Montreal 2018: Hyundai Kona, Accent 5-Door…and a Mobile EV Charging Service

Of the new vehicles making their first Canadian appearance yesterday at the 2018 Montreal Auto Show, two of the models most enthusiastically welcomed by those in attendance were Hyundai’s Kona and Accent 5-Door.

2018 Hyundai Kona
An all-new crossover blessed with eye-catching styling, the Kona will hit the market this spring, and slide in below the Tucson in the company’s lineup. Take a moment to learn more about the Kona, and check out our brief first drive carried out last summer in South Korea.

Worth pointing out here is the choice of two engines being offered. The base engine is a 2.0L producing 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque via a 6-speed automatic transmission. The other available powertrain option is led by a 1.6L turbo generating 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, wedded to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Few of its competitors offer this kind of choice, and in addition the Kona is available with all-wheel drive, also rare in the category. Having finally seen it in the flesh this week, I appreciate its contrasting design elements even more, and I noted that its lower-body “armour” is more solid that I expected.

2018 Hyundai Accent 5-Door
The new 2018 edition of the Accent hatchback lacks the pretty mesh grille and European flavour of the Elantra GT, but it is still quite a bit more attractive and generally more interesting than the previous model, thanks in large part to its more sophisticated – and much quieter – cabin. The 132-hp engine consumes less fuel than before, and the car will feature advanced technologies like automatic emergency braking.

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