2018 Hyundai Kona problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 75 owner complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Kona, or 8.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.21, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #15 of 76 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Hyundai models its rate is 84% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 63% lower.
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
Complaints filed between 2018-04-30 and 2026-09-19. Median delay from incident to filing: 16 days.
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 31.8 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 13 complaints, 85% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (58.7% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (16.0%) and Electrical (8.0%). Engine complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 15 reports (20.0%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 12 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 69 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (60% of incidents). In the last 12 months 15 new complaints were filed, versus 15 in the 12 months before — virtually unchanged.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Loss of Motive Power” (defect petition, opened 2022-09-12, closed 2023-12-12).
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.21
- vs. other Hyundai models0.16
- vs. other 2018 models0.18
- vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.37
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (13)0.15
- #15 of 76 · 2018Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Unspecified or other · Transmission / powertrain · Driver-assist systems
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 9
- Fires reported: 10
- Injuries: 12
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 69 months
What owners report
On May 5, 2025, my 2018 Hyundai Kona burst into flames in my garage and completely destroyed my Kona, Dodge Ram 1500 parked adjacent to it and my home along with its contents. Both vehicles and my home were deemed “a total loss” by the insurance company.
My vehicle suffered a tire blowout on [XXX]. It was determined to be caused by ripped beading on the inner and outer part of the tire.
car had an engine knock at 110,000 miles and took it to a repair shop and said they are pretty sure it was an engine rod and that the whole engine needed to be replaced still waiting to get it to the dealership to see what they are going to do due to this car…
The DCT(Dual Clutch Transmission) has always been an issue since I purchased the vehicle. Anytime I would be going at a slow pace in a drive-thru or traffic on the freeway the car would jolt and shake.
with no known contact with anything, shark fin antenna cover of hyundai kona blew off at highway speed. this was unknown at the time, but upon further consideration, concern that the detachment could have damaged another car or caused to swerve.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2018 · Subcompact SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Hyundai Kona | 75 | 8.5 | 0.21 |
| 2018 Honda HR-V | 158 | 18.0 | 0.45 |
| 2018 Subaru Crosstrek | 195 | 22.2 | 0.55 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
- 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…