NHTSA has received 241 owner complaints about the 2019 Hyundai Kona, or 31.4 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.75, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #41 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 43% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 28% higher.
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 2018-12-25 and 2026-08-18. Median delay from incident to filing: 28 days.
241Complaints
31.4Complaints per year on the road
0.75Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
4Recalls · ⚠ 2
7.1%Share involving a crash or fire
44Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2018) drew 8.5 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2020) drew 27.6 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2019 model collected 18 complaints, 78% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (57.7% of complaints), followed by Electrical (18.7%) and Transmission / powertrain (5.8%). Engine complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “engine”, “oil”, “piston”, “rings” and “stalled”. 17 reports (7.1%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 48 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (40% of incidents). In the last 12 months 44 new complaints were filed, versus 34 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls for this model year, 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 78% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 2 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.75
vs. other Hyundai models0.57
vs. other 2019 models0.69
vs. other Subcompact SUVs1.28
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (18)0.22
I am reporting this for my daughter, [XXX] , while she's recovering on pain meds. She is the owner and driver of the car. no passengers in this 1-car accident. the weather and road conditions were terrible. car skidded of side of road into a ditch.
While stopped our 2019 Kona EV at a traffic light with my foot on the brake, the car spontaneously accelerated and crashed into the car also sitting at the light about eight feet in front of us.
Electrical · 2026-02-15 · ODI 11718156 · Crash
The engine was spewing oil into the air filter and also out of a hose near the turbo. It was also consuming high amounts of oil, yes its available for inspection.
Engine · 2026-08-18 · ODI 11757596
The contact's daughter owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 40 MPH, smoke started coming from under the hood. The vehicle lost power and came to a stop in front of a convenience store, blocking the entrance.
Engine · 2026-08-18 · ODI 11757669
First notice was exterior top railing coating wearing down after just 3 years of having car. Notified dealership of this issue and was stated that my car was out of warranty.
Body & structure · 2026-07-08 · ODI 11749136
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric and 2020 Ioniq Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Risk: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the interim action is complete. Hyundai will notify owners, and as an interim action, owners have the option to follow provided instructions to perform a battery update through the vehicle's infotainment system or request a Hyundai dealer to provide the update. Once parts are available, dealers will inspect the Battery System Assembly (BSA), and replace it if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk, and the interim action, with a letter mailed April 9, 2021. Final owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 200.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE Campaign 20V748000 · 2020-12-01
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Nexo Fuel Cell and 2019-2021 Kona Electric vehicles. The Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system may detect an abnormal sensor signal and as a result, may significantly reduce braking performance.
Risk: Reduced braking power could lengthen the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the IEB software, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 199.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Risk: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Battery Management System (BMS) software and inspect the Li-ion battery, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the repair is complete. The recall began November 13, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 196.
DP22005 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
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 PowerClosed
DP22003 · ENGINE · Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
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…
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2019 Hyundai Kona?
241 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Hyundai Kona, or about 31.4 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2019 Hyundai Kona?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 57.7% of complaints.
Does the 2019 Hyundai Kona have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 safety recall(s) for this model year. 2 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Is the 2019 Hyundai Kona still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 44 new complaints were filed, versus 34 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2019 Hyundai Kona compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 241 owner complaints about the 2019 Hyundai Kona, or 31.4 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.75, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #41 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 43% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 28% higher.