Hyundai Kona problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 966 owner complaints and 14 safety recalls for the Hyundai Kona. That averages 21.1 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.52 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Subcompact SUVs segment it ranks #4 of 6 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 22.7.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 226% above the 2018 and 2019 models (47 early complaints per model year versus 15).
The 2019 model year has the highest rate (31.8 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (8.5). The 2019 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 21.1 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. The 2018 model year runs at least 40% below this model's average of 21.1 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (46.4% of complaints), followed by Electrical (19.5%) and Unspecified or other (9.0%). Engine complaints are 2.1 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 67 complaints (6.9%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 49 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 207 complaints versus 200 in the previous 12 months — up 4%. The 2019 model year generated the most recent reports (46). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 30 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 14 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2020 (3), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 2 NHTSA investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Mazda CX-30, Kia Seltos and Subaru Crosstrek, but fewer than Toyota Corolla Cross and Honda HR-V.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Fewest complaints | 75 | 8.5 | 0.21 | 15 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 ▲50%+ | 248 | 31.8 | 0.79 | 46 | 4 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2020 | 187 | 27.5 | 0.68 | 30 | 5 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2021 | 146 | 25.2 | 0.62 | 32 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 129 | 26.9 | 0.67 | 23 | 2 | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 75 | 19.8 | 0.49 | 15 | 2 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 67 | 24.0 | 0.59 | 20 | 4 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 29 | 16.2 | 0.4 | 17 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 10 | 10.0 | 0.25 | 9 | 3 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 207 · Previous 12 months: 200 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Engine ›
448 · 46.4% · 2.08 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Electrical ›
188 · 19.5% · 1.24 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
87 · 9.0% · 1.0 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Transmission / powertrain ›
69 · 7.1% · 0.61 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Driver-assist systems ›
40 · 4.1% · 0.72 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes
32 · 3.3% · 0.55 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Body & structure
23 · 2.4% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
16 · 1.7% · 0.44 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
15 · 1.6% · 0.84 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
14 · 1.4% · 0.33 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
14 · 1.4% · 0.23 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
13 · 1.3% · 0.54 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
7 · 0.7% · 0.47 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 30 months
What owners report
While driving my 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric at a low speed, pulling into a parking space, the electronic braking system suffered an immediate, catastrophic failure.
The contact leased a 2024 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel independently turned from the left to the right, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated.
Large amounts of oil slipped past the damaged rings into the engine. Oil could not stay no matter how many oil changes and proper maintenance. Hard metal shards got loose into the engine causing the engine to blow.
My 2021 Kona has undergone five separate oil consumption checks. The engine is depleting oil at an abnormal rate, creating a clear risk of sudden catastrophic engine failure and highway stalling.
The vehicle is a 2022 Hyundai Kona N Line, VIN [XXX]. The driver-assistance/safety systems have intermittently malfunctioned.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Subcompact SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda CX-30 | 254 | 9.4 | 0.23 | Improving | Rising | 7 | Engine |
| 2 | Kia Seltos | 559 | 20.1 | 0.5 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 4 | Engine |
| 3 | Subaru Crosstrek | 903 | 20.1 | 0.5 | Improving | Rising | 13 | Body & structure |
| 4 | Hyundai Kona | 966 | 21.1 | 0.52 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Engine |
| 5 | Toyota Corolla Cross | 295 | 21.6 | 0.53 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 7 | Engine |
| 6 | Honda HR-V | 1,490 | 39.4 | 0.98 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 12 | Body & structure |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 14
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 3
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (0) · 2019 (4) · 2020 (5) · 2021 (1) · 2022 (2) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (4) · 2025 (1) · 2026 (3)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…