[Demian]

We purchased the Limited and the car is a joy to drive. However, after 3 months there are things about it that I think could be improved or changed. First is the cargo area: they could make the body 2 or 3 inches longer (there's a lot of east-west space & not enough north-south). The hatch glass access is also problematic: you can only open it using the key fob, there's no dash board switch (mine's not working- light's flash but doesn't open, have to see the dealer). The door pockets are shallow and pitched forward, be carefull what you put in there. Rather than having a low gear on the shifter, they put in this dumb button for going down steep grades (really? hate to hit that by mistake). There is limited storage in the dash area. No place to put change for tolls, or like me my wallet for long trips. The pad area wouldn't be a good idea if you get the tech pkg, even the manual sez the charging pad will mess with the magnetic strips on credit cards. I was disappointed that the safety features(lane change warning, collision warning etc) are only available with the very pricey Tech Pkg, really should be standard. Accessories are also a bit pricey, IMHO. The big visual display is nice, but only useful if you have a smartphone (I don't - cheapo flip) so the pre-loaded app's are useless to me. Maybe they should offer smart phones as an accessory to the Kona or the phone mfr's vice versa.

 

[pnwkona]

I know your frustration also coming from a Outback to Hyundai but I knew it was CX-3 small but I wanted also something very different so after driving one I knew I could like it. But after like you having mine for a month have already picked it apart in flaws of design:
Cheap carpeting ,I am not sure if this a Hyundai thing or makers are going with style that looks like astro turf.
The cargo area could be a little bigger but then I knew this small after seeing the reviews, so not a major concern since it only me.
Yes the passenger seat need to at least height adjustable even though it is not powered, I asked and the dealer said it becoming a thing of the past , but I know the loaner I had from Subaru a Forester Limited( top of line up for that model) had no power passenger seat and that was 32k vehicle.
As far as the cargo hatch not having a button inside for release, not even Top end Subaru Outback,Forester etc do not have them, that I believe is a would thing a Mercedes /BMW item.
Yes definitely the safety features should have been standard on all models not a pay by model ,I have the limited and would be great to have had the frontal crash and pedestrian but to pay over 3k more was well a rip off.
But that and being a truly new model and us buying it from the beginning we will be the ones that suffer in half a year or more when they release the 19 and will have these added in.

Now the exterior-- I have looked underneath the car and to amazement how they skimped on the undercoating along the drive line, in the fender wells. My concern and this should be is for those in cold regions and salt and the corrosion that these will suffer, even with a warranty Hyundai will find a way to get out of the repairs as they call it a "Outside Source". My plan is go back and undercoat the painted areas that have none as there is a lot.
Plus side is and amazed with the size of the front and rear swaybars and the setup on the suspension for the AWD. There is still some oversteer but that can be easily corrected along with caster bushings on the front.

*Here is a link for your center console giving you more storage--
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CHKXLM7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Demian]

Didn't realize about the under coating thing, that's an eye opener.
Two other items about Kona: steering wheel is a bit thick (my wife has a problem gripping it with her small hands) could stand to be slimmed down.
The other is the phone pairing. Was in a parking lot and the guy in the next spot must've left is phone in the car. Started the Kona and it wanted to pair with it! Interesting, I wonder if I could've called Paris on his dime.

 

[pnwkona]

Didn't realize about the under coating thing, that's an eye opener.
Two other items about Kona: steering wheel is a bit thick (my wife has a problem gripping it with her small hands) could stand to be slimmed down.
The other is the phone pairing. Was in a parking lot and the guy in the next spot must've left is phone in the car. Started the Kona and it wanted to pair with it! Interesting, I wonder if I could've called Paris on his dime.

Yes that can an issue no matter where you are or at, once bluetooth is it will find anything that is within proximity to you. I just make sure it is my phone description showing up but I also have Android auto for the map display etc.

If you get a chance you can see all the painted areas underneath from the back, coming from a Subaru these have 50% less coating or less. Again I am glad I have no plans on living or being on contract where they use salt or Mag Chloride.

 

[JR KONA]

Well first shop around for the accessories, Hyundai Shop should be your first stop and also eBay. Got the accessory alloy pedals from eBay for $19.95 w/free shipping. They want anywhere from $64.00 and up from OEM accessory dealers. Also the window shades are $250 from most OEM dealers and got them from the Hyundaishop for $195 a saving of $55.00 off retail.

As far as the undercoating is concerned for northern climates, there are aftermarket installers available for this but possible rust problems are minimized but the corrosion protection engineered into the metal coatings. However, salt has a way of neutralizing such chemical properties over a longer period of time. You can have the car Ziebart rust proofed it for an added fee. Dealership don't offer it but it's available and will do an excellent job at sealing the car from salt corrosion.

I'm a bit surprised to see such a thread, considering we choose the Kona over what was being offered from other manufacturers. No one twisted our arms and we had plenty of time to research the purchase and be happy with it also. If you decided afterwards to all these considerations then I would suggest, you should have spent more money and purchased something closer to what you actually wanted. Did you decide to purchase the Kona without comparison or price considerations? Did you decide to look and purchase all in one day? Many people do and later have regrets, due to not taking the time to think about the actual purchase.

The Kona meets specific price point marketing and does so extremely well. In so doing, there are certain areas where you may well think the Kona is lacking. However it's not, when you compare and take the time to do the research.

Let me also address the over steering; the reason for the oversteer is more than two fold. No amount chassis stiffening is going to help. Bushing do not address the actual oversteer. The oversteer is generated from the FWD, forward to rear brake bias, wheelbase center of balance and engine placement. There is not enough weight in the rear of the vehicle to assist in balance and the height of the ground also contributes to the oversteer as well. So with these factors considered, the weight of the Kona as in other FWD SUV's, is to far forward. Hence the rear end wants to come around much easier under hard breaking. The way to actually solve the oversteer is; to move the brake bias rearward, lower the Kona nearly two inches, and add stiffer struts and springs to decrease body roll. However this won't solve the problem with the FWD

The Kona wasn't produced as a Sport SUV and does it's designed and engineered job in excellent fashion. All these "things" can be addressed if you wish to spend some money in doing so. However I will warn you, there are very few if any SUV's in this or higher priced classes that will do everything a purposefully designed sports car can do. This isn't why I purchased the Kona, nor would I suppose many others did also. I will address any upgrades I deem necessary for myself over the period of ownership. It's not Hyundai's responsibility.

We are super please with the Kona Ultimate as we purchased it. It does what it is engineered and designed to do in excellent fashion.

 

[Demian]

Well first shop around for the accessories, Hyundai Shop should be your first stop and also eBay. Got the accessory alloy pedals from eBay for $19.95 w/free shipping. They want anywhere from $64.00 and up from OEM accessory dealers. Also the window shades are $250 from most OEM dealers and got them from the Hyundaishop for $195 a saving of $55.00 off retail.

As far as the undercoating is concerned for northern climates, there are aftermarket installers available for this but possible rust problems are minimized but the corrosion protection engineered into the metal coatings. However, salt has a way of neutralizing such chemical properties over a longer period of time. You can have the car Ziebart rust proofed it for an added fee. Dealership don't offer it but it's available and will do an excellent job at sealing the car from salt corrosion.

I'm a bit surprised to see such a thread, considering we choose the Kona over what was being offered from other manufacturers. No one twisted our arms and we had plenty of time to research the purchase and be happy with it also. If you decided afterwards to all these considerations then I would suggest, you should have spent more money and purchased something closer to what you actually wanted. Did you decide to purchase the Kona without comparison or price considerations? Did you decide to look and purchase all in one day? Many people do and later have regrets, due to not taking the time to think about the actual purchase.

The Kona meets specific price point marketing and does so extremely well. In so doing, there are certain areas where you may well think the Kona is lacking. However it's not, when you compare and take the time to do the research.

Let me also address the over steering; the reason for the oversteer is more than two fold. No amount chassis stiffening is going to help. Bushing do not address the actual oversteer. The oversteer is generated from the FWD, forward to rear brake bias, wheelbase center of balance and engine placement. There is not enough weight in the rear of the vehicle to assist in balance and the height of the ground also contributes to the oversteer as well. So with these factors considered, the weight of the Kona as in other FWD SUV's, is to far forward. Hence the rear end wants to come around much easier under hard breaking. The way to actually solve the oversteer is; to move the brake bias rearward, lower the Kona nearly two inches, and add stiffer struts and springs to decrease body roll. However this won't solve the problem with the FWD

The Kona wasn't produced as a Sport SUV and does it's designed and engineered job in excellent fashion. All these "things" can be addressed if you wish to spend some money in doing so. However I will warn you, there are very few if any SUV's in this or higher priced classes that will do everything a purposefully designed sports car can do. This isn't why I purchased the Kona, nor would I suppose many others did also. I will address any upgrades I deem necessary for myself over the period of ownership. It's not Hyundai's responsibility.

We are super please with the Kona Ultimate as we purchased it. It does what it is engineered and designed to do in excellent fashion.

I'm happy with the Kona's performance as a piece of transportation and did not mention anything about over-steer, so perhaps you've a problem with it. As I said in my original post, I'm talking about things that could/should be improved or changed. They've sent me numerous survey's to complete but I've noticed they all are geared toward reinforcing their original design decisions and not toward how they might improve same. To be quite frank, I think they should have looked harder at the design of the Toyota Matrix (no longer made) which is what they seem to be trying to emulate albeit in a more "techy" form.

 

[JR KONA]

It was a combination of several posts, not necessarily yours alone. No, I don't have a problem with it at all I know how to drive around it quite easily but some others mentioned it. I'm literally a professionally trained driver.

 

[JR KONA]

Thrifty is a thrifty does, Nuff said. Maybe you should have opted for a Tucson or Santa Fe, if you wanted more standard features or room?

I'm not a complainer I suppose by nature. I look and see what is there and either make a decision to compromise or spend additional monies to make it personalized or not. Go Figure.:grin::wink:

 

[JR KONA]

Oh and I meant to address the rear lift door also;

The key FOB only unlocks the rear hatch when the alarm is engaged. There is no provision for automatic lift hatch/door, so going to the dealer to complain, is a fruitless venture on your part. You have to physically put your hand on the pressure pad under the hand hold and lift the rear door. Just saying, you might want to read or make yourself more familiar with your owners manual in it's entirety or at least refer to it before claiming there is a defect. The lights will flash to let you know the rear hatch is unlocked but the alarm system is only overridden for the rear hatch. If you open the doors without disengaging the entire alarm, it will sound.

Also, just so you're not mislead; the Kona wasn't based off anything Toyota has previously manufactured, nor would they especially with the defunct Matrix . It was actually designed and made from a shortened i30 frame which is one of their own. Many features they used, are already available on others Hyundai's and not particularly based on anything else.:grin:

Maybe you need to upgrade to a less expensive smart phone to enjoy the apps available. There are many options available to you if you're willing to spend the money. I applaud your thriftiness but griping about not having certain options and features available to you; because you're not willing to spend the extra money is solely your choice.

 

[Bloomdog]

Thanks for the link to the console storage bin. I just ordered it and know it will be a help!

 

[Demian]

I know your frustration also coming from a Outback to Hyundai but I knew it was CX-3 small but I wanted also something very different so after driving one I knew I could like it. But after like you having mine for a month have already picked it apart in flaws of design:
Cheap carpeting ,I am not sure if this a Hyundai thing or makers are going with style that looks like astro turf.
The cargo area could be a little bigger but then I knew this small after seeing the reviews, so not a major concern since it only me.
Yes the passenger seat need to at least height adjustable even though it is not powered, I asked and the dealer said it becoming a thing of the past , but I know the loaner I had from Subaru a Forester Limited( top of line up for that model) had no power passenger seat and that was 32k vehicle.
As far as the cargo hatch not having a button inside for release, not even Top end Subaru Outback,Forester etc do not have them, that I believe is a would thing a Mercedes /BMW item.
Yes definitely the safety features should have been standard on all models not a pay by model ,I have the limited and would be great to have had the frontal crash and pedestrian but to pay over 3k more was well a rip off.
But that and being a truly new model and us buying it from the beginning we will be the ones that suffer in half a year or more when they release the 19 and will have these added in.

Now the exterior-- I have looked underneath the car and to amazement how they skimped on the undercoating along the drive line, in the fender wells. My concern and this should be is for those in cold regions and salt and the corrosion that these will suffer, even with a warranty Hyundai will find a way to get out of the repairs as they call it a "Outside Source". My plan is go back and undercoat the painted areas that have none as there is a lot.
Plus side is and amazed with the size of the front and rear swaybars and the setup on the suspension for the AWD. There is still some oversteer but that can be easily corrected along with caster bushings on the front.

*Here is a link for your center console giving you more storage--
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CHKXLM7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With regard to the under coating, here's a link to a product that should satisfy
https://www.chemicalguys.com/Bare_Bones_Undercarriage_Spray_1_Gal_p/tvd_104.htm

 

[gregimusprime77]

my only gripe so far is that I wish the armrest sat up just a titch higher and was made of a little softer material.

 

[JR KONA]

my only gripe so far is that I wish the armrest sat up just a titch higher and was made of a little softer material.

Check eBay I think they have armrest covers for the Kona

 

[pnwkona]

AMSOIL continues to fight the false narrative advanced by some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that you must use the OEM brand of parts and lubricants in your vehicles and equipment to maintain your new-vehicle warranties.

Fortunately, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is on our side.

In April, the FTC issued a warning to Hyundai Motor America for statements on its website that suggest that consumers must use only Hyundai brand parts to maintain their vehicle warranty:

“The use of Hyundai Genuine Parts is required to keep your Hyundai manufacturer’s warranties and any extended warranties intact.”

In its warning letter to Hyundai, the FTC expressed concerns about Hyundai’s practices, saying...

“...warranty language that implies to a consumer acting reasonably under the circumstances that warranty coverage requires the consumer to purchase an article or service identified by brand, trade or corporate name is similarly deceptive and prohibited.”

In other words, consumers have the freedom to choose the brand of parts and lubricants they deem best for their vehicles and equipment. The OEM can’t threaten warranty denial should you choose not to use its brand of parts and lubricants.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects you in cases like this. About the Warranty Act, the FTC said in its letter...

“The Warranty Act prohibits warrantors of consumer products costing more than five dollars from conditioning their written warranties on a consumer’s use of any article or service which is identified by brand, trade, or corporate name, unless provided to the consumer for free or the warrantor has been granted a waiver by the Commission.”

The FTC placed Hyundai Motor America on notice and said it would review the company’s written warranty and promotional materials after 30 days.

As reported by Automotive News, Hyundai’s statement that drew the FTC’s scrutiny was an answer to a question on its FAQ page. Since the FTC’s letter was made public, Hyundai has changed the statement in question to say, in part, “... the use of aftermarket parts does not automatically void any applicable Hyundai manufacturer warranties...”

The FTC’s action against Hyundai is a victory for consumer freedom. As we remind consumers at amsoil.com/freedom...

It is illegal to tie warranty coverage to whichever brand of parts or lubricants you use. Manufacturers that do so must provide the parts or lubricants free of charge
You have the freedom to choose how you protect your vehicles and equipment, including use of products formulated for extended drain intervals
Manufacturers can’t deny warranty coverage without showing the aftermarket part or lubricant caused a failure


Don’t let the OEM coerce you or your customers into buying its brand of parts or lubricants. As clearly stated by the FTC, it is illegal.

 

[theartcoach]

My only complaint at this point is the cheap carpet but I have fixed that with Tuxmat mats.

 

[JR KONA]

No but why invite trouble automatically. If you use their recommended products and there is a failure, then they have no recourse but to fix the vehicle, no questions asked. Like I said it's not about what is right or wrong but what is expedient to the consumer. Besides, you can always ask them to put fully synthetic in the Kona just as we did with our Genesis G80. They didn't even charge us for the oil upgrade. But we also have platinum coverage on both autos.

Additionally, with the Prolong additive we have an engine failure warranty also. So we are covered either way.

I agree with you fully but I don't need to make a fight in court to get them to cover a possible engine failure, which is presumptive in nature anyway. I believe in taking reasonable precautions for the vehicle I own.:wink::grin:

 

[theartcoach]

No but why invite trouble automatically. If you use their recommended products and there is a failure, then they have no recourse but to fix the vehicle, no questions asked. Like I said it's not about what is right or wrong but what is expedient to the consumer. Besides, you can always ask them to put fully synthetic in the Kona just as we did with our Genesis G80. They didn't even charge us for the oil upgrade. But we also have platinum coverage on both autos.

Additionally, with the Prolong additive we have an engine failure warranty also. So we are covered either way.

I agree with you fully but I don't need to make a fight in court to get them to cover a possible engine failure, which is presumptive in nature anyway. I believe in taking reasonable precautions for the vehicle I own.:wink::grin:

When I do go for an oil change I will be sure to ask about the upgraded oil. Also, how often do you put in the prolong additive?

 

[JR KONA]

When I do go for an oil change I will be sure to ask about the upgraded oil. Also, how often do you put in the prolong additive?

Every oil change. They have a booster bottle for such application. The initial treatment is a bit larger bottle. Make sure you read the warranty requirements for Prolong and they will warranty any engine failure with use of their product.:grin:

 

[mechanic80]

Aside from the low passenger seat, the only real gripe I have is that my 1.6T Limited did NOT come Bluelink capable. Therefore I cannot take advantage of the offer of remote services (cell phone functions) that even an
Elantra is equiped with! I did not buy the car with Bluelink functions in mind, but getting the free 3-year offer in the mail and discovering it's not possible is more than maddening.

 

[theartcoach]

Actually... after using the horn, my wife said it was a girly sounding horn. I agree very weak.