The 2025 Hyundai Kona is the perfect SUV for those looking for something modern, fun to drive, and affordable. This is especially true for those interested in the SE trim, which offers quite a bit as standard for $24,450. In this article, we will take a closer look at the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE, breaking down its engine options, interior specifications and amenities, fuel economy, safety technology, and everything else you need to know. Stay tuned as we dive in.
What's New for 2025?
Since the Hyundai Kona was recently overhauled, the 2025 SE and the other trim levels do not see many changes for this model year. However, there are some updates outside of the SE, including the introduction of the new N Line S trim, which falls below the N Line. Additionally, the SEL Convenience now combines the previous SEL trim and Convenience Package into one SUV, making it a step up from the SE in 2025. That concludes the 2025 Hyundai Kona updates.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
As the base trim for this model, the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE offers a streamlined set of interior and comfort features. Specifically, the SE comes standard with:
- Cloth seating material
- 6-way adjustable driver's seat
- 60/40 split fold-down seatback
- 12.3-inch touchscreen display
- Rear View Monitor (RVM) with parking guidance
- 4.2-inch digital gauge cluster display
- Bluetooth hands-free with wireless audio streaming
Now, regarding cargo space and important dimensions, you get:
- Cargo volume (rear seats up/down): 25.5 / 63.7 cubic feet
- Total interior volume: 126.7 cubic feet
- Passenger volume: 101.2 cubic feet
The interior of this subcompact SUV is surprisingly spacious compared to others in its class, making the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE an excellent starting point for families and growing households.
2025 Hyundai Kona SE Exterior
The exterior of the Hyundai Kona SE trim remains as modern as ever, featuring a distinctive strip headlight design, LED projector headlights and daytime running lights, a low-profile body aesthetic, body-colored side mirrors, black body cladding, active grille shutters that open and close based on the vehicle's cooling needs, and 17-inch alloy wheels. As for tires, the SE comes standard with 215/60R17 tires, providing a solid option for drivers needing a vehicle that handles well in everyday road and highway conditions.
Most drivers and critics agree that the Hyundai Kona offers excellent value for money, making it a strong contender when shopping for the SE or any of the other trims in this lineup.
Key exterior dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 104.7 inches
- Length: 171.3 inches
- Width: 71.9 inches
- Height (FWD/AWD): 62.2 / 63.2 inches
- Minimum ground clearance (FWD/AWD): 6.7 / 8.1 inches
Performance and Powertrain
The performance and powertrain specifications of the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE trim are impressive, as this SUV comes standard with a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter engine paired with a continuously variable transmission. Additionally, for those seeking more power, a turbocharged 190-horsepower 1.6-liter engine is available, starting with the N Line S trim. The Kona SE features standard front-wheel drive (FWD), but HTRAC All-Wheel Drive (AWD) is an available option.
Another standout feature of the SE is its Shift-by-Cable with SHIFTRONIC manual shift mode, which allows drivers to manually shift gears while still using an automatic transmission.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Safety remains a priority in the Hyundai lineup, and the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE is no exception. One of the standout aspects of this SUV is the inclusion of Hyundai SmartSense, a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistance features that enhance your confidence on the road.
Here are some of the safety features included in the SE:
- Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Warning (BCW)
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection (FCA-Ped) and Cyclist Detection
- Lane Following Assist (LFA)
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
- Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
- Safe Exit Warning (SEW)
- Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)
- High Beam Assist (HBA)
Safety ratings: The Hyundai Kona has received a four-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and has earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from IIHS.
Hyundai SmartSense
Hyundai SmartSense has been around for quite some time and continues to improve in 2025, offering even more comprehensive coverage for drivers and passengers. The Hyundai Kona has seen significant technological and safety enhancements since its debut, and thanks to SmartSense, it remains a top-rated option by reputable agencies, including IIHS. This system uses sensors, radar, cameras, and various alerts to help keep you and your loved ones safe.
Infotainment and Connectivity
To detail the infotainment and connectivity inside the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE, we see a large touchscreen in entry-level models, plus wireless connectivity Hyundai continues to expand across its lineup. Specifically, this SUV will boast a 12.3-inch touchscreen, HD Radio, SiriusXM, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, Cruise Control, dual front and rear USB outlets, Proximity Key entry with push-button start, and a Bluelink Connected Car System.
If you crave infotainment that wows, the all-new Kona SE does a nice job of checking off those boxes for a fair price. Most SUVs in this price range have much smaller touchscreens and limited user interfaces, so you can't go wrong choosing the Kona.
Fuel Economy and MPG
The fuel economy and MPG expectations for the 2025 Kona SE depend on the engine you go with, although base models will see up to 29 city / 34 highway MPGs. As we shared, the SE will come in a standard FWD configuration, although AWD is an option. Here are the fuel estimates based on this information:
- City/Highway/Combined (FWD): 29 / 34 / 31
- City/Highway/Combined (AWD): 27 / 29 / 28
Your better bet for mileage is the front-wheel-drive engine in the Kona, although you will miss out on the award-winning HTRAC AWD by Hyundai. Our friendly sales team at Granite Hyundai is more than happy to compare these for you at the dealer each day of the week.
2025 Hyundai Kona SE Pricing
The price point for a Hyundai Kona in 2025 is competitive, especially at the base SE level. If you are interested in shopping for the 2025 Kona SE, this vehicle retails for a starting MSRP of $24,450, one of the best in its class when comparing interior, exterior, safety, tech, and performance features.
SE vs. SEL vs. SEL Convenience vs. N Line S vs. N Line vs. Limited
To compare all of the trim levels for the 2025 Hyundai Kona SUV, you have a total of six vehicles to choose from this model year, ranging in price from $24,450 to $32,000. We will break each trim by price and featured specifications below to better understand how they differ as you go up in trim level.
SE - $24,450
- FWD: 29 City/34 Hwy/31 Combined
- AWD: 27 City/29 Hwy/28 Combined
- 147-hp 2.0L MPI 4-cylinder engine
- 12.3-inch touchscreen display
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Wireless Apple CarPlay integration for your iPhone
- Proximity Key with push-button start
SEL - $25,800
- FWD: 28 City/35 Hwy/31 Combined
- AWD: 26 City/29 Hwy/27 Combined
- 147-hp 2.0L MPI 4-cylinder engine
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Roof side rails
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Power driver seat with lumbar
SEL Convenience - $28,000
- FWD: 28 City/35 Hwy/31 Combined
- AWD: 26 City/29 Hwy/27 Combined
- 147-hp 2.0L MPI 4-cylinder engine
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch
- 12.3-inch touchscreen display with navigation
- Heated front seats
N Line S - $29,450
- FWD: 26 City/32 Hwy/28 Combined
- AWD: 24 City/29 Hwy/26 Combined
- 190-hp 1.6L turbocharged GDI 4-cylinder engine
- N Line Black Alcantara Sport combination seats
- N Line 19-inch alloy wheels
- N Line interior accents
- N Line exterior accents
N Line - $31,000
- FWD: 26 City/32 Hwy/28 Combined
- AWD: 24 City/29 Hwy/26 Combined
- 190-hp 1.6L turbocharged GDI 4-cylinder engine
- Bose Premium Audio
- Power tilt-and-slide sunroof
- 12.3-inch touchscreen display with navigation
- Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch
Limited - $32,000
- FWD: 26 City/32 Hwy/28 Combined
- AWD: 24 City/29 Hwy/26 Combined
- 190-hp 1.6L turbocharged GDI 4-cylinder engine
- Hands-free smart liftgate with auto-open
- Surround View Monitor (SVM)
- Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM)
- Ventilated front seats
Note: You have six trims to choose from in 2025 for the Hyundai Kona, all offering something unique to drivers. The N Line S, N Line, and Limited all boast a turbocharged engine and enhanced interior/exterior features, as they are considered the higher-end options within the lineup.
Get Your Hyundai Kona SE at Granite Hyundai
With this post finished and the 2025 Hyundai Kona SE ready to jump into, there is no better team to call than ours here at Granite Hyundai. We continue to be a top-rated dealership and service center in Somersworth, NH, and we are here every day of the week to go over our inventory and help you get a set of keys for a test drive. Drive safe!
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