The top-shelf Kona N Line Premium or Highlander get the very best of the equipment, from the leather seats that are heated and cooled up front, to the big glass sunroof, the ambient interior lighting choices and the digital air-con controls.

Perhaps coolest, though, is the positively German-feeling media set-up, with Hyundai making use of a twin-screen system, with a 10.25-inch screen in the driver’s binnacle taking car of the driving stuff, and a second screen in the centre taking care of the navigation and entertainment. But you will have to plug your phone in to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, because for reasons to weird to get into, only the base cars gets wireless connectivity.

The cheap seats, then, do without some of the cool stuff. Both the Kona and the Active make do with manual air-con and the smaller 8.0-inch cent screen, where the Elite steps up the tech and audio.

There’s a four-model Kona line-up, not including the new N Line cars, and that story kicks off with a model simply titled the Kona.  

That model replaces the former entry-level Kona Go, a move which has seen the sticker price climb by about $3000 should you want to get into the cheapest Kona, with the range now starting at $26,600.

The Kona rides on 16-inch alloys, and while the DRLs are LEDs the headlights themselves are halogens. Inside, you get cloth seats, and the smallest 8.0-inch mutlimedia screen - though it does get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless smartphone charging.

The range then steps up to the Active ($28,200), which gives you a nicer-feeling interior, 17-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, privacy glass and heated and folded mirrors. 

Next up is the Elite ($31,600), which builds in some more safety stuff - we’ll get to that in a moment - as well as a major upgrade to the the centre screen, which is now a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation. You also get a better Harman Kardon stereo, climate control, a smart key with remote start and an acoustic windscreen meant to reduce road noise.

At the top of the regular Kona tree is the Highlander ($38,000), which gives you a second 10.25-inch screen in the driver’s binnacle for a total of two - a positively German feeling cabin setup that we love. You also get 18-inch alloy wheels, front parking sensors, LED headlights and taillights, a head-up display, a big glass sunroof and heated and cooled seats up front, with heating in the window seats in the rear.

If your tastes run a little Sportier, then the new N Line cars might be right up your street.

First, you’ve got the named Kona N Line ($36,300), which changes the engine and gearbox - again, we’ll come to that in a moment - and also adds sportier suspension, heaps of exterior styling changes, 18-inch alloy whees and a red-trimmed interior treatment designed to feel a little sportier.

Last but not least, you have the N Line Premium, which is a not-inconsiderable $42,400. You get the twin-screen interior setup, heated and cooled seats up front and seats that are heated in the window seats in the back, a head up display, and your headlights and taillights are now LED, and there’s a sunroof, too. In fact, it largely followed the specification of the Highlander, just with a better engine and gearbox, and a sportier driving experience.

The  Hyundai Kona is a five-seat small SUV, and while it is marginally longer than the one it replaces, but it doesn’t really translate into any extra space for passengers. Still, it’s neither the biggest nor smallest in terms of interior space, sitting somewhere in the middle. 

I'm 175cm, and sitting behind my own driving position, I had enough leg room, though headroom is a little tight, and I wouldn't want to spend too much time in the backseat with two other people.

While Hyundai is yet to confirm the zero to 100km/h time, we would estimate the Kona N Line vehicles to complete the sprint in around 7.5 seconds, while the regular cars should take around 8.5 seconds.