Next-Gen 2024 Hyundai Kona Spotted Testing For The First Time

The second-generation Hyundai Kona is entering the testing phase of its development as our spy photographers have caught pictures of it hiding under heavy camouflage.

It’s hard to discern a lot about the exterior appearance through the camouflage but our shots show very low taillights, much like the current model. There are also slots in the camouflage at the front that vaguely resemble the split headlights on the existing model. How accurate a representation that is of what’s under the camo is difficult to know, though.

Looking a little larger than the current Kona, the new model will likely add interior volume thanks to what appears to also be a longer wheelbase. Reports suggest that it will sit on a new front- and all-wheel-drive platform, which is also expected to form the basis for the 2024 Kia Seltos.

Read Also: Hyundai Kona EV Successor Could Become A Member Of The Ioniq Lineup

The current Hyundai Kona pictured below has been in production since 2017

The new platform should be capable of handling both gas and diesel powertrains, and reports suggest that the new model will bring with it an electric and an N variant. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are also expected in the next-generation model lineup.

Another source suggests that the electric variant will get an “Ioniq” name. That may be due to the fact that the Kona EV’s reputation was somewhat marred by a battery issue that caused fires and led to a wide-ranging recall.

Rumors suggest that the new Kona will not only take over where the current model leaves off, but it will also replace the i30 hatchback. Another supposed victim of the cossoverfication of the automotive industry, the i30 may simply be allowed to die when production of the current-generation model comes to an end, although that’s just speculation at the moment.

The next-generation Kona is expected to start rolling through the production lines in the first half of 2023, which suggests a global unveiling could take place earlier in the same year.