June 13: Hyundai Kona - another little guy

Is this where it all started? Good question for a couple of car folks to discuss over champagne and orange juice on the French Riviera. Or maybe at the local pub. Either way, this Chevy Trax and its twin, the Buick Encore will be front and centre in their discussion. As I've mentioned before, the suv, crossover or whatever is taking over the new vehicle market like the kudzu plant is taking over the US south. Gradually and maybe not so gradually, folks are dumping their cars for the suv. And while we've seen how some vehicles like the Honda Accord have grown over the years, the trend in suvs is to get smaller and smaller, in order to cover to cover every nook and cranny of the market. The good news? Most of them are really neat vehicles.

Sure, some like the Trax or Ford's, brand new to North America, EcoSport..........

.......are just smaller suvs, while some like the Mazda CX-3.......

.......add a little funk and style to the mix and if you are a Toyota fan, they have added a heck of a lot of funk to the new and small suv in the line..........

.......and also the the small Lexus suv.......

Could it possibly be something to do with the target market? Another topic for that champagne or beer discussion.

And others are simply classy looking, like Kia's new Niro........

And finally to what today's blog is about. Want timely? This morning in Europe, Hyunda has just unveiled the 2018 Kona, their smaller suv, which slots in below the Tucson, which itself slotted in below the Sante Fe Sport, which slotted in below the Sante Fe XL, which slotted in below the gone and probably forgotten Veracuz. Got that? I thought so, since I write for a smart crowd.

Funky or just plain great looking?

From any angle, I think the Kona looks great and follows in the Hyundai tradition of really good looking vehicles. Distinctive in a pleasing way and although I really like the Toyota/Lexus models, origami design is not for everyone. Sales of the Kona will start in Korea (naturally) and Europe, following shortly after on our shores.

I like sedans, but am I feeling the pressure to conform? Even my car guy older brother bit the suv bullet, but he also has a new Mustang in his garage, so maybe that made his switch easier. These suvs or crossovers or whatevers are practical, look good, can be economical or insane (Jeep Trackhawk) and fit almost every single budget. The better they look, the more I lean towards them. Car handling? Not a chance in the lower price ranges, so that's a deal breaker. But gee, they sure do look good...........

Until next time......