Hyundai has announced that it will sell the Hyundai Kona alongside the Hyundai Creta in the Middle East. China is also a market where both models are sold. Hyundai suggests that the Hyundai Kona will have a pricing higher than the Hyundai Creta. Both models will appeal to very different customer groups, and so, they won't cannibalise each other’s sales.
Commenting on the announcement, Mike Song, Hyundai’s Head of Operations for Africa and the Middle East, said:
The Kona will supplement the Creta in showrooms, with premium features and more fashionable design to set it apart.”
Mr. Song thinks of this situation as similar to that of the Veloster selling alongside i30, in which the Veloster is a sportier offering and attracts “younger, more style-conscious buyers”.
Introduced in summer last year, the Hyundai Kona is the South Korean automaker’s B-SUV aimed largely at the developed markets. Till April 2018, Hyundai sold 37,688 units in South Korea and 94,523 units in its overseas markets. The small SUV features an offbeat design and is underpinned by the same platform as the latest Hyundai i30 and Hyundai Veloster.
The Hyundai Kona had made its Middle East debut at the 2017 Dubai Motor Show in November. Two engine options for the new sub-compact SUV were listed there: 120 PS 1.0L T-GDi and 177 PS 1.6L T-GDi. The turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine will come with a 6-speed manual transmission that sends power to the front wheels. The turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine will come with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an AWD system. The display model at the show was in the 1.6L T-GDi 7-DCT AWD configuration.
Also Read: 2018 Hyundai Creta (facelift) launched at INR 9.44-15.04 lakhs
The Hyundai Kona will go on sale in the Middle East in summer this year.
