The Hyundai Kona has just been launched in Malaysia, and it’s quite an exciting B-segment SUV – just like the Proton X50. Although it costs quite a bit more than the X50, the Kona is definitely a more unique-looking SUV; it can do the century sprint faster too.

Three variants of the Kona – all fully imported CBU units – are offered in Malaysia. The base 2.0 model costs RM115,888, while the 2.0 Active goes for RM130,888. As for the range-topping 1.6 Turbo, it retails at RM143,888. Do note that these prices are with sales tax exemption applied until the end of 2020. Come next year, these variants will retail at RM123,888, RM138,888, and RM151,888 respectively.

Naturally, the 1.6 Turbo trim of the Kona is the most exciting of the lot. It’s powered by a Gamma 1.6 T-GDI engine that outputs 177PS and 265Nm of torque. Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in only 7.7 seconds. This makes it even faster than the top-of-the-line Flagship Proton X50, which has a quoted figure of 7.9 seconds to reach the same speed.

Aside from that, the 1.6 Turbo Kona is also the only model to get Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of active safety features. These include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), and even Lane Keeping Assist (LKA).

As for the base 2.0 and 2.0 Active configurations of the Kona, both of them are powered by a 2.0L Nu MPI Atkinson-cycle engine with 149PS and 180Nm of torque. Instead of a 7DCT, these two models feature a more conventional six-speed automatic transmission. Still, the combination of this engine and gearbox allows the 2.0 and 2.0 Active to do the century sprint in 10 seconds.

Other standard equipment of the Kona across the range include six airbags, ABS, ESC, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, LED daytime running lights, auto up and down for all four windows, six speakers, and even a 7-inch touch-enabled infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support.

It’s also worth noting that the 1.6 Turbo Kona is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, while the 2.0 and 2.0 Active come with 17-inch alloys. The 1.6 Turbo gets full leather seats too; leather and cloth combination for the 2.0 Active, and fabric for the base 2.0 model.

To recap, the Hyundai Kona starts at RM115,888 for the most affordable 2.0 trim. A tier up is the 2.0 Active, which costs RM130,888. The range-topping 1.6 Turbo, on the other hand, retails at RM143,888. As mentioned, these prices are only valid until the end of the year with sales tax exemption applied.