Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2026 Hyundai Kona. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Seat Belt Buckle May Fail
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Kona Electric and 2024-2026 Kona vehicles. The seat belt buckle in the rear center seat may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash.
- Consequence
- A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Passengers are advised not to use the rear center seat until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 306. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 15, 2026.
Loss of Steering Control from Cracked Steering Knuckle Assembly
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Kona vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control.
- Consequence
- A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckles, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 5, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 295. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 7, 2026.
Instrument Panel Display Failure/FMVSS 101
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
- Consequence
- An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (9)
9 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The unknown or other is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 3 | 33.3% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 22.2% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 11.1% |
| Engine | 1 | 11.1% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 11.1% |
| Power train | 1 | 11.1% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 11.1% |
| Structure | 1 | 11.1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 11.1% |
How 2026 compares with other Kona years
Best and worst Kona years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 75 | 0 |
| 2019 | 193 | 1 |
| 2020 | 160 | 2 |
| 2021 | 118 | 1 |
| 2022 | 100 | 0 |
| 2023 | 66 | 1 |
| 2024 | 52 | 4 |
| 2025 | 28 | 1 |
| 2026 | 9 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2026 Hyundai Kona suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 31 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,150
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 288 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 31 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 35 / 31 | $2,150 | 288 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 34 / 31 | $2,150 | 284 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 26 / 31 / 28 | $2,400 | 320 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 27 / 29 / 28 | $2,400 | 319 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 26 / 29 / 27 | $2,500 | 323 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 25 / 28 / 26 | $2,600 | 340 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2026 Kona for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2026 Hyundai Kona FAQ
How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Kona have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 26V452000 (seat belt), 26V069000 (steering), 26V047000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2026 Hyundai Kona problems?
Owners filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Unknown or other (3), Service brakes (2), Electrical system (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2026 Hyundai Kona get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT version at 28 city, 35 highway and 31 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2026 Hyundai Kona get?
NHTSA rated the 2026 Hyundai Kona suv fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (15.1% rollover risk).
How does the 2026 Kona compare with other years?
Among the 2018–2021 Hyundai Kona model years at least five years old, the 2018 drew the fewest complaints (75) and the 2019 the most (193). The 2026 drew 9. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.