The upcoming Hyundai Kona compact crossover is set to offer a smaller option than the Tucson and Santa Fe in the brand's SUV lineup. In a new batch of spy photos, the little vehicles heads onto the Nürburgring for a high-speed workout.

Hyundai Kona Spy Pics
Hyundai Kona Spy Pics

Hyundai is using more adventurous styling for the Kona than on its other crossovers. The model uses trendy split headlights with a strip of LEDs just below the bonnet and more conventional illumination that sits lower. The camouflage at the rear suggests a rounded rump, too. Skinny taillights echo the styling of the units at the front.

Spy photos suggest that the interior (below) might not be quite as stylish as the ultra-modern exterior – at least not in the current stage of development. The cabin mostly uses black materials that don’t really catch the eye. The high-mounted infotainment display also looks rather boxy in its integration into the centre stack.

Hyundai Kona Spy Pics

The Kona reportedly uses a platform from the European i20 and likely uses a range of small turbocharged engines. There’s some speculation that Hyundai might only offer the little crossover with front-wheel drive, but that might not be too much of an issue: sales of all-wheel drive rivals are meagre. 

The compact crossover segment continues to get more crowded, and the Kona would compete against vehicles like the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, and Honda HR-V. In addition to the Kona, Kia is building its own crossover on the same platform. Reportedly called the Stonic, spy photos show the vehicle with more conventional headlights than its Hyundai counterpart.

Photo Source: Automedia

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Gallery: Hyundai Kona Nurburgring Spy Pics