Hyundai Kona EV offers a non-Chinese alternative in Israel's crowded EV market
Hyundai has brought the fully electric Kona to Israel at a starting price of 175,000 shekels, with the test car priced at 185,000 shekels. The model enters a market dominated by Chinese brands, which now account for more than 40% of all new cars in Israel and about 90% of EV sales, especially under 200,000 shekels. Until now, the Kia EV3 was the main non-Chinese mass-market EV, joined recently by the Suzuki e-Vitara.
The new Kona EV comes only with a 65.4 kWh battery and a claimed combined range of 506 kilometers in the base version and 466 kilometers in the better-equipped version tested. Hyundai says the car delivers 214 horsepower, 25.5 kgm of torque, and 0 to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds. It is front-wheel drive and has a top speed of 170 km/h.
In practice, the larger wheels reduced range, and the test car managed about 370 to 380 kilometers, while the reviewer expects roughly 420 kilometers from the base trim. Fast charging is limited to 101 to 110 kW, which means 10% to 80% takes 41 minutes, about 10 minutes slower than usual and among the slowest rates in the segment. The car also supports 11 kW AC charging.
The review praised the Kona's cabin ergonomics, physical climate and audio controls, roomy interior, good build quality, and useful storage. It has a 466-liter trunk, a 27-liter front storage area, and a turning circle of 10.6 meters. The car scored 4 stars in Euro NCAP, though Hyundai says the Israeli-spec version includes more active safety equipment than the European base trim.
The reviewer called it a good, user-friendly EV alternative to Chinese models, with better comfort and handling, but noted that it is still 15,000 to 20,000 shekels more expensive than Chinese rivals and offers less certainty about resale value and the brand's future. The recommendation is to buy the base trim and save 10,000 shekels.
