Hyundai Kona: Kon Job

Do You Love It Or Do You Love It?

- Kartik Ware

I like funky cars. Even more so if they are practical. Almost a dichotomy, isn’t it? And yet, that’s the way the world is moving, with the offbeat merging with the useful. I think we’re at a point in automotive design evolution where the overall standards of design are sticking to conventional trends, and that the new way forward will soon be designs that distinguish themselves from the rest as emphatically as possible. Everyone who knows me is aware that I am head over heels with the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, and for precisely that reason besides the fact that it’s also a lot of fun to drive. But what if I wanted something bigger? I imagine that’s where the Hyundai Kona fits in rather neatly.

The Kona, launched globally late last year, is Hyundai’s latest compact SUV for international markets. As you may already know, it’s not available in India yet, but more on that later. Hyundai has borrowed this car’s name from a district in Hawaii, and it sure looks striking. I’d expect no less from the guy who designed the Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo. Luc Donckerwolke is the man responsible for the Kona’s lines and he’s managed to walk the tightrope of likeable design just fine.