Owner review: 2020 Hyundai Kona Electric

NRMA member, Jim, purchased his first EV in 2013. Committed to sustainability and in it for the long haul, Jim chose a Hyundai Kona Highlander 2020 and has never looked back.

Why did you buy this car? What drew you to it?

It's extended range, great reputation and great reviews. Plus, I liked the SUV style.

What other EVs in its segment did you consider?

The 2020 Nissan LEAF and Telsla Model 3.

How has charging been? Is it done mostly at charging stations or at home?

Unless we’re on a trip, all charging is done at home. We have a Zappi charger connected to our solar panels so we are able to use 100% renewable energy when available.

How much did you pay for the car?

$70,000

Do you think it has represented good value with standard features?

To do a fair comparison of value for money you need to include all factors such as fuel, servicing costs, absence of fluids/consumables such as oil, transmission fluid, spark plugs etc, as well as regenerative braking keeping the brake pads like new years later.

When you look at all of these things over the life of the car it represents great value.

Has the car been reliable? Have you had any issues maintaining it? 

Both my 10-year-old Nissan Leaf and 3-year-old Kona have been flawless. Neither have had a single service issue.

What have running and repair costs been like?

We expected them to be almost non-existent and they have been, which is excellent. We pay about $125 per year for servicing which includes updated GPS maps as well as NRMA roadside, which is amazing!

Do you like the styling overall both inside and out?

Yes, we love it. It's very comfortable and looks great.

Does the car have all the tech/safety you would expect?

Yes, it has sensors everywhere and great driver feedback.

Are there any standout features (good or bad) you’d like to call out?

I love the extended range. Being able to drive from Sydney to Canberra without stopping is pretty incredible.

How does the car drive overall? Is its performance and handling adequate?

The performance of EVs is amazing! The sheer power of an electric motor is pure joy. Also, the totally silent and smooth driving changes the entire experience; it's fabulous.

Has range been an issue? What kind of real-world range do you find you’re getting?

We get around 500km on a full charge. Our daily commute tends to be about 40km so we only need to charge every week or two. We choose to trickle charge using solar so by keeping it plugged in when not in use it’s always ready for a long journey. Not needing petrol stations is amazing.

On long trips we use a variety of apps to plot out charging stations, which are growing in number every day. [It’s] very easy to plan a charging stop around a meal break or other rest spot. Fast chargers can have you ready to go again in around 30-40 minutes if you’re empty, or 10 minutes if you just need a little top up.

Is the car’s charging rate fast enough for how you use the car?

Absolutely. Most normal charging can happen overnight which means if you want you can have your car at 100 per cent every single morning without any inconvenience. As I said above, long journeys now take advantage of fast chargers which have you back on the road very quickly. And with a 500km range it’s basically a non-issue.

Has the battery range decreased noticeably over the life of the vehicle?

Not at all.