NHTSA has received 187 owner complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Kona, or 27.5 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.68, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 83 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #46 of 83 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Hyundai models its rate is 49% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 21% 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 2020-02-13 and 2026-09-29. Median delay from incident to filing: 14 days.
187Complaints
27.5Complaints per year on the road
0.68Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
5Recalls · ⚠ 2
6.4%Share involving a crash or fire
30Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 31.8 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 25.2 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 91 complaints, 62% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (59.9% of complaints), followed by Electrical (12.3%) and Transmission / powertrain (7.0%). Engine complaints are 2.7 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 12 reports (6.4%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 12 injuries and 1 death.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 22 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the second year (38% of incidents). In the last 12 months 30 new complaints were filed, versus 27 in the 12 months before — up 11%.
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for this model year, 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 2 NHTSA investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.68
vs. other Hyundai models0.51
vs. other 2020 models0.73
vs. other Subcompact SUVs1.21
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (91)1.62
The Kona was driven a 1/2 hour before parking the vehicle. The Kona was turned off. Within 5 minutes smoke began wafting from under the hood. When I opened the hood to inspect I found the engine & underside of the hood was engulfed in flames.
Engine · 2026-07-03 · ODI 11748215 · Fire
I stopped my car foot on brake put it in park and it accelerated on its own and forced me to crash into a concrete wall still not wanting to stop
Brakes · 2026-04-25 · ODI 11733726 · Crash
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine short block piston rings (related to NHTSA recall 203) failed, causing severe cylinder wall scoring. The vehicle is currently located at an authorized Hyundai dealership and is available for manufacturer or NHTSA inspection.
Engine · 2026-09-29 · ODI 11767813
I am receiving an intermittent "check regenerative brake" message. The message will clear automatically and then reappear every three to four weeks. An internet search reveals this is a common error for the Kona. Most people report no repair by the dealer.
Brakes · 2026-05-27 · ODI 11740362
2020 Hyundai Kona, ~36,300 miles. Driver's side door latch assembly. On or around May 9, 2026, an abnormal mechanical noise began coming from inside the driver's door whenever the key fob lock/unlock button was pressed, consistent with a failing latch…
Body & structure · 2026-05-15 · ODI 11738158
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.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles. The certification label may indicate incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 567, "Certification" and 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An incorrect GAWR could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers displaying the correct GAWR over the affected areas of the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 187.
DP22005 · defect petition · 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 · defect petition · 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…
