2021 Hyundai Kona N teased

After months of rumours and spy shots, a trio of official teaser images of the 2021 Hyundai Kona N have at last been released, ahead of the Hyundai performance SUV’s anticipated unveiling in the coming months.

Three Christmas-themed images published on Hyundai N’s Instagram page – one of which is captioned “A new N is coming to town…” showcase an upcoming N performance model, wrapped in the same conspicuous ‘camouflage’ that adorned the i30 Sedan N in teaser images released in November 2020.

While the vehicle’s identity has yet to be officially confirmed, its distinct roof rails, large windows and tablet-style infotainment screen all-but-confirm it is the Kona N, the turbocharged, high-performance version of Hyundai’s Kona small SUV.

While the teaser posts reveal few hard details of the Kona N, the model is widely expected to draw significant mechanical inspiration from the related i30 N hot hatch, namely its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops up to 206kW of power and 392Nm of torque in facelifted, ‘Performance Package’ equipped hatch models.

Drive in the i30 N is sent to the front wheels through a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions – with the auto likely to be standard-fit on the performance Kona, with the availability of all-wheel drive on the cards (though not officially confirmed).

The fitment of an all-wheel-drive system with the Kona N would make it a natural rival for one of the few non-luxury, performance SUVs bound for Australian shores, the 221kW/400Nm, all-paw Volkswagen T-Roc R, which is due to lob Down Under sometime in 2022.

Complementing the Kona’s performance powertrain will be a sport-oriented exterior body kit, with spy shots suggesting it will comprise of more aggressive front and rear bumpers, black side skirts, unique alloy wheels, a large rear diffuser, race-inspired rear spoiler and N badging.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona N is expected to be revealed in full in the coming months, ahead of a rumoured Australian launch late in 2021. Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more teasers and details of the performance SUV as its public debut nears.

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Below: An artist’s rendering of the 2021 Kona N, created by KKS Studio