2020 Hyundai Kona Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Kona years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Hyundai Kona. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Kona model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (108 complaints, 67%), typically at around 12,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 3 fires, 12 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 161owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Hyundai Kona problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 108 | 67% | 12,000 | “oil consumption” (8%) | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 12% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 17 | 11% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 7% | 2,518 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 | 4% | 18,100 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 4% | 519 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 4% | 747 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 44 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 790 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 160 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Hyundai Kona recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine
Problem: 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: 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.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: 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."
Risk: An incorrect GAWR could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was advised to take the…
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine short block piston rings (related to NHTSA recall 203) failed, causing severe cylinder wall scoring. The vehicle is currently located at an authorized Hyundai dealership and is available for manufacturer or NHTSA inspection. SAFETY RISK; The defective piston rings…
I was fortunate to check my daughter's oil and noticed that it was almost empty. I alerted the dealer because I recently got an oil change and thought there was a leak, but no oil was on the driveway. The dealer performed an oil consumption test. They said it was 1 quart per 1,000 miles and this is…
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the dealer was unable to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had not experienced a failure associated with the recall and there were no fault…
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and…
Other Hyundai Kona years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Kona | 10 | 3 |
| 2025 Kona | 28 | 1 |
| 2024 Kona | 52 | 4 |
| 2023 Kona | 66 | 1 |
| 2022 Kona | 101 | 0 |
| 2021 Kona | 120 | 1 |
| 2020 | 161 | 2 |
| 2019 Kona | 194 | 1 |
| 2018 Kona | 75 | 0 |
See all Hyundai Kona problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Hyundai Kona?
Owners most often report engine, power train, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 108 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Hyundai Kona?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Hyundai Kona a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Kona model years, the 2020 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.