NHTSA has received 146 owner complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Kona, or 25.2 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.62, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #46 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Hyundai models its rate is 53% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 11% 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 2021-04-02 and 2026-10-13. Median delay from incident to filing: 20 days.
146Complaints
25.2Complaints per year on the road
0.62Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
4.1%Share involving a crash or fire
32Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 27.5 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 26.9 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 51 complaints, 17% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (58.2% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (12.3%) and Electrical (8.2%). Engine complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 6 reports (4.1%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 3 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 36 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (35% of incidents). In the last 12 months 32 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — virtually unchanged.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers 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 vehicles0.62
vs. other Hyundai models0.47
vs. other 2021 models0.65
vs. other Subcompact SUVs1.11
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (51)0.83
My wife's car t-boned another vehicle, but the air bags didn't deploy. Luckily, she wasn't hurt badly, but the vehicle was deemed a total loss, so you can imagine the force of the collision.
I had a 2021 Hyundai Kona limited. On Friday 09/13/2024 my engine caught fire and my car was a total loss. Minutes before the fire I noticed some smoke, all of my dash lights came on and the car shut down.
Engine · 2024-09-16 · ODI 11614742 · Fire
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.
Brakes · 2026-10-13 · ODI 11770754
All 4 fuel injectors failed. They were replaced but the check engine light came back on. Crank shaft sensor was then replaced and now the check engine light is back on. Driving the car waiting for something to fail is not safe
Engine · 2026-10-05 · ODI 11769182
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the horn button was depressed but was inoperable. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure.
Electrical · 2026-07-22 · ODI 11752233
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.
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…
