Should you buy one?

For its cast-iron warranty and great dealers we salute the Kona, although the car itself is unremarkable in the class. The good news is that it handles well in non-hybrid form and comes packed with kit – provided you choose one of the higher specs. This should be an easy car to live with in the long term, especially given Hyundai’s excellent reliability record.

The Kona is roomy up front, but doesn’t have a particularly impressive boot while rear seat space is tight and it doesn’t feel particularly plush. The hybrid model only really has the Toyota C-HR and Renault Arkana as direct hybrid SUV rivals, but while it can get expensive, the payoff is superior fuel economy and a more composed ride.

What we like

The hybrid model offers decent comfort and economy, while the 1.0 T-GDi petrol delivers frugal running costs on the whole. The looks might be divisive, but we like them – the Kona certainly stands out from the crowd.

What we don’t like

Rear space isn’t that impressive, with limited headroom for back-seat passengers and a boot that’s not much bigger than the smaller Hyundai Bayon’s. The Kona N looks sporty and delivers the kind of performance you’d expect from a hot SUV, but rivals are even more entertaining.

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Further reading

>> Best small SUVs
>> Hyundai Kona Electric full review
>> Our Parkers star ratings explained