Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai KONA vs FORD F 150
How the Hyundai KONA and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Hyundai KONA vs FORD F 150: The KONA averages 86 complaints per year, with engine failures causing sudden shutdowns, while the F-150 averages 1131 complaints per year, often due to transmission harshness. Both have recalls, but the KONA's issues are more concentrated. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai KONA or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai KONA
The Hyundai KONA, a subcompact crossover, shows a reliability profile dominated by engine-related complaints, with owners reporting sudden shutdowns, loss of power, and messages to restart the engine. These failures can occur while driving, leading to safety concerns. The high complaint volume relative to its age suggests that engine issues are a significant factor for buyers to consider.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a high complaint volume, but its issues are spread across multiple systems, with powertrain and electrical problems being most common. Owners frequently report harsh shifting and transmission failures, as well as camera and sensor malfunctions. While the F-150 has more complaints overall, its per-year average is also higher, reflecting its popularity and longer production run.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai KONA | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 778 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 45 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 86.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 48 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Hyundai KONA
- 01ENGINE400
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER136
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM136
- 04POWER TRAIN96
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE57
Owners report the engine seizing or shutting off randomly while driving, sometimes with a warning to 'turn off engine and restart.' This can cause loss of power and steering, making it a serious safety issue.
Complaints include false warnings from driver assistance systems, such as forward collision alerts triggering on bumpy roads, and false ABS activation, which can be distracting and undermine driver confidence.
Issues range from liftgate bolts buckling to drivetrain problems like loss of drive power and sluggish acceleration, often accompanied by grinding or clanking noises.
Some owners describe the engine revving and dropping, causing jarring movements, and in one case, a vehicle 'blew up' within a year, indicating potential severe transmission or engine issues.
“The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message to “Turn off Engine and Restart Engine” was displayed and the engine seized. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a b…”
“The car shuts off at random times during me driving . Its like the car locks up steering and shuts completely down . Have to pull over and give the car time . And it shuts back on in and drives with poor accelerate after each issuse. The car is now shaking an…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is hard and delayed shifts, particularly in the 10-speed automatic transmission, with reports of jerking, clunking, and even loss of power and vehicle shutdown.
Owners report warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear on startup and may indicate sensor or software problems.
Some complaints describe loud bangs from the transmission and popping sounds from the rear suspension during downshifts, suggesting potential driveline or suspension issues.
While not detailed in the sample, exterior lighting is a top complaint area, likely involving headlight failures or malfunctions that affect visibility and safety.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Hyundai KONA — 15 recalls
The defect: 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.
The risk: A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: 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 are expected to be mailed September 11, 2026. Owner…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Kona vehicles. The seat belt assemblies in the right and left rear seats may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupation Crash Protecti…
The risk: A seat belt that does not function properly may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 21, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recal…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Kona vehicles. The 12-Volt battery cables may chafe against the engine control module bracket and short circuit during a crash.
The risk: A short circuit increases the risk of an engine compartment fire.
The fix: Dealers will install sheathing over the wiring, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 22, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 252.
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Elantra, Venue, and Kona vehicles. An electrical short circuit may occur in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assembly, which can result in a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 28, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 260.
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
Hyundai KONA or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Hyundai KONA has significantly fewer complaints per year (86.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower frequency of reported issues. However, the KONA's engine problems are more concentrated and potentially more dangerous, while the F-150's issues are more varied but also serious. In practice, the KONA may offer fewer headaches, but buyers should be vigilant about engine health.
Key differences
- The KONA has a much lower complaint rate per year (86.4) than the F-150 (1131.1), but its issues are heavily engine-focused, including sudden shutdowns.
- The F-150's top problem is the 10-speed transmission, with hard shifts and loss of power, while the KONA's engine failures can cause loss of steering control.
- Electrical issues in the KONA include false driver assistance warnings, while the F-150 has camera and pre-collision malfunctions.
- The F-150 has a higher number of recalls (145) compared to the KONA (15), but both have had recalls for similar components like seat belts and battery cables.
- Check for any history of engine stalling or shutdown, and ask for maintenance records related to engine or powertrain.
- Test drive on rough roads to see if forward collision warnings trigger unnecessarily, indicating a sensor issue.
- Inspect the transmission for smooth shifting, especially between 4th-6th and 7th-8th gears, and listen for clunks or jerks.
- Check if the front camera and pre-collision warnings appear on startup, as they may indicate electrical or sensor problems.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine and transmission.
- Test drive at various speeds and on bumpy roads to assess shifting and warning systems.
- Ask for service records, especially for any engine or transmission repairs.
- Check the NHTSA website for the latest complaints and recall information for the specific model year.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Hyundai KONA | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 24 |
| 2025 | 28 | 329 |
| 2024 | 49 | 617 |
| 2023 | 63 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 96 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 115 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 157 | 33 |
| 2019 | 187 | 36 |
| 2018 | 74 | 56 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Hyundai KONA or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai KONA vs FORD F 150
- Hyundai KONA total complaints
- 778
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Hyundai KONA total recalls
- 15
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Hyundai KONA avg complaints/year
- 86.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai KONA
- Hyundai KONA top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN