What breaks most · 2018 to 2026 model years
Hyundai Kona problems by year
Owners have filed 779 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Kona across model years 2018 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2019 for engine complaints, 2020 for engine complaints and 2021 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2024, 2023 and 2018.
- Years to check closely: 2019, 2020, 2021
- Fewest complaints: 2024, 2023, 2018
- Complaints on file
- 7792018 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 2019187 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 4520 fires · 48 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 19kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 13Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | 9 | 0 | Engine (41) | |
| 187 | 11 | 1 | Engine (128) | |
| 157 | 8 | 2 | Engine (104) | |
| 115 | 2 | 1 | Engine (76) | |
| 96 | 3 | 0 | Engine (32) | |
| 63 | 4 | 1 | Electrical system (25) | |
| 50 | 5 | 4 | Electrical system (31) | |
| 28 | 2 | 1 | Electrical system (9) | |
| 9 | 1 | 3 | Unknown or other (3) |
What fails on the 2019 Hyundai Kona
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 68% |
128 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
| Unknown or other | 11% |
20 | 3 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 10% |
18 | 2 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 9% |
17 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 5% |
9 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 5% |
9 | 1 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
9 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 4% |
7 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
96,247 mi Engine knock and complete oil loss within 3,000 miles of last oil change Symptoms consistent with NHTSA Recall 21V301 (Hyundai Recall 203) and Warranty Extension TXXM coverage
-
Leaking oil...burns exceptionally fast even with dealership services. Pistons not sealed, melts new spark plugs, misfire on cylinder 3
-
Low speed hesitancy and shuddering. Car has lost power when driving at 55 mph. Car does not want to move at very slow speeds as in a parking garage. It hesitates and starts to roll backwards.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Hyundai Kona years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2019, 2020, 2021 carry the most filings on the Hyundai Kona. The 2019 alone has 187 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Hyundai Kona problem?
On the 2019 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 128 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Hyundai Kona problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Hyundai Kona complaints that include mileage is about 19,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.