FaultScore

Worst years for a Hyundai Kona

Owners have filed 1,089 complaints about the Hyundai Kona with NHTSA across model years 2018 to 2026. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2019 Hyundai Kona

246 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2026 Hyundai Kona

12 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Hyundai Kona year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2026 C 12 2 0 Other & Unspecified
2025 D 51 3 0 3,530 Electrical System
2024 D 77 9 0 11,250 Electrical System
2023 C 100 8 0 12,000 Electrical System
2022 C 142 5 0 19,842 Engine & Cooling
2021 D 149 2 5 23,700 Engine & Cooling
2020 D 196 12 3 10,900 Engine & Cooling
2019 F 246 18 6 36,750 Engine & Cooling
2018 D 116 14 19 17,000 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Hyundai Kona

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 414 38.0%

Worst in 2019

Electrical System 139 12.8%

Worst in 2024

Worst in 2022

Worst in 2020

Worst in 2023

Worst in 2022

Brakes 33 3.0%

Worst in 2022

Worst in 2019

Steering 19 1.7%

Worst in 2020

Lights 19 1.7%

Worst in 2019

Body & Structure 16 1.5%

Worst in 2019

Airbags 14 1.3%

Worst in 2019

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 13 1.2%

Worst in 2018

Wheels 7 0.6%

Worst in 2020

Exactly what failed on a Hyundai Kona

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Emergency Braking 28 25.0%
Warnings 24 21.4%
Body 16 14.3%
Adaptive Cruise Control 10 8.9%
Blind Spot Detection 10 8.9%
Horn 8 7.1%
Assist 6 5.4%
Warning 4 3.6%
Instrument Cluster/Panel 3 2.7%
12V/24V/48V Battery 3 2.7%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Hyundai Kona, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Apr 2018 peak 47 Aug 2026

Hyundai Kona problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Hyundai Kona

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.