Hyundai Kona likely to face production delays due to labour dispute

From the recent footage, the Hyundai Kona looks market-ready, and HMC plans to launch the new global SUV this summer (June-August 2017) in the South Korean market, followed by a global rollout. However things may not go as per the original schedule, suggests a new report from The Korea Herald.

According to the local media, the Hyundai Kona's production is likely to get delayed due to an ongoing labour dispute at the Ulsan Plant 1. Hyundai decided to outsource the car's bumpers in order to maximise the efficiency of production and increase the vehicle's quality, but that was strongly opposed by the workers who wanted it to remain part of the assembly line. A company official has told the publication that the production has come to a halt.

While Hyundai keeps teasing the Hyundai Kona, spy shots have already revealed the vehicle's exterior more than once. With a design quite unique for a Hyundai, the Kona sits the Hyundai i30's platform and it aims to take on the B-segment SUVs Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke and Citroen C4 Cactus.

Hyundai is expected to offer the Hyundai Kona with a mix of petrol and diesel engines from the Hyundai i20 and Hyundai i30. The options should include the 1.0-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol, 1.4-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol and 1.6-litre CRDi turbocharged diesel units. An all-electric variant is reportedly in the works.

Production of the Kona is not set to begin until the labour and management reach an agreement.