NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 162 owner complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Kona.
Recalled components: engine and equipment. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (42 complaints, 26%). Most-reported area: engine (109 complaints, 67%; median mileage when it happened: 12,000).
More complaints than most Kona years
The 2020 drew 86 owner complaints in its first three years, against 55 for a typical Kona year: 1.5 times as many. It is not a year to avoid, which takes at least twice the typical count and at least 50 complaints.
No Kona year stands out enough to avoid; best year: 2018. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
The fix and full notice
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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines.
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.
The fix and full notice
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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles.
NHTSA listing: KONA. Hyundai campaign 187.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Kona.
What owners report
Owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kona. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Median 12,000 miles at failure, from 31 reports with mileage
Powertrain20 · 12%
Electrical system11 · 7%
Forward collision avoidance7 · 4%
Most named: warnings (6)
Speed control7 · 4%
Steering7 · 4%
Engine and cooling4 · 2%
Unknown or other17 · 10%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Kona recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2020 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Kona drew the most (86).
Owner complaints
2020: 162 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Kona
Model year
Complaints
2018
75
2019
198
2020
162
2021
120
2022
109
2023
70
2024
53
2025
29
2026
11
Safety recalls
2020: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Kona
Model year
Recalls
2018
0
2019
1
2020
2
2021
1
2022
2
2023
2
2024
4
2025
1
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 162 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Hyundai Kona, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (42), engine failure or replacement (27), and the check engine light coming on (24). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2020 Hyundai Kona safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2020 Hyundai Kona earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2020 Hyundai Kona?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Kona.
How do I check if my Kona has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: KONA.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.