Hyundai Kona
Every model year 2018–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}
Every Hyundai Kona model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Gas | A | 0 | 0 | — | 31 mpg | |
| 2026 | Gas | C | 3 | 10 | ★★★★☆ | 31 mpg | |
| 2025 | Electric Gas | A | 1 | 29 | ★★★★☆ | 261 mi | |
| 2024 | Electric Gas | C | 4 | 68 | ★★★★☆ | 261 mi | |
| 2023 | Electric Gas | C | 2 | 75 | ★★★★★ | 258 mi | Park outside |
| 2022 | Electric Gas | B | 2 | 130 | ★★★★★ | 258 mi | |
| 2021 | Electric Gas | C | 3 | 147 | ★★★★★ | 258 mi | |
| 2020 | Electric Gas | F | 5 | 189 | ★★★★★ | 258 mi | Park outside |
| 2019 | Electric Gas | F | 4 | 250 | ★★★★★ | 258 mi | Park outside |
| 2018 | Gas | A | 0 | 75 | — | 30 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2018 is the cleanest Kona year we hold, and the 2020 the one to check hardest. The 2020 carries a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other number on this page.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What owners filed about the Hyundai Kona, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2027: 6 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2026: dropped electric; 9 → 6 EPA configurations
- 2025: 8 → 9 EPA configurations
- 2024: best combined mpg 32 → 31; best range 258 → 261 mi; 6 → 8 EPA configurations
- 2022: best combined mpg 30 → 32; 5 → 6 EPA configurations
- 2019: added electric; 4 → 5 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Kona vs Kia Sportage · Compact SUV | Sportage +7.2 | |
| 2027 Kona vs Honda CR-V · Compact SUV | Toss-up | |
| 2027 Kona vs Chevrolet Equinox · Compact SUV | Equinox +5.2 | |
| 2027 Kona vs Tesla Model Y · Compact SUV | Model Y +29.7 | |
| 2027 Kona vs Jeep Wrangler · Compact SUV | Kona +8.4 | |
| 2027 Kona vs Kia Sorento · Compact SUV | Sorento +7 |
In the studies
Source: computed from the same record, method on each pageCommon questions about the Hyundai Kona
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Hyundai Kona year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2018 Kona comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade A (100/100), 0 recalls and 75 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Hyundai Kona years should I avoid?
2019, 2020, 2023 have the weakest recall records in this range — one carries an active park-outside or do-not-drive advisory. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every Kona model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Kona have?
Across model years 2018–2027, NHTSA has posted 24 recall campaigns for the Hyundai Kona. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.