The Hyundai Kona.

Hyundai Kona SUV Enables Charity From Home.

Thanks to the Hyundai Press team, I had a beautiful Kona for a week, and it was much needed as I had a ton of things to do for the Gosport Rotary Club and Acts of Kindness food bank. The Kona is an SUV, and I certainly used it as a utility vehicle, humping loads of shopping bags full of donated products from Morrisons of Gosport and their Customers. I then filled it with other donations to go around the charity shops in the town. Charity started from my home and was distributed around a large region.

So now to tell you about the Hyundai Kona manual I had for a week. only a few days before the Hyundai Kona arrived, one of my nephews had a conversation with my sister, informing her that he would prefer her to purchase a manual car for them both to drive because "you have more control over the car and can drive it how you want to." With this comment lingering in my head, I was delighted that the Hyundai had supplied a manual Kona. I do love to drive a manual vehicle

The new Hyundai Kona has been extended, which was much appreciated when filling it with donations; it has also been improved inside with a better interior and cabin for the driver. The improvements have led to it winning many awards, and I can see why.

The second-generation Hyundai Kona is larger, has more space, and is more practical than the original, but is it enough to compete with its many rivals in this crammed sector?

The Skoda Kamiq, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, and Volkswagen T-Roc are the leading competitors and some feature ICE and Electric versions similar to the Hyundai Kona.

The Hyundai Kona has entry-level models powered by a 1.0-litre or 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The top of the range is Kona Electric, which has two versions. The standard-range model is a 48.4kWh battery-powered version good for 234 miles on a single charge. The long-range 65.4kWh battery Hyundai Kona Electric goes even further, with a claimed maximum range of 319 miles. Like the rest of the Kona lineup, the EVs have front-wheel drive.

Once you've picked the model you want, there's also the matter of trim levels: entry-level Advance (the only option for the standard-range 48kWh Kona Electric), sportier-looking N Line and N Line S, plus range-topping Ultimate spec. Pricier trims add luxuries like leather upholstery, a sunroof and a Bose stereo. However, even the base Kona is generously equipped with a 12.3-inch digital driver's display, a sizeable central touchscreen, keyless entry, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto,  front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

Various option packs are also available, such as the Comfort Pack for the entry-level Advance Kona Electric, which adds heated front and rear seats and a wireless charging pad. Lux packs are offered on N Line S for petrol, Hybrid and electric Konas, and Ultimate versions of electric and Hybrid models. This pack adds 'Premium Relaxation' front seats, driver's seat memory settings, and remote smart park assist.

Despite the Hyundai Kona being more extensive in every physical dimension, it remains as manoeuvrable as its predecessor, with a turning circle of 10.6 metres. The steering is so light that you can turn the wheel with one finger, which is a real boon when parking.

Generous suspension travel deals with less-than-perfect roads, which is not unusual in the UK, giving a relaxing ride at pretty much any speed, much better than the firmer Ford Puma. The Kona is not so soft that it rolls when cornering and handles safely and predictably.

The 1.0-litre petrol Kona produces just 118bhp and 172Nm of torque, while the 1.6-litre petrol models produce a healthier 196bhp and 265Nm of torque. The Hybrid has a 1.6-litre petrol engine combined with a single electric motor, working together to drive the front wheels; this set-up produces 139bhp and 265Nm of torque,

The 1.0-litre petrol provides up to 48.7mpg and 131g/km on average with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, while automatic models give 47.1mpg and 136g/km. The 1.6-litre petrol can provide up to 43.5mpg and 147g/km with the manual or 44.1mpg and 145g/km with the automatic.

The Hyundai Kona is the product of the brand's forward-thinking combining aspects of the Tucson, such as design styling and the modernistic chic of the Ioniq range. It can also be seen in the interior: a dashboard with a dual-screen infotainment set-up, standard on Konas, three groups of physical climate controls and other shortcut buttons under the centre touchscreen. The Kona's cabin feels bright, airy and spacious.

Pure-petrol and hybrid versions of the Kona provide you with four trim levels: Advance, N Line, N Line S and Ultimate.

Entry-level, you have 17-inch alloy wheels (18-inch on hybrids), body-coloured door handles, mirrors, spoiler and skid plates. Inside, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch instrument display, a touchscreen which is 12.3 inches with sat-nav, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay,  keyless entry, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

N Line trim gives the car a sporty look, with different front and rear bumpers, side skirts, black door mirrors and roof, and body-colour wheel arches. Petrol and hybrid N Line models get twin-exit exhaust tips, aluminium pedals, and heated N Line cloth seats at the front and rear. The extra kit includes Ambient lighting, a powered tailgate, a heated steering wheel and a wireless smartphone charging pad. N Line S gives Alcantara and leather-upholstered heated seats that are electrically adjustable, have three-zone air conditioning, and a Bose sound system. Ultimate trim gets a full-width daytime running light at the front, LED headlights, leather seats, a sunroof and the Bose stereo.

The second-generation model is significantly larger than its predecessor, with a longer wheelbase and considerably more space for luggage and passengers.

Charging everyone's devices should be a doddle because there are two USB-C ports in the rear, another two up front, and a 12V socket, and some models also feature a wireless charging pad.

There are plenty of storage spaces dotted around the cabin, which I like, and the cabin is roomy, offering ample room for five people. The Hyundai Kona now offers knee and headroom similar to the Tucson mid-size SUV.

Four hundred sixty-six litres of boot space available, more significant than the Skoda Kamiq, and puts the Hyundai Kona on par with the very best in the small SUV class, with up to 1,300 litres of space available when the rear seats are down. Those rear seats fold in a highly versatile 40/20/40 split, which is something rarely found in the small SUV class and, even then, is generally the preserve of expensive premium brands.

A few safety features are forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep and lane follow assist, driver attention warning, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

Choosing an N Line S or Ultimate gives you a rear cross-traffic collision avoidance system to warn you of vehicles crossing your path, blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system.

I loved my time with the manual Hyundai Kona, finding it pleasant to drive, with decent handling and performance. I like cars with gears, which are becoming increasingly difficult to find. If you share feelings similar to mine and my nephew's, I recommend working on your left leg muscles to enable rapid gear changes when pushing the Kona along the B roads. It is classified as a small SUV, but you get much more than the label, as it has plenty of room as a passenger car or a load carrier.

PRICE

£26,000 to £45,595

Jeremy Webb has a website with more car, motorcycle and product reviews. www.roadtestsandreviews.co.uk