- Hyundai is skipping the Kona’s facelift for a full redesign instead.
- The new look will pull cleaner boxy lines from the Crater Concept.
- A revised K3 platform opens the door to hybrid and EV power.
Hyundai’s Kona has been a solid achiever for the Korean brand, and that’s true even with the electric version sitting out the 2026 model year. By any normal product cycle, the little crossover should be lining up for a mid-life refresh right about now. Instead, Seoul has thrown the playbook out the window and decided to skip the facelift entirely in favor of an all-new model.
Codenamed SX3, our sources indicate it will eventually be merged with the Creta crossover, with the resulting model tipped to carry both names in different regions. Intrigued? Read on as we explore everything there is to know about it and reveal its modern new look.
Art Of Steel
Compared with the outgoing Kona, the all-new car brings a far more cohesive design, this time inspired by the muscular Crater Concept. Rather than the ensemble of Picasso-inspired elements that defined its predecessor, the front fascia is now awash with clean horizontal lines, chunky cladding, and dual-tier lighting, with the LED matrix main beams neatly integrated below the pixel DRL strip.
The current generation 2026 Hyundai Kona.
The clamshell hood features chiseled surfacing that adds tension to the upper fenders, while the floating roof-like glasshouse mirrors the upcoming Tucson. Contrasting cladding connects the front and rear wheel arches, while the rear is dominated by a thin LED light strip.
Pleos Connected Smarts
Inside, Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system will make its Kona debut. It ditches the old all-in-one display for an AI-infused central tablet paired with a smaller Mustang Mach-E style digital instrument cluster. Hate haptic touch controls? The good news is that key functions can still be operated through physical buttons below the screen and on the steering wheel.
Elsewhere, there will be improved materials and more space for rear occupants. Design-wise, the door cards adopt a conservatively curved aesthetic, while high-series models score Bose audio, ambient lighting, and tailored leather seat stitching. Safety steps up too, with level 2 semi-autonomous highway assist and a plethora of additional driver aids.
Multi Powertrain Strategy
Based on Hyundai’s modified K3 platform, the next Kona will benefit from not only improved crash safety but also access to the automaker’s latest hybrid systems. There’s even word of a range-extended hybrid (EREV) on the cards, though an all-electric powertrain looks the more likely bet.
The hybrid setup will be shared with the new Kia Seltos. In that application, a 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor develops 151 horsepower (113 kW) in front-wheel-drive guise. A 176 hp E-Axle all-wheel-drive version is also available, featuring clever regenerative braking and vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.
Select markets are tipped to receive additional options too, including a 2.0-liter non-turbo and a 190 hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the latter mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Segment And Reveal
The Kona enters one of the most crowded corners of the market, so it won’t be short of rivals. Key competitors include Mazda’s CX-30, the Toyota Corolla Cross, the Kia Seltos, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the Nissan Qashqai, and the Subaru Crosstrek. With hybrid power and a tougher new look, Hyundai will be hoping the next Kona can carve out more ground against that lineup rather than simply hold station.
An official reveal is expected within the next 12 months, with the new Kona arriving as a 2027 model year entrant.
What do you think of the Kona’s boxier aesthetic? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
