Are you in the market for a small SUV? Do you have to love Marvel’s Iron Man? Well Hyundai has just the SUV for you, the 2019 Hyundai Kona Iron Man Edition. The special version of the Kona features lots of unique details that are inspired by Tony Stark’s powerful suit.
On the outside, the Kona Iron Man Edition is painted in matte grey with deep red accents on the hood, side sills and roof. The look is definitely interesting, but it should appease those Iron Man fans. There are also Iron Man emblems on the front fenders, tailgate and a Marvel badge on the hood. It’s finished off with a big Iron Man mask on the roof. You have to give props to Hyundai for injecting a bit of fun in the crowded subcompact crossover segment with the Kona Iron Man Edition. We definitely got a lot of stares and comments during our week with it.
Inside the Kona Iron Man Edition continues the Tony Stark theme with red accents, Tony Stark’s signature on the dashboard and a unique shift lever and gauge faces that are inspired by the movie. The front seats also feature a Stark Industries logo with an embossed Iron Man mask. Even the head-up display gets in on the fun with its Iron Man–inspired graphics.
Moving past the Iron Man Edition add ons, the special Kona is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All-wheel drive is optional. The Kona’s turbocharged powertrain is one of the most fun set ups yet in the subcompact crossover segment. The four-cylinder generates 175 horsepower and 195 lb-ft. of torque, which is more power than you’ll get in the Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR or Mazda CX-3. The torquey engine picks up power fast and even though the Kona is technically a crossover, the driving experience reminds us of a small hot hatch – zippy and fun.
With front-wheel drive the turbocharged Kona is rated at 28 mpg city and 32 mpg on the highway, if you need all-wheel drive, it’s rated at 26/29 mpg.
On the road the Kona is fun to drive. It doesn’t feel under powered like the C-HR and it’s more engaging to drive than the HR-V. The CX-3 is just as fun to drive, but the Kona beats it since it has more power. Body roll is kept to a minimum and the steering provides pretty good feedback.
Inside, Iron Man branding aside, the Kona is spacious and comfortable for the driver and front passenger, but the back seat does feel a bit on the small side. The Kona offers less headroom and legroom in the second row than the more spacious HR-V. The Kona offers 34.6-inches of rear legroom compared to 39.3-inches in the Honda. Behind the rear seat, the Kona also offers less cargo capacity than the HR-V at 19.2 cubic feet compared to 24.3 cubic feet. With the rear seats up, the Kona barely manages to fit luggage for two.
On the tech front, the Kona offers several tech features, that some of its rivals don’t offer, like a head-up display and wireless charging for your cell phone. There’s also either a 7-inch or 8-inch infotainment system, Infinity audio system and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The Kona is packed with several driver assistance safety features, like forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keep assist and a driver attention warning system. There is one thing we missed though, adaptive cruise control. Luckily this was added to the 2020 Kona.
While the Kona Iron Man Edition may not be for everyone, it’s a fun addition to the Kona lineup. The Iron Man Edition starts at $31,595, while the all-wheel drive version is priced at $32,995.
