Kona EV and fat Michelin tyres: A sub-$1000 bang-for-buck dynamics hack
You know how I always say ‘never modify a new car to do what you want it to do’? Well, I ignored my own advice driving 7000kms in a Hyundai Kona Electric...
The Kona Electric had a secret grippy goodness upgrade a few hundred kays ago, and the happy verdict is in.
This is such a huge difference in underlying character - huge boost for driving dynamics in all conditions - and incredibly cost-effective, when you think about it. Like, it’s just over one per cent of the price of the vehicle.
You’re looking at four of Michelin’s finest 225/50ZR17 Pilot Sport 4 asymmetric high-performance tyres - so hopefully we’re about to say ‘bye bye’ conservative eco tyres and ‘G’day, Spiderman grip’ - hopefully - then I’ll give it a few hundred kays behind the wheel and let you know the difference.
Tyres are actually the most cost-effective automotive performance modification of all time - because they bolt straight up, and they enhance acceleration, cornering and braking.
Show me the other mod which can do so much, for so little. All you need to bring to the party is skill.
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DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE
So, 400kms down the track, split between the ‘burbs and the open road...
The biggest single difference is lateral grip. Which also means more roll too, which makes the electron-powered Kona feel more confident during assertive cornering.
It has a more progressive transition from grip to slip.
There’s better on-centre feel and positive return to centre out of a bend. You also get better high-speed stability - and stability transitioning the crown for overtaking.
Better - astoundingly better - in the wet. It’s a complete dynamics character change.
TREAD BETWEEN THE LINES
Tyres all look black and round, but there’s a vast difference between the crap ones and the good ones, and these Michelins are very good. There’s an amazing amount of tech - so here’s just a small insight…
Asymmetric: There’s an outside and inside of each tyre. So make sure they’re correctly fitted with the word ‘Outside’ printed on the outer edge of the sidewall.
Tread specificity: Outside edge of the treadface is for grip, the concentric ring in the centre is for high-speed stability and the inside edge is for water dispersal.
Why asymmetric beats directional for daily drivers: They’re reasonably quiet, the spare wheel can go on any of the four corners (unlike symmetrical or directional tyres), and they are good at ejecting water.
Never scrimp on tyres because there’s so much tech built into good quality rubber designed to save your life, or at least keep you pointing forward.
No spare for the Kona EV - you get a mini compressor and some goo. So a plug kit like this one can pay a real dividend on the open road. It won’t fix all punctures but it will keep you mobile after a simple puncture. I got mine from Sparesbox.
Links here:
CHEAP SKATING
Noisier, and probably won’t last as long. Quite expensive.
But you get what you pay for - and you can certainly buy tyres from brands you’ve never heard of for less than half the price. (Like, a Rapid P 609 XL is about $63.) But my strong advice is: don’t penny-pinch on tyres - you never know when that extra grip might save your life, or someone else’s.
Performance tyres will wear out sooner than eco tyres: That’s the compromise with having additional grip, but I’d suggest everything wears out eventually and you should opt for the most advantageous tyre.
Don’t buy cheap tyres: Buy grippy performance tyres because if you do lose control in the wet, you can’t push pause and swap for a set of Michelins, Pirellis, Bridgestones or whatever.
Eco tyres are more quiet than performance tyres, which might be a deciding factor against the grippier rubber.
Overall, performance tyres on an EV is a tremendously positive change.
I found them selling online for about $230 each (although Hyundai supplied these ones free and pre-scuffed from a previous assignment).
I understand why all carmakers fit eco tyres to EVs, but if you understand driving dynamics, upgrading to a set of high-performance tyres like these Michelins makes a world of difference - it makes driving the vehicle safer by giving you higher limits, and it’s a lot more fun - if you’re into that.
And there was Olight
This report is supported in part by Olight - they sent me this very cool upgrade on the Warrior Mini, which I evaluated recently: Olight Warrior: Best flashflight for personal safety around your car >>
If you’ve got a car, you really do deserve a decent flashlight. Meet the M2R Pro Warrior. Slightly bigger. A lot brighter.
There’s an Olight pre-Christmas flash sale in ‘Straya with up to 40 per cent off kicking off at 8pm tonight, Sunday the 13th. Plus, 10 per cent off if you use the code AEJC10 - that’s if you miss the sale which runs until Thursday.
Olight Xmas Sale 8PM 13th-Midnight 17th December
Australian customers link: https://bit.ly/3pA9nYi
Freyr/M2R pro Up to 40% OFF, website wide 20% OFF
10% off code after sale: AEJC10
USA customers link: https://bit.ly/39UYLxF
Olight is a supporter of this channel. They make really excellent, premium flashlights. Many of you want me to use the word ‘torch’ - but to me that’s a thing that cuts steel, using oxy and acetylene, or propane. Sorry (not really).
Anywho, I did recently criticise the Warrior Mini for not having a reversible pocket clip, so they sent me this M2R Warrior - slightly bigger, and a lot brighter. 1800 lumens. Which is ‘searchlight’ stuff, nearly. Amazing output for a pocket-sized flashlight (or torch, if you must) - six modes, too. From 1800 lumens, to 750, then 250, then 60, then 15 and down to just one for just the right boost to find something in the dark - without ruining your night vision. The reversible pocket clip means you can choose to carry bezel-up or bezel-down down in your pocket, it’s waterproof to two metres and rated to survive a 1.5-metre drop.
It’s a quality product that will last years. Silent tail-switch with two tactical modes, and usb recharging with the clever-est magnetic charger ever. Plus the packaging is up there with Apple - which means if it’s a gift, it won’t feel or look like a cheapie - either in or out of the box. Up to 40 per cent off on the website now, 20 per cent off, site-wide, until midnight on the 17th. Follow the discount code if you miss the sale >>.
They sent me this Warrior Turbo as well - I haven’t had time to review it yet - fantastic if you’ve got a boat or if you just need to throw a few billion photons up to 1000 metres one dark night. Such as, for searching or signalling. Like, it wasn’t that long ago when you’d be staggering under the weight of the battery required to make a torch do that - LED tech is awesome.
Mazda3 should make you reconsider that heavy, impractical SUV or the long list of overpriced prestige German cars. If you’re money smart, you’ll put this sensible, stylish small hatch or sedan on your shortlist for a test drive.