- 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
2021 Hyundai Kona
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 113
- Complaints citing a crash
- 2
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.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.
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 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 2021 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.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 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 2021 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
113 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 113
- Total
- 2
- Crashes
- 3
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE82
- OTHER15
- ELECTRICAL5
- BRAKES3
- WHEELS/TIRES3
Notable Issues
113 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve injuries. 2 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Hyundai Kona, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Recall
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
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Recall
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.