It was only last month when Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) officially launched the 2021 Hyundai Kona here in Malaysia, only six months after it was previewed for the local market. Now, they've again teased us with the imminent arrival of the sportier variant, the Hyundai Kona N Line. The short video was posted on the Hyundai Malaysia official Facebook page.

There are currently two variants of the Hyundai Kona on offer here in Malaysia, the base model priced at RM119,888 and the Active which comes in at RM136,888 (on-the-road prices excluding insurance). The Kona N Line is presumed to be the new range-topper, but as the name goes, the N Line is more on looks rather than performance (think of it as something similar to BMW's M Sport or Mercedes-Benz AMG Line).

With that being said, the Kona N Line differentiates itself from the rest of the pack with the additions of a much more aggressive and sporty exterior thanks to larger honeycomb-styled air intakes, redesigned Y-shaped grille, revised side skirts, and rear bumper, 18-inch wheels, plus many more. The interior will be dressed with some Hyundai N Line features and logos, but to what is extend is yet to be seen.

Both of these variants are powered by the same 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine which produces 149PS and 180Nm of torque. However, the Hyundai Kona N Line will most likely run the 1.6-litre turbocharged unit which is said to produce 198PS and 265Nm of torque.

Quite a bump in performance, which we can also expect the same hike in the price tag. If the 2021 Hyundai Kona N Line comes in at around RM150,000, would there be any interested buyers? Interesting prospect, indeed. Stay tuned for more updates.