This is the first time we’ve been able to see inside the new 2023 Hyundai Kona, thanks to a new set of spy photos featuring a camouflaged EV prototype. The vehicle was also seen while charging, confirming that the port is in exactly the same location as on the current Kona EV.
Inside it appears that Hyundai is going to give the new Kona a dual-screen array, probably the same found in the Ioniq 5, a model with which it’s likely to share many interior elements. There’s a strong chance for the climate control panel and the steering wheel to also be shared with the larger crossover.
We expect the 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric to have radically different styling compared to the 2022 model, with a look possibly inspired by the 2022 Hyundai Tucson SUV, which has been a huge hit for the automaker. The vehicle in the spy shots is heavily camouflaged, so we can’t really tell what exactly is hiding underneath yet.
The greenhouse is not camouflaged, though, and it looks very similar to the current model’s, while the mirrors have a sharper, more chiseled look to them, hinting at the overall look of the vehicle. There is one very pronounced crease that runs along the side and through the door handles and this leads us to believe this vehicle will much more clearly defined creases and edges than today’s Kona.
Gallery: 2023 Hyundai Kona EV spy photos
And if the 2023 Kona EV is anything like the new Kia Niro EV, then we expect it will come with a marginally larger battery pack (64.8 kWh compared to 64 kWh usable capacity) and the same power output. In fact, Kia significantly reduced the maximum torque output in the new electric Niro, dropping it from 291 pound-feet (395 Nm) to just 188 pound-feet (255 Nm).
With the slight increase in usable battery capacity, the 2023 Kona EV will get a marginal range increase. For the Niro EV, the EPA range for the 2023 model year rose to 253 miles from 239 miles for the 2022 model year. The 2022 Hyundai Kona already has more range than even the updated Niro EV, 258 miles, so it could reach 270 miles if it gets the same battery upgrade as the Kia.
Hyundai has not announced when it plans to reveal the new Kona, but it should go on sale sometime in 2023.
