REALLY bad news. I messaged the guy who did this video on the Kona N and he had access to it and said he looked underneath it and said it was 2WD. I cant see it being this far along and having them add AWD this late in the testing. Well Hyundai is going to lose some sales on that stupid choice IF it is accurate. I will just get a Golf R then. One sale lost.
Just because one model they sent to be tested against a Porche is FWD, does that mean every single model is going to be just FWD? That doesn't make sense to me. They've always had both FWD and AWD models since inception. I certainly wouldn't send an AWD to test for speed against another vehicle.
On a race track you certainly would want to send an AWD race car against a 2wd race car. AWD is a game changer in the corners. It starts at a good point in the video, watch it for 14 minutes.
Since Hyundai releases Kona series FWD as a base model while AWD is an optional, I think we still have a chance to see AWD when it fully releases.
Kona N's competitors lke T-roc, SQ2, GLA AMG have AWD option and it'll miss the market big time if they release it with FWD only and I don't believe Hyundai is not seeing it either.
In a performance situation I think they will stick with the 2wd, it has out performed the AWD in track conditions. You could no doubt create situations where the AWD was worthwhile if everything was tuned right, but in a fairly production car the 2wd seems sufficient and lighter.
Lots of speculation on this thread. Nobody knows. “Some guy told me...” is hearsay.
It would be foolish from a competitive and target marketing perspective to delete the AWD option.
They will cause buyers who own AWD to pass on the N, they’ll lose out pulling buyers from competitors, and they will compete against their own 1.6t w AWD.
There will be an AWD simply to drive maximum market penetration.
All the track characteristics and talk are irrelevant because this is a stock street application product.
Lots of speculation on this thread. Nobody knows. “Some guy told me...” is hearsay.
It would be foolish from a competitive and target marketing perspective to delete the AWD option.
They will cause buyers who own AWD to pass on the N, they’ll lose out pulling buyers from competitors, and they will compete against their own 1.6t w AWD.
There will be an AWD simply to drive maximum market penetration.
All the track characteristics and talk are irrelevant because this is a stock street application product.
You do know Hyundai said straight out that they were going to put in the EXACT drivetrain the Veloster N had, 2WD. We can wish all we want. Even Top Gear with their connections with Hyundai reps, in a recent article said 2WD only. The Youtuber who filmed that track testing of the Kona N actually looked under it. You can discount his credibility, I don't. There could vary well be both FWD and AWD for test purposes. But being so late in the testing he saw a 2WD version. You would think if it was AWD that would be the one testing so late in testing.
I doubt they would have 2 versions with such a small sales volume slot with a semi track car would have. I think one version will be available FWD or AWD. Time will tell . I am wishing with you, but the odds are 70% not, 30% with I would say. In a couple plus weeks we will hear what Europe will get as far a concrete specs. Then we will have the answer.
Until Hyundai comes out publicly to the US market what the specs will be nobody knows. Test cars... mean nothing. There are alpha, beta, and MVP versions of all new releases. The testing is just that, testing. Not a final version.
I’ll believe whatever Hyundai says. When they say it. Not what a photographer or guy that looked under a test car covered up w front and rear bra’s says.
Just to be clear, the guy did not look at badges, he looked for a rear diff, and the rear diff was not there. Time will tell if Hyundai made the smart choice, or the cost cutting stupid choice.
The Kia Sportage has basically a 2.0 liter 250 hp AWD system for years and it is not the case. Our rear diffs viscous coupler in our now AWD Kona's can handle 900-1,000 ft lbs of torque as per the viscous coupler manufactures website. I don't know about the rear diff or transfer case actual pinion/ring gears.
The other thing there is, is a manufacturing issue we may not be taking into account. Does Hyundai want to make an 8 speed DCT trans in AWD transfer case configuration NOW, for a couple of cars?????? Is Hyundai willing to invest in the N series and advance it to AWD? Again, we just have to wait it out and see if this is a large blunder or the right move. Will they sell enough $35,000 Hyundai Kona N's to justify at this point right now being the first AWD smallest crossover SUV.
The Hyundai Tucson ( Rav4 look alike) gets the 2.5T and AWD, So does this new 8 speed DCT for the 2.5 T have a larger bell housing with the 2.5 T that doesn't mate up with the 2.0 liter block and that is why the Kona is speced to only be 2WD? Because would a small run of a limited production specialty cars justify a newly designed transmission to fit a limited run smaller engine? Maybe not, hence 2WD only. I just don't see a 2.5T being put into a Kona N.
That's what I said when I heard Hyundai saying the Kona N will have the EXACT same drivetrain as the i30 N/Veloster N, as a 2WD car. I am with you on why show the Kona N in the woods and dirt road in a advertising video. Why keep it lifted too high unless it has AWD. That is where I hold hope they made it AWD, but verbally they stated and hinted thru others 2WD. We have a late model test mule seen and verified in 2WD form. Not set in stone, but man Hyundai is not showing it's cards at all. And why hold those cards when clearly pushing AWD and letting that cat out of the bag would be a positive. I have written emails to advertising and N development staff at their Calif design center, and they are radio silent. I stated we have real people here that will not buy a 2WD Kona N and we have people here waiting with money waiting to buy an AWD Kona N. I sure hope you guys made the right choice because we are seeing factory Kona N test mules out there in verified 2WD variants. It will be a said day for all of us, IF you chose the Kona N to be 2WD.
Not sure if this is 100% accurate news, but this is the latest Korean news I found today.
It basically says that Kona N will have a base model with 250hp/260lb-ft torque, 275hp with performance package, 6 speed manual transmission and optional 8 speed wet DCT, FWD based AWD, which is same as regular Kona and Kona N-line that are currently sold.
Hyundai might have an N Line FWD Kona and AWD with the N. Sort of like what they are doing with the Elantra. The N Line is out now with the 1.6T 201hp DCT and the N comes out in Fall 2021.
Hyundai might have an N Line FWD Kona and AWD with the N. Sort of like what they are doing with the Elantra. The N Line is out now with the 1.6T 201hp DCT and the N comes out in Fall 2021.
Yes the Kona N-Line has a 1.6T engine it is avalible with AWD, has badges, and different plastic pieces with all the new model updated interiors. From my research the suspension has not been updated from the normal Limited and Ultimate US versions. The Kona N through my research has a 2.0 liter and it has been said to be 2WD as far as we know to date. It has the new 8 speed wet DCT vs the N-Line 7 speed dry DCT.
Got it. My concern is longevity of any turbo + DCT. The 2.0 may be what I consider. I need my next car to last 200k miles.
My last car went 295k and my current is at 220k and still running strong.
300,000 miles on a trashed on turbo motor..........Kinda doubt it. It's a Hyundai, not a Toyota or Honda naturally aspirated engine with longevity. I would est. you will need a new turbo before 200,000 miles. $3,250 if someone does it for you.
This is only hear say, but someone told me he had access somewhere that a Hyundai Kona N tester made a comment it is FWD ONLY. Doesn't look good. A LIFTED 2WD Kona N. WHY the **** LIFT it, if it is 2WD it should be slammed to the ground. What an utter FAILURE HYUNDAI !!!!!
I still stand by my original prediction that the N Line will come out with the revamped Kona and the N will come out a little later. The N Line may not have AWD but I will wait to see for the full N.
If I'm wrong then I'll eat crow!
I still stand by my original prediction that the N Line will come out with the revamped Kona and the N will come out a little later. The N Line may not have AWD but I will wait to see for the full N.
If I'm wrong then I'll eat crow!
The Kona N-Line HAS AWD, the Kona N does NOT. The Kona N-Lne is 100% known to have AWD, The Kona N has a 5% chance of having AWD. "Hope" will do nothing to change the very bad outlook of the Kona N having AWD.
2022 Hyundai Kona N subcompact performance crossover seems to only come with a dual-clutch automatic transmission based on a recent Hyundai press release.
There is more to it then that. Some of these pubs have done zero research and have zero connection with Hyundai. The article in Top Gear UK ( which is very connected with Hyundai reps) stated Hyundai said to them that they dropped the AWD very early on in development. Then we saw a very very late in testing, Kona N test mule did not have AWD. We also saw Hyundai stating they are copying the exact drivetrain of the i30 N and Veloster N. When the news broke they were going to make a Hyundai Kona N. Plus there a no AWD badges on the what appears to be a close to production Kona N . Hyundai ALWAYS calls out AWD on all of their cars.
AWD is something to be proud of. It is a game changer if the Kona N was AWD. I personally think they can't have an AWD Kona N because they brainwashed themselves into not let anything beat their i30 N or Veloster N cars. Plus 2WD in the LIFTED Kona N is a big failure point in the sear fact it is lifted for no good reason. Hyundai is known to not fully complete their sport cars, they are always missing something and do it 90%. Here is just another case of that. The Sonota N-LIne with "Hyundai One Wheel Wonder " is another total failure at such a high degree of failure it is not even funny. 310 ft lbs of torque in a FWD "Hyundai One Wonder" "Wonder", all you have is wheel spin unless you are at 20 mph and above and 40 to 50 miles an hour in a hard corner. EVERY enginner who designed that car, KNEW they failed at it, with not having a limited slip differential. They basicly wrecked the car by not having even a "simple" LSD that would cost Hyundai $250 to install. I can see passing on a computer controlled LSD to save money and coding and testing, but a simple standard LSD would make that car go from a failure to an ok car., where an eLSD would be a fantastic car. Plus, they are Cheapskates, that correlates with the 90% finished cars.
We may see an kona N AWD version years from now, but I personally think there is less then a 5% chance it will have an AWD option. I am hoping like the rest of you, and would love to have to eat my words publicly. Oh how I would love to eat my words I have against Hyundai for not having an AWD Kona N.
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