2021 Hyundai Kona 1.6 Turbo and 1.6 N-Line CBU now on sale in Malaysia (RM146,888-RM156,888)

Just a couple of weeks after teasing the arrival of the turbocharged variants of the Hyundai Kona, local distributor Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) is finally putting its B-segment crossover up for sale in Malaysia. And the official prices are in: the Kona 1.6 Turbo will retail for RM146,888 while the Kona 1.6 N Line tops out at RM156,888 on-the-road without insurance, inclusive of the Penjana sales tax waiver that runs till the end of the year. 

The turbocharged Kona duo will be sold alongside the naturally-aspirated variants of the recently-facelifted Kona, which are priced at RM119,888 for the base model and RM136,888 for the Kona Active. 

So, what does the extra RM10k-RM20k over the fully-kitted NA model buy you? 

For starters, both new models are powered by Hyundai's Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi engine. That's short for turbocharged gasoline direct injection, and the numbers it produces are pretty impressive: 198PS at 6,000rpm and 265Nm over a wide torque band that spans from 1,600rpm to 4,500rpm. HSDM markets this as the 'most powerful powertrain' in segment. For comparison's sake, the hot-selling Proton X50 Flagship puts out 177PS and 255Nm of torque; close but no cigar. 

Like the Geely-derived Malaysian crossover, the Kona Turbo and N-Line utlise a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and are generously equipped with driver aids packaged under the Hyundai Smartsense umbrella of active safety and driver assistance technologies. These include blind-spot collision assist, lane keeping/following assist, smart cruise control with stop and go, forward collision avoidance assist and high beam assist among others. 

Both variants are relatively rich in specs, with things like a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, eight-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, electric parking brake standard across the force-inducted range. Aesthetically, the Kona 1.6 Turbo shares the same exterior and cabin trimmings as the Kona 2.0 active, with the addition of roof racks and two-tone colour options. Meanwhile, the 1.6 N-Line lives up to its badging through sportier 18-inch alloys, a slew of aggressive fins and diffusers in the bumpers, and an interior bathed in black suede and leather, with the mandatory sprinkle of N emblems throughout. 

Like other Hyundai models officially sold by HSDM in Malaysia, the new Kona variants come with a five-year, 300,000km warranty with free scheduled maintenance offered for the first three years or 50,000km of ownership. Is this something you'd consider instead of going the predictable X50 route or opting for a cheaper, locally-assembled C-segment SUV that offers more practicality for the money?