2020 Hyundai Kona: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 152 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
152
Complaints
2
Recalls
8
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
12
Injuries
122.4
Severity index
Severity index 122.4 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Hyundai Kona ranks 12 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 88% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 99 | 65.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 18 | 11.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 17 | 11.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 11 | 7.2% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 | 4.6% |
| STEERING | 7 | 4.6% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 7 | 4.6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 2.6% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 99 of 152 complaints (65.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 61 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 17 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V301000 | 28/04/2021 | 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. |
| 20V022000 | 17/01/2020 | EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles. The certification label may indicate incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 567, "C |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.