2021 Hyundai Kona: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 1 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
112
Complaints
1
Recalls
2
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
3
Injuries
44.6
Severity index
Severity index 44.6 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Hyundai Kona ranks 58 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 36% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 74 | 66.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 18 | 16.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 14 | 12.5% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 10 | 8.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 3.6% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 4 | 3.6% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 | 3.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 2.7% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 74 of 112 complaints (66.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 23 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 21 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
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. |
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.