Hyundai Kona reliability by year
3 recalls and 728 owner complaints across 8 model years. Best year to buy: 2025. Year to avoid: 2020.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 8 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Kona aggregated across 8 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Hyundai Kona?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2025 Hyundai Kona scores 8.4/10 — the strongest in the 2018–2025 range. 24 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Hyundai Kona year should I avoid?
The 2020 Hyundai Kona scores 7.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 150 owner complaints with NHTSA, 1 active recall. That doesn't mean every 2020 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Hyundai Kona should I avoid?
No Hyundai Kona model year currently rises to an "avoid" or "high-risk" verdict on the NHTSA data — either the record is clean or sample sizes are still too thin for a confident call. The year-by-year breakdown below shows what's on file regardless.
How many years of the Hyundai Kona are tracked?
8 model years (2018 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 3 recalls and 728 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Hyundai Kona?
engine is the most-reported category — 289 complaints across 6 model years. Average shop repair runs about $3,100.