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2019 Hyundai Kona

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
1
on record
MPG
32
combined

Open recalls on record

1 safety recall. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2019 Hyundai Kona

1 recall
185 complaints
32 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 1 recall were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 11 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 185 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
1
Owner complaints
185
Complaints citing a crash
11

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

1 Recall on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.

  • 21V301000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2019 Hyundai Kona.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    14.1%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Standard
Lane departure warning
Standard

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2019 Hyundai Kona 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 14.1% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2019 Hyundai Kona Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2019 Hyundai Kona Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2019 Hyundai Kona Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2019 Hyundai Kona, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

27

City

39

Hwy

32

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$1,641
Tailpipe CO₂
278 g/mi

How this compares

The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2019 Hyundai Kona against its peers.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 278 grams per mile — about 4.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

185 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

185
Total
11
Crashes
4
Fires
6
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE141
  • OTHER14
  • ELECTRICAL7
  • FUEL SYSTEM6
  • AIR BAGS5

Notable Issues

185 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 6 reports involve injuries. 11 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)141
miscellaneous issues14
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)7

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2019 Hyundai Kona, newest first.

  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  5. Recall

    Recall 21V301000

    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.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sedan
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

27

City

39

Hwy

32

Comb

Annual cost
$1,641
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Hyundai Kona years

Common problems

Hyundai Kona problems

750 owner complaints analyzed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  5. Recall

    Recall 21V301000

    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.