2025 Hyundai Kona Electric Road Test and Review

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

A lot of America’s best-known electric cars are expensive. That leaves some folks with the impression that any EV must be a luxury vehicle. The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric begs to differ. 

The first Kona Electric hit the market in 2019 as a zippy, fun-to-drive little urban runabout. This subcompact crossover was priced from about $38,000 and could travel about 260 miles per electric charge. Trouble was, a tiny rear seat and cargo hold meant the Kona was too small for many buyers who might have been interested in such a vehicle. 

If you once wrote off the Kona Electric as too tiny, take another look. The current generation, introduced last year, is substantially roomier than its predecessor. It’s still peppy and fun to drive. It still can go about 260 miles per charge, depending on the trim level. But these days, it’s priced from just $32,875. We just spent a week testing the 2025 Kona Electric to learn about its pros and cons. Keep reading to learn what we thought to see if this economical crossover is the right affordable EV for you. 

Modest Starting Price

As we mentioned, the Kona Electric starts at $32,875. That’s about $8,000 more than a gas-powered Kona, but it’s among America’s least expensive electric vehicles. 

The base Kona SE is decently equipped with amenities that include push-button starting, automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. But it has a smaller battery and a less powerful electric motor than other trim levels. That’s why nearly everyone will upgrade to at least the SEL model, which also adds a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, rear-seat climate vents, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. 

We tested the next-up N Line, new this year and priced from $38,275. It has sporty styling details that include big 19-inch wheels, plus a sunroof, leatherette and suede upholstery, a wireless smartphone charger, and the ability to use your phone as a key. The top Limited, $41,050, adds full leatherette upholstery with ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power liftgate, a surround-view parking camera, a blind-spot camera mirror, and a remote-summoning “smart park” system. We wish Hyundai provided the heated steering wheel on more trim levels, since it’s more efficient to warm the driver’s hands than heat the entire cabin – important when you’re trying to maximize your range. Note that every Kona Electric is front-wheel drive; there’s no option for all-wheel drive. 

As we write in April 2025, the Korean-built Kona Electric qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit when leased (though not purchased) and is subject to a new 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles. Hyundai has so far pledged not to raise prices in response to tariffs, but that could change if the tariffs remain in place for the long term.

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Up to 261 Miles per Charge

We mentioned that the base Kona SE has a smaller battery than other trim levels. It manages an EPA-estimated range of 200 miles per charge. That’s plenty for most people’s daily commutes and short road trips without needing to charge up. But most other trim levels manage 261 miles of range – still not amazing for someone who wants to drive across the country, but better than even some luxury-branded EVs. 

As with most EVs, the Kona Electric is most efficient at lower speeds than on the open freeway. That means more range for commuting and running errands, less for long road trips. The EPA estimates that the Kona Electric gets the energy equivalent of 131 mpg in the city, 105 MPGe on the highway, and 118 MPGe combined.

The N Line, like our test vehicle, has bigger wheels that take more battery power to turn. That cuts range to 230 miles per charge, with energy consumption of 103 MPGe in mixed driving. Our test vehicle was on track to match that range estimate, but we’d pick the smaller wheels for more range (and cheaper tire replacements). 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Charging Options

When your Kona Electric runs out of range, it takes about six hours to bring the battery back to full using a 240-volt car charger – like you might install in your garage or find in some public charging stations. Hyundai says it takes 43 minutes to bring the Kona EV from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent using a public DC fast charging station. That means road trips are feasible if you’re willing to stop and stretch every 200 miles or so, but most new EVs get you back on the road faster. 

The 2025 Kona Electric comes with a CCS charging port, which is compatible with most public DC fast-charging networks. Hyundai also provides a free adapter to use NACS chargers – in other words, Tesla Superchargers. 

As with other EVs, charging tends to cost a lot less than gasoline if you recharge at home. But public charging, particularly at a DC fast charger, is often as expensive as gasoline. Owners who rely on public charging will get other advantages by going electric – quieter, quicker acceleration; no oil changes; and zero tailpipe emissions. But charging at home adds the advantages of lower operating costs and rarely needing to stop and refuel. 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Zippy and Quiet

As we mentioned, the Kona Electric is a nice car to drive. Electric motors provide smoother, quieter, and generally quicker acceleration than gasoline engines – particularly off the line, thanks to electric motors’ low-end torque. They don’t need to rev up like a gas engine to reach peak power, which is a noisy process in many cheap gas-powered cars. Even a slow electric car will zip forward in near silence. And the Kona Electric isn’t slow. It should reach 60 mph in about 7 seconds, about half a second faster than the gas Kona with its optional turbocharged engine. The base Kona Electric will sprint more slowly, but not disastrously so for a small crossover. 

In addition to electric motors’ advantages in speed and sound, the Kona Electric has another trump card – its battery. In big EVs, large batteries often make the cars terribly heavy. But in small cars, the extra weight can help them feel more solid and substantial. Plus, all the weight is low down, improving the center of gravity for greater agility. The latest Kona Electric is neither as quick nor as agile as the smaller first-generation model, but it’s still a fun-to-drive little crossover. 

It’s easy to drive, too. There’s no learning curve to hopping in and driving away, even if you’ve never tried an electric car before. With three levels of adjustable regenerative braking, you can choose whether you’d like the car to coast naturally when you lift off the accelerator or slow sharply down without using the brakes. 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Flashy Looks

The Kona Electric shares its exterior design with the gas-powered Kona. And it’s not a boring design. Its body leans forward like a hatchback, with the roofline dropping down toward the SUV’s rear. Slim front and rear lightbars sit atop chunky lights carved out of the bumpers, which house the main headlamps and taillamps. Another neat design cue is the four-cornered intersection of the side windows with the edge of the rear windshield. The body and fenders are artfully creased. The N Line like our test vehicle has a big spoiler at the top of its liftgate, an aggressively bulging front bumper, and big 19-inch wheels. 

Critics may find the Kona Electric too busy-looking, but others will appreciate it for not looking like other SUVs. And especially in N Line form, it looks sportier than most other affordable EVs like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Equinox EV, and Volkswagen ID.4. 

Because it shares its body with the gas-powered Kona, nothing about the Kona Electric screams “look at me, I’m not using any gasoline.” So keep that in mind if you’re looking for EV street cred. 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Not a Crazy Interior

Many automakers have decided that EVs' interiors must be all screens, with as few buttons and knobs as possible. The Kona Electric is perhaps the best of both worlds. It has big screens (a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster attached to a 12.3-inch central touchscreen). But the blocky dashboard also has knobs for audio volume and tuning, rocker switches for climate controls, and simple buttons for a few other functions. And the touchscreen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

We could quibble about how the infotainment system forces you through multiple steps to find out what song is playing on the radio. But we’re in an era where electric cars like to eliminate physical controls for things like turn signals (Tesla) and rear-window switches (Volkswagen). We’ll take normal, even if we wish for perfection. 

The Kona Electric’s interior is solidly built, but it’s nothing fancy. This is a $25,000 car with an electric battery, not a car built from the start to cost $32,000 and up. The N Line dresses things up a bit with red accents on the dash, but otherwise, we’ll focus on this Hyundai’s neutrality. Compared with the competition, the Kona Electric’s interior probably won’t wow you, but nor should it offend you. 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Finally, Enough Room

We mentioned that the second-generation Kona Electric grew from its first generation. It’s less like a slightly elevated hatchback and more like other small crossover SUVs. You’ll feel that in the driver’s more elevated seating position and extra room for the driver and front passenger’s elbows to share the center console armrest. 

But the biggest beneficiaries are the rear seat and cargo hold. Before, you’d need to fold down the Kona Electric’s rear seat to hold much luggage. And passengers in the rear seat would bump their knees against the hard plastic front seatbacks unless the front seats scooted well forward. These problems are gone. The 2025 Kona Electric is still a small crossover, but it now fits adults into the backseat and has 25.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 63.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. Also, you can raise the cargo floor to create a flush surface with the folded rear seatbacks or lower it for maximum capacity.

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Competitors to Consider

As a small but functional and relatively affordable electric vehicle, the Kona Electric faces a number of alternatives. The Chevrolet Equinox EV is a hot-selling vehicle that comfortably undercuts the Kona Electric’s price tag after accounting for a $7,500 federal tax credit. The Chevy also has a longer range per charge and more optional add-ons – including all-wheel drive. But the Hyundai’s simple controls, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and sportier design will still win fans. And as we mentioned, Kona lessees still get the benefit of tax incentives as of this writing. 

The Volkswagen ID.4 is another established class leader. It’s bigger, faster, and more expensive than the Kona EV, and like the Equinox, it offers AWD. It doesn’t have much more cargo room than the Hyundai, and its controls are more challenging to use. But for some folks, it’s worth the extra cash. 

The Kia Niro EV, meanwhile, comes from Hyundai’s sister brand and shares some components with the Kona. Initially, the Niro was roomier but more expensive than the Kona; now, the Kona is just as roomy while still costing less. The Niro feels a little fancier, with slightly richer interior materials and smoother ride. But unless you find a big discount, the Kona Electric delivers a similar experience for less money. 

The Nissan Leaf is an aging hatchback in its final model year before it follows the Kona into the crossover segment. It’s a blessedly simple machine for folks who feel overwhelmed by big screens and futuristic styling. To others, it's dated and dull. Also, its DC charging outlet, called CHAdeMO, is two generations removed from the NACS outlet that all new EVs are shifting toward. 

Finally, after tax incentives, the Tesla Model 3 can cost less than a well-equipped Kona Electric. It’s a sedan without the Kona’s big cargo hold, but if you were writing off Tesla as too expensive, you may find that its slicker technology, fancier interior, and sportier driving experience are within your budget after all. Just don’t expect anything “normal” about its interior layout. 

2023 Volkswagen ID.4 ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Affordable Electricity

The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric is an easy way to go gas-free. It’s roomy enough to be a family car, small enough to be a city car, and quick and agile enough to be a fun car. It’s not boring to look at, but you don’t need an instruction manual to get inside, adjust your mirrors and air conditioning, and hit the road. And while it’s more expensive than a gas Kona, it’s quicker and quieter, too – a worthwhile upgrade, especially if you’re able to charge it at home. 

As we described, the Kona Electric isn’t the only game in town. But it’s a likable, functional car with low operating costs and a funky style. If that sounds appealing, put it on your shopping list. 

2025 Hyundai Kona Electric N Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt