2019 Hyundai Kona 64 kWh: Long-term owner review

This is a new series we're very passionate about - talking to our readers about their EVs. What they drive, how they're liking it, what they love, what they don't, and how has it been overall!

Reviewing a new car is all well and good, but looking at a car long-term is just as important. Let's move it over to our first participant.

What car do you own?

2019 Hyundai Kona EV, 64kWh battery. It has all the extras available for that model year.

What do you like about it?

Great efficiency, which means good range even with the relatively small battery. No battery degradation. Almost problem free so far. Pleasant to drive in the city and also easy to park. Quite nippy.

Inside the 2019 Kona

There's no phantom drain either. I often leave the car parked for months only to return and see the exact same SoC as when I left.

What's not so good?

It's a bit noisy inside for an EV. The front wheels slip easily unless I am really careful with the gas pedal. There is no app to control the car, I think the newer models all have this. Not great at high speed (above 75 mph). The interior, while well put together, looks quite cheap because of all the hard plastic.

What has gone wrong?

Only the usual issue with the 12V battery. I think all Konas have this problem. The car just dies because of the 12V battery, even though there is plenty of charge in the main battery. It shows no indication of what exactly happened. It was scary the first time. It goes back to normal after a simple jump start. It happened three times to me, so not exactly an everyday problem.

Which extras do you regret not buying?

Nothing. I have everything that was available at the time. I was hesitant to buy a car with only wired CarPlay, but this turned a non-issue once third-party CarPlay adapters arrived.

Any extras you don't use?

Auto-parking. I find it too slow. Auto high-beam - I rarely travel at night outside the city. The sunroof has seen literally no action in these six years too.

Which models did you cross-shop? Is there one you regret you didn't buy instead?

Only Nissan Leaf was an option at this time. I definitely do not regret getting the Kona. The Leafs are depreciating a lot worse, because they don't have the CCS port.

What is your typical energy consumption and range?

Overall 4.3 mi/kWh for the last 3,542 miles, which equals a range of around 280 miles. This is quite good, considering most of these were in autumn/winter. That's only possible because the car rarely leaves the city and usually stays in an underground parking space. In the spring I see below 6.2 mi/kWh on some city roundtrips. For highway driving it's also good, but not with speeds above 75 mph.

Any comments on the charging?

The Kona charges slowly. This was never a problem for me, since I charge at home 99% of the time.

If you were to upgrade, what would you buy next?

Definitely not to the new Kona. Somehow the design rubs me the wrong way. Maybe Kia EV3 Long Range, or the new Ioniq 5 - the one with a rear wiper.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I think the first gen Kona will be a popular choice on the second-hand market. The battery doesn’t degrade much, few things break, and the range and efficiency are great for a car launched in 2018.

This article is part of a new series that features our readers and their EVs. If you have any further questions please drop them in the comments and we'll relay them to the owner.

And if you'd like to talk to us about your car, drop us a line over at - we'd love to have you for a chat!