A facelift for them Hyundai Kona SUV – the Korean brand’s best-selling model in Australia – has reportedly been axed, with the company ditching it in order to get the next generation into showrooms sooner.
Reports from The Korean Autoblog say the automaker will not bring any further updates to the current Kona “SX2” small SUV, whose competitors include the Toyota Corolla Cross and Nissan Qashqai.
It was the best-selling model for Hyundai Australia in 2025 and the best-selling small SUV, surpassing the Chery Tiggo 4 and MG ZS.
The current second-generation Kona launched in Australia in 2023, meaning a facelift would normally be due sometime in 2026, as the previous generation was updated three years after its launch (2017-2020).
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But loud The Korean AutoblogThere will be no midlife update before 2028, when the next generation “SX3” is due to hit showrooms. According to the report, the automaker has abandoned its typical timeline for facelifts.
Spy pictures on the website, source: Shorts carshow what appears to be a bulkier, more angular and angular SX3 Kona, forgoing the softer curves of the existing model and previous Kona prototypes discovered during testing.
It’s reminiscent of the design language of the 2025 Hyundai Crater Concept shown at the Los Angeles Motor Show, which featured aggressive lines and fuller fenders for a more muscular, off-road-focused look.
There is also a sloping roofline like the Crater Concept, other elements such as a new door handle design, side skirts and an integrated roof spoiler were adopted from the show car.
Edgier designs can also be seen on the upcoming facelift of the entry-level Venue SUV and the boxy 2027 Tucson SUV, while Hyundai introduces its new ‘Art of Steel’ design language, first seen on the second-generation Nexo.
Elements of the Crater Concept will also be included in the interior Shorts car reports that the new Kona will also come with Hyundai Motor Group’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system.
Powertrains are expected to include electric, hybrid and petrol options in line with the existing Australian Kona range.
It’s unclear whether it could also be offered as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), as the brand makes a broader shift to the technology in 2024, which will also be extended to the Genesis luxury brand.
EREVs are part of a broader product strategy that also sees Hyundai Motor Company launching more than 18 hybrid models under the Hyundai and Genesis brands by 2030, expanding its N power range and launching a mid-size pickup truck for North America (with Australia on the agenda).
Hyundai Motor Company is targeting 5.55 million sales worldwide by 2030.
MORE: Discover the Hyundai Kona showroom
