Diagsheet

Model year 2021

2021 Hyundai Kona

  • 115owner complaints
  • 1recalls
  • 2involved a crash
  • 23,700median miles at failure

Newest report Aug 21, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

miles

When each problem shows up

Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: engine stalls or loses power while driving, 38 complaints.

0k25k50k75k100k125k150kyou
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing19 reports
Engine stalls or loses power while driving38 reports

middle half of reports, median tick. Darker bars have 75 or more reports.

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    Around your mileage

      Ahead of you

        How this compares

        2021 Hyundai Kona115
        Median 2021 model here (79 vehicles)188
        Median 2021 SUV here (50)211

        115 complaints is 1.6 times fewer than the median 2021 model on this site and 1.8 times fewer than the median 2021 SUV. Among the 3 Kona model years here it ranks 3rd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.

        Complaints filed by year

        2321
        1822
        1223
        1724
        2125
        2426

        24 complaints came in 2026. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.

        NHTSA investigations

        DP22-005opened Jan 27, 2023
        Electrical · model years 2019 to 2022

        Pedestrian alert sounds. Closed aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V-063.

        NHTSA summary
        NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

        Recalls that include the 2021 Hyundai Kona

        Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

        21V-301Apr 28, 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.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
        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.

        Other model years

        201918820201572021115