2022 Hyundai Kona N

An impressively great and practical time.

- Scott Evans

When you’re interested in performance, you look to vehicles that best deliver dynamic fun—and that means cars. We’re talking coupes, sedans, and hatchbacks, not tall, heavy, bulky SUVs. Weight is the enemy of performance, as is a high center of gravity. Most new vehicle buyers today, though, want SUVs; as such, a common ground has been established in the form of the performance SUV. This “solution” looks more and more like the future of factory-built performance. And if the 2022 Hyundai Kona N is any indication, the future doesn’t look nearly as bad as you might fear.

Truthfully, this is barely an SUV. Front-drive only and with just 1.1 inches of additional ground clearance compared to, say, a Toyota Camry, it’s a highish-riding hot hatch. About 6.0 inches taller and 90 pounds heavier than the Veloster N with DCT, the Kona N has a high seating position with much love and can carry five folks without hassle. Cargo space is effectively the same in these N siblings.