The current Hyundai Kona is starting to falter on the sales charts, losing ground to the recently redesigned Kia Seltos, and Hyundai is hard at work on its own refresh, hoping to replicate the success seen after the last redesign in 2023. The Autoblog spies recently spotted a development mule for the new Kona undergoing hot-weather testing, and with the heavy canvas camouflage now dropped, we can see that the new model will completely ditch the wacky shapes of its predecessors, gaining a boxier, more contemporary look. Moreover, the new look is expected to be accompanied by new powertrain options, including a hybrid. But let’s unpack the revised styling first.
2027 Hyundai Kona Getting New Looks Inside and Out
Autoblog/SH Proshots
As with other new Hyundai models, the updated Kona will adopt the PLEOS Connect infotainment system, with a large central screen (measuring either 12.9, 14.6, or 17 inches across), a narrow driver display, and a smattering of physical buttons. The exterior will be similarly congruent with recent Hyundai vehicles, apparently losing the curved black plastic wheel cladding and ditching the squashed-pentagon shape of the headlights. A full-width LED light bar is still expected, and it’s likely to be considerably thicker than that on today’s Kona. If we’re seeing through the camo correctly, this LED bar will form part of a broad upper mask, while the lower half of the front fascia will get cooling openings that widen as they reach the bottom of the bumper. This appears to have gained a chunky splitter.
Related: The 2026 Hyundai Kona vs the Mazda CX30 – Small But Mighty
Further back, the glasshouse is much more angular, with sharp A-pillars and a more traditional, blocky shape for the D-pillars, which no longer swoop into the top of the tailgate. Recessed door handle openings, funky wheels, and, at the back, what look like regular, rectangular taillights are complemented by a subtle faux diffuser. The rear angle allows us to see that the wheel arches will still be embellished with bulky cladding, but they’ll be much more angular, apparently taking inspiration from the popular Hyundai Boulder concept. An undisguised prototype was recently spotted abroad, and it’s clear that the Kona will look much more grown-up and premium than its sub-$30k (current) base price suggests.
Hyundai Kona Getting Hybrid Option
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Since they’re part of the same family, the Kona will go hybrid like the Seltos, but it’s unclear how popular this will be. The current Kona (and Seltos) come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, with a 1.6-liter turbo-four also available (190 hp/195 lb-ft), but the new Seltos hybrid only makes 141 hp nd 195 lb-ft from its 1.6-liter gas engine and electric motor. Granted, the new Seltos does approximately 46 mpg on Korea’s test cycles, but some buyers may still prefer a plain gas setup, especially since the hybrid is likely to carry a slight premium. With less camo on these vehicles, and even some spottings of undisguised pre-production Konas, a full reveal with all the details can’t be far away.
Autoblog/SH Proshots
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