inside, there's a lot

9:18

of really good style here as far as the

9:20

inside is concerned. I have one. One

9:23

critique on the interior. That.

9:26

I that I feel real mixed about. Paul.

9:28

I have been confused by many manufacturers

9:30

choices of how to interact with the

9:33

transmission. A lot of it has moved

9:35

from the old school stuff and appear

9:37

on the calm down to the center

9:39

console we've had. Dials,

9:41

We've had bowling balls and that hockey bottom had

9:43

it all. We've had enough with said i have

9:45

sorrow we have the I have sour on all

9:47

of these things. Sundays decided. You know what? that

9:49

takes up space? We. Should put it

9:51

on the column, which I actually applaud. Of

9:55

funny that this. It's

9:57

this thing that looks like. The

10:00

road out phone design shoved into the side

10:02

of the column. And because you have D

10:04

and and are I've got three on the

10:06

tree. Again, I got three on a train.

10:08

Do it. It works in mine and I

10:10

appreciate the space savings and getting off center

10:13

console when applaud. Hundred for that's. Why

10:15

is it this big, flat, bulky design? It

10:17

looks like he does this like a phone

10:20

shoved into the council's them in. I sat

10:22

down here was like, what am I looking

10:24

at? What is that drive? Yes, but ago?

10:26

Reverse it. exciting, park, it works or nine

10:29

and elsewhere. If I just saw it at

10:31

what it'd be a third of that's how

10:33

you can be a quarter that size stock

10:35

look. You're absolutely right. The interior, though. none

10:38

of the style. the shapes match anything going

10:40

on in the exterior. That actually true, that's

10:42

what it, really. There's too much committee here

10:44

going. On this was designed to

10:47

check boxes and it will sell

10:49

because people realize from great value

10:51

it does have good powered I

10:53

get so much Value is well

10:55

built. I like being in here.

10:57

it's comfortable. Yes, To

10:59

home than. Except. And wonder

11:02

if a style changes coming in? Because.

11:04

This is revolting to my eye assisting

11:07

Okay, this is off putting a give

11:09

example these ah Rosie on the side

11:11

of the car that unfolds seem to

11:13

start of a lower rocket the front

11:16

and engels through the sheet metal past

11:18

the back door and up over the

11:20

spoiler that does wrap around the car.

11:23

as interesting except the fender flares. Or.

11:25

Jarring. They try to make it an S

11:27

U V, but nothing about this is an

11:29

off roader note. Also, There's. So

11:32

many mixed messages. stylistically speaking, I

11:34

don't know what I'm looking at

11:36

and nothing relates to something else.

11:38

We've got the The Terminator, The

11:40

Knight Rider Cyber Truck, Whatever other

11:42

a solid beam of Roger might

11:44

as well turn the lights read.

11:47

The. knight rider tricks or something i don't

11:49

know and with bring made his back will

11:51

try to combine next defenders the headlights or

11:54

not which think they are either way on

11:56

the sides of the car or down low

11:58

same with a tail lights It's not cohesive,

12:00

and for me that's off-putting. I don't know who

12:02

designed the car, but I think it was committee,

12:04

and I doubt that anybody at Hyundai would say,

12:07

yeah, that's my design, I did that. This from

12:09

the same company that did the Santa Cruz. Santa

12:11

Cruz looks great! Santa Cruz looks really cool, yeah.

12:13

And some of these same themes are on that,

12:15

but just on better. How did we mess

12:18

up on this? Proportion. The

12:20

problem is, when AI can make a

12:23

better looking car than the humans, that

12:25

means you screwed up. Did

12:28

you ask AI to fix this? I should.

12:31

The humans should be able to create beauty better

12:34

than the computers. Many of you out there

12:36

are using AI and

12:38

trying to make the better Kona. There's a little side

12:40

project for us. You ready to drive while the kind

12:42

people work on that? Why don't you drive? I think

12:44

so. While they do the AI, you do the driving.

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13:21

admit I'm now hearing the Night Rider The example that

13:23

comes to mind is... I've

13:26

just got to overhear, kind of do a little Night Rider

13:28

dance. Let's

13:31

put it in gear, twist it like a key.

13:33

Your three on the tree is great. The turbo

13:35

engine is good, and you've got two modes right down

13:37

here in the drive. Two only normal and the

13:39

sport. So when you go to sport, you

13:41

get curbing. Look at this. Does

13:44

curbing in the gauges look really weird?

13:46

FIA certified curbing. No, nobody certified that. That's

13:48

been certified by no one. Did you know

13:50

that the front wheel drive version of this

13:53

has a torsion beam rear? I

13:55

did read about that. Multi-link on the all wheel

13:57

drive torsion beam on this, which is fine. I'd

13:59

like to. It's got a

14:01

turbo engine an actual real transmission. That's

14:03

fantastic And it's got paddles the

14:05

commands from the paddles to the transmission

14:08

are suggestions, but this isn't an end Okay,

14:11

there's some sport to be found and

14:13

you can drive consistently smooth and quick

14:17

Fairly satisfying to drive and did you

14:19

notice that the lower versions? They

14:23

not only get a word as I get a

14:25

CVT This is the only way to get avoid

14:27

if the upper level trims with this turbo motor

14:29

and the eight speed you do not want the

14:31

lower Trims there's no steering field. There's no fun

14:33

really to be had. That's not why you're buying

14:35

this category You're buying it for price. You're buying

14:37

it for amenities But

14:40

when it comes to the ride, I'm a

14:42

little confused Interesting

14:48

among yep being to drive It

14:52

is not true suspension feels

14:54

softer than many stands You

15:08

push the drive sponge is slowly reformed

15:10

shape got it So it's got springs

15:12

and sponges Okay Yes,

15:22

if you're too harsh They

15:26

wonder I wonder I'm a consumer too. I

15:28

wouldn't want that stiff suspension I'd want it

15:30

on the end and when you

15:32

apply the end kind of styling performance

15:34

and colorway to Hyundai vehicles

15:36

usually they get better, but we're not

15:38

starting with something great here. That's my

15:41

concern We're starting with an EV hot

15:43

hatch SUV mix and so is I

15:45

mean look they did wonders of the

15:47

last It's

16:01

trying to be too many things and

16:03

the design by committee means it's trying

16:05

to be so worldwide and appeal to

16:08

everybody. Yes, no question. If you're shopping

16:11

for this or anything in this market segment

16:13

at Old Kona, I'm going to bring up

16:15

the Crosstrek. You mentioned the Tows. There's a

16:17

lot of stuff in there and I really

16:20

hate the Tows. I know, I know. You're

16:22

shopping for any of those. You can go

16:24

to autotempest.com/everyday. You can actually find anything you

16:26

can imagine. Autotempest searches all of the search

16:28

engines for all cars nationwide. You can really

16:31

find the exact version you're looking for of

16:33

whatever, be it old Kona, new Kona.

16:36

Kona N's are out there. Kona N's are out

16:38

there. Kona N's are something. So don't forget about

16:40

autotempest.com. autotempest.com. All the cars. One search. Trying

16:45

to do fewer things. trying to do fewer things. Yes.

16:57

If it's gonna be a hot

16:59

hatch, let's go in the direction

17:01

of hot hatches. People

17:06

love hot hatches. They sell. Everybody loves hot

17:08

hatches. Who doesn't like hot hatches? now.

17:12

I cannot say this is a home run but

17:14

they're gonna sell. They just

17:16

are because Hyundai's warranty, great

17:19

build quality, reliability and the things

17:21

that you get for your money, that

17:23

value. The interior is

17:25

the reason you buy it. I appreciate what

17:27

this offers for the money. This is not

17:29

a driver's vehicle. That's not the point. It's

17:32

a commuting car. It is a

17:34

good all in one family car. It does all

17:36

of those things well. I really do think that

17:38

the upper level engine is worth the stretch on

17:40

this which gets you the good transmission. I mean

17:43

you have usable back seats and a decent sized

17:45

cargo area. It's this mid sized, it's not even

17:47

mid sized, it's the compact CUV. And

17:50

honestly that segment is a tough segment for

17:52

you and I. There's very few standouts in that

17:54

segment and everybody offers at least one. Hyundai

17:57

built in Aztec everybody. Modern?

18:01

What a note to end on.

18:03

Aztec. Aztec? No, Tez. Eeeh, not

18:06

me, Kona. We like a lot of

18:08

their stuff. We just wasn't a stand out. We like

18:10

all their stuff. These are not their... I

18:12

just love them. This is not their best day. And

18:14

not their best day. This

18:17

is a... the mistake. They

18:22

forgot the salt or something. I

18:25

don't know. Like

18:27

when Gordon Ramsay inviscerates chefs on his

18:29

show, he always goes back

18:32

to salt and pepper. And asks them, did you

18:34

actually use salt and pepper? No,

18:37

I forgot salt and pepper. That's the basics.

18:40

The slowest salt and pepper is

18:43

the base seasoning. Hot

18:46

Nakona needs more salt and pepper. Got

18:48

it. Okay. We're learning stuff today.

18:51

We really are.