Hyundai’s KONA deploys design to win new admirers
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Hyundai’s design renaissance has been widely reported. Not content with steadily improving its reputation for reliability and no-nonsense engineering, the Korean manufacturer, made the bold decision to pitch its models upmarket. To do this, just over a decade ago it deployed the not inconsiderable talents of Peter Schreyer, the German designer who made his name at the Volkswagen Group, helping steer Audi in particular towards its rock-solid image of towering Teutonic design excellence.
Schreyer is now both Chief Designer and a company president, and the company’s fortunes have been transformed. Price-wise, Hyundai tends to aim itself squarely and unashamedly at the middle market; it’s a company that believes in value but is also keen to banish any low-budget implications. Pair the Schreyer design sensibility with a steely resolve to do things more efficiently than its rivals in Europe or Japan, and you get an atypical car company, one that is untrammeled by the demands of brand and image. As a result, its customers tend to have a similar attitude.
This is the new Hyundai KONA. The quirky urban-centric mini SUV vehicle is a mainstay of almost every car maker’s range these days, from high to low end, and it’s taken Hyundai a while to follow suit. It’s also why the KONA has to stand out, and why there is so much busy design in this sector. The energetic surfacing and over-sculpted forms of close rivals like the Nissan Juke and Toyota CH-R have laid a blueprint for the modern compact crossover: it’s a car that makes a statement.
Hyundai KONA, interior view
The KONA is no different. Visually, there’s a hell of a lot going on here, from the chunky plastic wheel arches that bleed into the front and rear light surrounds, or the kinked C-pillar and ‘floating’ roof, while the car’s flanks are fashionably pinched to make a chamfered, slender mid-section. Hyundai’s fluid design language isn’t as baroque as its rivals, and the emphasis on ‘fluidic sculpture’ is designed to combine organic and artistic influences. The end result is futuristic but also rather more timeless than other manufacturers; there’s no novelty for novelty’s sake. Impressively, the KONA all hangs together (although the insistence on pasting bits of body coloured trim all over the cabin goes a bit far).
The KONA is fundamentally a very likeable car. It’s functional without being bland, carefully styled without being gauche and technically very competent. The high levels of equipment shame many of its rivals and behind the wheel it has that soft, easy drivability that probably appals purists but is a pleasure to deal with 90% of the time.
The auto industry is in the midst of massive upheaval. Hyundai – and its sister company Kia – finds itself very well placed, especially amongst the army of consumers who never much cared for the rigid market pigeonholing practiced by the big brands. With electric and autonomous cars waiting in the wings (and there’s no indication that Hyundai is any different in this respect), the industry is expecting a new generation of consumers with a completely different approach to buying and using cars. Without the baggage of brand and with the benefit of strong design, the company is set to be quietly revolutionary in years to come.
Behind the wheel, high levels of equipment shame many of its rivals, and it has a soft, easy drivability
The vehicle’s flanks are fashionably pinched to make a chamfered, slender mid-section
The emphasis on ‘fluidic sculpture’ is designed to combine organic and artistic influences
Chunky plastic wheel arches cover the front and rear light surrounds
INFORMATION
Hyundai (opens in new tab) KONA, from £16,195
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
These Jacob Cohën jeans are entirely compostable
‘From nature, to nature,’ goes the tagline for Jacob Cohën’s ‘Endless Luxury’ collection, which is the latest innovation in the Italian denim brand’s pursuit of sustainable design solutions
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Art Basel Hong Kong 2023: can the city’s art scene bounce back?
Art Basel Hong Kong 2023 is about to kick off following years of restrictions. Catherine Shaw explores what we can expect in and around this year’s fair (23-25 March 2023), and whether Hong Kong can bounce back to reclaim the title of ‘Asia’s art hub’
By Catherine Shaw • Published
-
Eternity rings for the modern couple
Eternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Peugeot’s sparky 308 gets hybrid power and handsome lines
The Peugeot 308 proves that mass-market design needn’t be dull, blending hybrid power with sharp lines and excellent detailing
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisers
BMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
By George Chapman • Last updated
-
Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Utilitarian auto brand Dacia sets a bold new agenda with its Manifesto, a concept car pitched at the active outdoor market
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
The sun sets on traditional supercars at California’s Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week, the world’s most prestigious car gathering, is showcasing ever-more extravagant special editions, coachbuilt cars and all-new electric concepts. Here are seven key machines from 2022
By Rory FH Smith • Last updated
-
Is McLaren’s GT a sports car, a tourer, or the best of both?
The McLaren GT is a capable all-rounder dressed up in svelte supercar clothes. It might also be the last of its type
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Rolls-Royce puts the Phantom back on its lofty pedestal
A mid-life refresh ensures the flagship Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II is at the top of its game, a last hurrah for traditional engines before an electrified future
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Prodrive’s new racing simulator is shaped by Callum to be front of the grid
The racing simulator shapes up – this new design from Prodrive and Callum is honed for the high-end games room
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
The Cupra Formentor is a dark star for bright minds
For all its moody styling, the Cupra Formentor – from the SEAT spin-off brand – is a compact, swift and fun-to-drive crossover
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated