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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2020 Hyundai Kona is associated with 154 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 81 reports (53% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 5 certified vehicle configurations spanning all-electric, 1.6l 4-cyl, and 2l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 27 to 30 MPG combined. All-electric variants deliver up to 123 MPGe with an estimated range of 258 miles.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 154 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (81 / 53%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 8 crash / 3 fire / 7 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 27–30 MPG across 5 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Kona Electric 100% Electric Electric Motor Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 137 MPGe 109 MPGe 123 MPGe 258 mi $600 / yr
Kona FWD 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 28 MPG 32 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Kona FWD 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 27 MPG 33 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Kona AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 26 MPG 30 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Kona AWD 1.6L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 26 MPG 29 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2020 Hyundai Kona provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 258 miles on a single battery charge.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 14.099999999999998%
Electric SUV FWD —
SUV AWD 13.600000000000001%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Hyundai Kona models.
View complete 2020 Hyundai Kona crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

Summary of 154 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
154
Crash Reports
8
Fire Reports
3
Complaints w/ Injury
7
Total Injuries
12

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 81 complaints
Powertrain 7 complaints
Electrical System 5 complaints
Engine & Cooling 4 complaints
Steering 4 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2020 Hyundai Kona problems & component breakdown (40 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V301000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #20V022000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Summary: 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, "Certification" and 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers displaying the correct GAWR over the affected areas of the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 187.
View all 2020 Hyundai Kona recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2020 Hyundai Kona

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2020 Hyundai Kona

How many safety recalls does the 2020 Hyundai Kona have?

The 2020 Hyundai Kona is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

NHTSA records list 154 consumer defect complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Kona. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 81 filings (53% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2020 Hyundai Kona defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2020 Hyundai Kona?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2020 Hyundai Kona earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2020 Hyundai Kona get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2020 Hyundai Kona range from 27 to 30 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.