The 2023 Hyundai Kona is associated with 67 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 11 reports (16% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 6 certified vehicle configurations spanning all-electric, 2l 4-cyl, and 1.6l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 23 to 32 MPG combined. All-electric variants deliver up to 123 MPGe with an estimated range of 258 miles.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 67 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Electrical System (11 / 16%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 4 crash / 0 fire / 2 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 23–32 MPG (6 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| 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 | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S1) | 30 MPG | 35 MPG | 32 MPG | — | $1,900 / yr |
| Kona FWD | 1.6L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 29 MPG | 35 MPG | 32 MPG | — | $1,900 / yr |
| Kona AWD | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S1) | 28 MPG | 33 MPG | 30 MPG | — | $2,050 / yr |
| Kona AWD | 1.6L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 27 MPG | 32 MPG | 29 MPG | — | $2,100 / yr |
| Kona N | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S8) | 20 MPG | 27 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $3,300 / 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 2023 Hyundai Kona provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 258 miles on a single battery charge.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 14.099999999999998% |
| Electric SUV FWD | Not Rated | | | Not Rated | — |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 13.600000000000001% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard & Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2023 Hyundai Kona models.
View complete 2023 Hyundai Kona crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
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 2023 Hyundai Kona problems & component breakdown (33 categories) →
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
Defect Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting September 7, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 246.
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE
Defect Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Veloster N, 2019-2023 Genesis G70, 2022-2023 Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The fuel pump may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update engine control module software. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 9, 2024. Some interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 262 and 023G.
View all 2023 Hyundai Kona recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →