The Hyundai Kona has a stunning exterior and terrific driving dynamics. But do its interior and cargo space measure up, too?

Shop for the new 2020 Hyundai Kona on CarGurus: https://cargur.us/ndlnz

Among subcompact crossovers, a Hyundai is now the best to drive instead of being the best value.

The Kona is several inches shorter than all of its other competitors (Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek, Nissan Kicks, Jeep Renegade, Buick Encore, Kia Seltos, and Kia Soul). Those cars are already petite. The challenge in making them attractive—to mask the inherent stubbiness of small, short-wheelbase vehicles with tall roofs—is a car designer's most difficult task. The Kona demonstrates the glaring difference between good and great car designs—and these days, it's a feat that doesn't require millions of extra dollars to get right.

The Kona's 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four is a big little bright spot, with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque—way more than anything in the segment except its corporate cousins, the Kia Seltos S Turbo and SX Turbo and the Kia Soul GT-Line Turbo, the latter of which belts out another 26 hp from the same engine. These are big numbers for small cars.

The Kona becomes a burden when it's time to move people and things other than yourself. Seating for four is fine. The rear has a scalloped roof for more headroom, and rear legroom is also about average for this class of car. That's to say that you can sit one adult behind another so long as neither is particularly tall. Where the Kona comes up short is in luggage space; it has one of the smallest cargo holds by significant margins. It offers 19 cubic feet of cargo space and 46 with the rear seats folded.

Every Kona but the SE has a good list of standard features. That base model does come with a 7-inch touchscreen that accepts Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but if you want proximity entry so you can leave the key fob in your pocket, auto up/down windows, or vanity mirrors, get the SEL. Heated front seats, heated mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, tinted rear windows, blind-spot monitoring, SiriusXM satellite radio and HD radio, and an engine anti-theft immobilizer also come standard.

The 2020 Kona has a starting MSRP of $20,300 for a base FWD SE. The midpack AWD SEL Plus is $25,350 and comes with the features most drivers will want. Loaded, our AWD Ultimate test car cost $30,380 with destination. That's a big ask for a small car with little space and a subpar interior.

Presenter: Clifford Atiyeh
Cinematography: https://www.VennCreativeMedia.com

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0:00 Introducing the 2020 Hyundai Kona
0:52 Exterior Impressions
1:45 Driving Feel and Engine Discussion
3:52 Fuel Economy
4:42 Kona Electric & Kia Niro EV Comparisons
5:16 Interior and Cargo Space Discussion
6:10 Infotainment and Safety Features Overview
6:38 Comparisons to the Competition
7:20 Final Thoughts