Hyundai gives sneak peek of hot Kona N crossover

Hyundai thought the time was ripe for a sizzling iteration of its Kona crossover. PHOTO FROM HYUNDAI

It was always a matter of time before more companies started to adopt the principle of a high-performance variant of a crossover. Hyundai’s N division is no different in its desire to showcase what it can just do. Coming hot off the heels of sporty cars like the i30 N and the Veloster N is the cute yet spicy Kona N.

Judging from these, there’s no doubt where the car's habitat is. PHOTOS FROM HYUNDAI

Those unfamiliar with Hyundai’s N badge should think of it as something along the lines of BMW’s revered M division. In fact, the Korean automaker has been poaching executives from Munich to run its skunkworks group—the name of which comes from its Namyang R&D center. Cars bestowed with N or N Line logos either have performance tweaks or fancy aero parts, or a combination of both.

Underneath this camouflage wrap is probably a Performance Blue paint job. PHOTOS FROM HYUNDAI

Information about the Kona N is limited. What we know about it right now is that the powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed wet-type dual-clutch gearbox. There are no performance numbers yet, but if the Veloster N’s engine is anything to go by, it can be assumed that the Kona N packs a rather potent 275hp.

Would you take a crossover with lowered springs and low-profile tires to the woods? PHOTO FROM HYUNDAI

Details about the exterior are also limited as the Kona N prototype’s camouflaged styling in these teaser shots shows. But the suspension does appear to be slightly lower, and the wheels seem to be wrapped in low-profile rubber. But again, judging from what we’ve seen with other N-badged cars like the i30 N, we can expect this car to be painted in the trademark Performance Blue hue with orange accents.

We'll see if the Kona N's premise of practicality and performance appeals to small families. PHOTO FROM HYUNDAI

With the rising popularity of fast crossovers, the writing is probably on the wall as far as the existence of hot hatches is concerned. The performance SUV segment is steadily gaining traction within the sporting crowd. That said, is it high time for Hyundai to finally bring in its N cars to the Philippines?