2019 Hyundai Kona
Electric Gas Compact SUV
The 2019 Hyundai Kona is sold in the U.S. as a electric and gas compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Kona Electric, is EPA-rated at 258 miles with 120 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 242 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kona Electric | Electric | FWD | 150 kW AC PMSM | 132 | 108 | 120 MPGe | 258 mi | 28 | 9 h | $650 |
| Kona FWD | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 28 | 32 | 30 | — | — | — | $2,100 |
| Kona FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 27 | 33 | 30 | — | — | — | $2,100 |
| Kona AWD | Gas | AWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 26 | 29 | 27 | — | — | — | $2,300 |
| Kona AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 25 | 30 | 27 | — | — | — | $2,300 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (4)
Engine
criticalProblem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System
criticalProblem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
minorProblem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System
criticalProblem: 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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
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 electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Engine — Loss of Motive Power (closed)
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 indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023 · action DP22003
Owner complaints
242 complaints filed
13 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 7 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2018: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 62 · 2022: 33 · 2023: 23 · 2024: 34 · 2025: 39 · 2026: 33
Most-cited components
- Engine — 134
- Electrical System — 60
- Unknown Or Other — 24
- Power Train — 23
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 20
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Kona model years
2027 Kona
0 recalls · 0 complaints
C2026 Kona
3 recalls · 9 complaints
A2025 Kona
1 recalls · 29 complaints
D2024 Kona
4 recalls · 65 complaints
C2023 Kona
2 recalls · 72 complaints
B2022 Kona
2 recalls · 123 complaints
C2021 Kona
3 recalls · 141 complaints
F2020 Kona
5 recalls · 184 complaints
A2018 Kona
0 recalls · 74 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 40585, 40271, 40431, 40286, 40432). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.