2020 Hyundai Kona N With 246HP Turbo Spotted For The First Time

Hyundai has started testing the upcoming Kona N on the Nurburgring, giving us a first look at the brand’s upcoming spicy crossover.

The pictured prototype features the same bodywork with any normal ICE-powered Kona but key differences like the i30 N wheels, the bigger brakes and that intercooler hanging behind the front bumper point to the crossover’s hotter powertrain.

Speaking of which, last time we heard about the possibility of a Kona N, the company wanted to throw the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder powertrain from the i30 N under its bonnet. This is believed to be just the 246 HP (250 PS) non-Performance version paired to a six-speed manual transmission.

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Perhaps the arrival of the VW T-Roc R could persuade Hyundai to offer the more powerful 271 HP (275 PS) variant of the same powertrain as well but that’s just a speculation so far. Power will drive the front wheels exclusively, unlike the current range-topping 175 HP 1.6 T GDI variant which is fitted with all-wheel drive.

The chassis of the Hyundai Kona N will be upgraded with more common parts with the i30 N but it will get its own, model-specific setup as far as suspension and steering goes. The bodywork will be dressed more aggressively, featuring new bumpers front and rear, deeper side sills, a rear spoiler and of course a bigger tire/wheels package.

The Hyundai Kona N is just one of the models the Korean car maker has in store for us; the other one is the i20 N hot hatch, which will arrive in early 2020 as a rival to the Ford Fiesta ST and the VW Polo GTI.

Hyundai will launch the Kona N soon after the i20 N, entering the niche segment of go-faster sub-compact crossovers in mid-2020.