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Cherohala Skyway vs the 2022 Hyundai Kona N: who will win

On the Cherohala Skyway, some turns feel like driving up a spiral ham. This 43-mile road has no gas stations, convenience stores, or apparent purpose. It connects Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina, two localities whose citizens may disagree. After 34 years and $100 million, the skyway opened in 1996.

A Kiwanis Club joked about a wagon train in the late 1950s. Someone makes a joke, and next thing you know, you’re starting a 30-year construction project. Someone at Hyundai says, “We should make a 286-hp 2022 Hyundai Kona N that terrorises Volkswagen GTIs,” and before they can say, “Just kidding,” the factory is tooling up for the 2020 Hyundai Kona N, which hits 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, pulls 0.95 g on the skidpad, and has an exhaust that sounds like a stand-up Jet Ski powered by illegal fireworks. It’s perfect for a road that resembles VIR on shuffle. 43.5 miles.


A Blast to Drive

 
Most of us will have a long drive to the Cherohala. The 2022 Kona N is wild, yet it can be tamed when you just need to get somewhere. Active exhaust, adjustable dampers, transmission, and differential relaxed, click off the kilometres. When you’re done, undo everything and let the N shine.

This automobile is a trickster, rogue, and business-casual punk. Its body-coloured fenders make it look more mature than some Konas with black plastic cladding. The N is redesigned behind its charming crossover exterior. This was one of the last cars Hyundai R&D Director Albert Biermann created before retiring in December.

The Kona’s 2.0-litre turbo inline-four engine produces 286 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. It’s connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with an e-LSD. Compared to a Kona without N, the brake rotors are larger, the power-steering motor is rack-mounted, and the steering ratio is quicker. All-wheel-drive variants’ adjustable dampers and multilink rear suspension are used. The N has 19-inch wheels with 235/40R-19 Pirelli P Zero PZ4s. Active exhaust adds two decibels at idle and three at wide-open throttle, plus off-throttle snarls and pops. The Kona N is the heaviest nonelectric Kona at 3343 pounds, a little over 50 pounds heavier than a 2022 Kona N Line AWD. It’s a lightweight 4-door.
 

 

Could have a More Special Look

 
Hyundai and the EPA both call this tiny SUV trim. The Kona N is like below-the-knee jorts—hard to categorize yet bold. SUVs aren’t front-wheel drive with cowboy hat silhouettes like a GTI. The Kona is taller than the original Scion iQ and has less ground clearance than a C8 Corvette with the front-end lift active (6.9 inches). The transitive property says Corvettes are SUVs when negotiating speed bumps.

We didn’t discover speed bumps or Corvettes on the Cherohala, but we did notice a Lamborghini Huracán Evo and a McLaren 570S. From 2660 feet at the start of the skyway to 5390 feet at Santeetlah Overlook, traffic on the Robbinsville side is light. Which isn’t the Rockies or Sierra Nevadas, but still makes you grateful you have a turbocharger.

The Kona N has considerable drive-setting modifications, like several Biermann cars (with BMW M emblems). A knob chooses preset modes-Sport, Eco, Normal—and two huge N buttons on the steering wheel activate custom modes. Loud exhaust, soft suspension, and violent diff lockup? One press will do it. Chero-haulin’s mode has loud exhaust, heavy steering, strong suspension, harsh shifts, and edgy throttle response. Stability control was left on normal. The Kona N has high limits, and more than one corner has a memorial cross.


Is our New Favourite Hot Hatch Really an SUV?

 
The Hyundai seemed made for this trip. The skyway includes long sweepers, straightaways, tight blind corners, and dizzying turns. The Hyundai’s wheel transmits a constant clatter from the road, so you feel it in your palms when the pavement changes from smooth and new to cracked and parched. When the Kona’s N Track Sense Shift software detects mischief, it downshifts aggressively and holds gears to redline. Manual gear shifting is feasible with the shift paddles, but you’ll rarely need to guess the ratio.

A giant red button on the steering wheel appears like it should start a self-destruct process. Pushing it causes a frenzied downshift, a 20-second countdown timer, and a momentary overboost that Hyundai says adds 10 horsepower. Extra horsepower wasn’t detected by our test equipment, but 276 horsepower is enough to run the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at 105 mph. A vicious 3000-rpm launch-control rip to 60 mph (4.8 seconds) and an off-boost rolling start (5.4 seconds from 5 to 60 mph) show the 2.0-litre’s responsiveness. When you need to dispatch a straggler on the Cherohala, press the Kona N’s NGS button. And in corners, their huge brakes scrub speed without fading. 70 mph in 168 feet.

We feel lucky that we can travel this road for free after all the time, effort, and money spent on construction. The Kona N is the result of a lot of work, and while its $35,495 base price isn’t cheap, it’s still a value for a functional vehicle that’s so much fun. Nobody needs a 286-hp Kona, like the Skyway. We’re all better off because they created one.


Frequently asked questions




Is the Kona that comes out in 2022 larger?


The new 2022 Hyundai Kona is overall 1.6 inches longer than the outgoing model it replaces. This results in an increase in the amount of space in the back for cargo as well as the legroom in the second row.


Is there a sunroof available on the 2022 Hyundai Kona?


The sunroof, automatic climate control, fog lamps, leather upholstery, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat are all included as standard features in this vehicle. Choosing the Limited trim level grants, us access to the nimble and responsive turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is standard on the N-Line model.


Does the 2022 Kona N come standard with a remote starter?


The Blue Link Connected Car System is improved in a variety of ways for the brand-new Kona. As is the case with the majority of Hyundai models, Blue Link is provided free of charge for a period of three years and includes a variety of features. Some of these features include remote starting with climate control, remote door locking and unlocking, stolen vehicle recovery, and destination search by voice.

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    gate.io

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    Reading your article has greatly helped me, and I agree with you. But I still have some questions. Can you help me? I will pay attention to your answer. thank you.

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