2021 Hyundai Kona Night Edition is the latest to paint it black
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have had a pretty good run with their rock 'n roll band, but if that hadn't worked out, they might have been successful automobile marketers. Certainly, the message of their 1966 single "Paint It Black" has been taken to heart by auto manufacturers, who have turned out a parade of blacked-out vehicles. Perhaps it's a reflection of the dark times in which we're living, but whatever the reason, the latest to get with the dark trend is the 2021 Hyundai Kona Night Edition.
The Night Edition extinguishes nearly all the brightwork outside, starting with black-finished 18" wheels (by supplier Rays) and continuing with darkened door handles, side mirror caps, and bumper and grille trim. The badges look to be the sole surviving chrome elements. Inside, there's more of the same, with gloss-black trim that even includes the door handles, although metal-finished pedals are added.
Three body colors are offered: Chalk White, Galactic Grey, and of course, Ultra Black.
The Kona Night Edition builds on the SEL Plus trim level. But whereas the SEL Plus is powered by the base 147-hp 2.0-liter four paired with a six-speed automatic, the Night Edition is equipped with the Kona's step-up powertrain, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four with a seven-speed DCT automatic. The turbo mill is good for 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque and can be paired with front-wheel drive or AWD. That means the Night Edition will be the most accessible model to offer the turbo engine, which otherwise requires moving up to the Limited or Ultimate trim level. Pricing has not been released, but we'd expect it to fall somewhere between today's $25,090 for the SEL Plus and the $27,240 tariff for the Limited.
The Kona Night Edition arrives in showrooms in September. Hyundai says only 3,000 will be built, so best not to delay. As the Stones also noted, Time Waits for No One.
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