Hyundai KONA N Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Hyundai KONA N options? We analyzed 2 model years (2022–2023) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Hyundai KONA N has 11 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls across model years 2022–2023. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2022 drew the most complaints; 2023 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Hyundai
- Model
- KONA N
- Model years analyzed
- 2022–2023 (2 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 11
- Safety recall campaigns
- 3
- Crash-related complaints
- 0
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2022 (7 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2023 (4 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Good
By model year
Hyundai KONA N: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
GoodThe HYUNDAI KONA N has 11 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 11 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 3 federal recall campaigns
- No crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
3 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2022–2023. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 11 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
11 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The knock sensor on the engine fails when exposed to any amount of water. The car is designed in a way that lets on too much. It’s something that is VERY common amongst owners of these vehicles. It’s a safety flaw that needs to be fixed because it puts the car in “limp” mode. That makes the car instantly halt acceleration. Please hold Hyundai accountable
After washing my '23 Kona N in a hand car wash, I experienced a sudden, complete loss of power as I was pulling into traffic immediately afterwards, nearly resulting in a rear-end collision. There was a flashing check engine light (CEL or MIL) on the dash, and I had to have the vehicle towed to a dealership. The stored OBD-II code is P132600 (knock sensor). The car has only 16k miles on it. This is a KNOWN ISSUE, and there are complaints about it all over Reddit, Facebook, and other Internet sites, and it also affects the same generation Elantra N. This issue can occur ANY TIME THE VEHICLE GETS WET. It is unacceptable that simply washing my car or driving my vehicle in the rain can cause me to lose all power and create an unsafe driving condition. PLEASE compel Hyundai to address this safety issue with a recall.
Car tends to jerk and almost jump when first pulling out of almost anywhere. Seems to have happened with other people with the same car. When you turn after pulling out sometimes, the car will jump and the suspension sounds like it’s jumping. The particular issue makes it hard to steer and can easily make the car lose control for anyone not experienced.
I took my vehicle through a touch free car wash. After the wash the vehicle sat for about 10 to 20 minutes while I dried off the exterior and cleaned out my interior. After leaving the car wash the car made it less than a mile down the road and illuminated a flashing check engine light with a P132600 code implying a connection rod failure detected by the knock sensor. As of time of reporting the vehicle is still waiting to be serviced by the dealership as it is still under warranty. Safety can be impacted as the vehicle will immediately go into limp mode, throttling performance.
There would be a stumble when accelerating up to highway speeds at random times. During acceleration on a highway on August 30, 2025, that stumble became constant and the engine light came on. Exhaust sounds was no longer smooth and constant but rather a constant sputter. Greater vibration was felt in the car anytime the accelerator was depressed. Pulled off the highway and can visually see the motor vibrating significantly. When accelerating from a stop or crawling speed, it struggles to move and I can feel the resistance of the car not wanting to accelerate. Auto parts store scanned the code and it came back as a misfire in cylinder 3. Concerned about engine damage, being stranded, or causing an accident, the car was dropped it off at the Hyundai dealership. At that time (around 2pm) I was far from home and the service center was closed. On 9/5/2025 I was notified that the fuel injectors will need to be replaced and they are currently on order.
Knock sensor code P1326 has set my car into limp mode twice from getting wet after a car wash once and the other driving on a rainy day. Both times the dealership has replaced the knock sensor. The car suddenly loosing power on the highway going 65pmh and stock at only able 2k rpm is not safe. It's a known issues that yet to receive a recall or at least permanent fix.
Read 5 more owner reports
While driving on the interstate, the car went into limp mode (does not rev above 2000 rpm). I was unable to maintain speed or merge back into interstate. The dealership has inspected the vehicle, however, they confirm everything is normal. The car did give an engine error code of P132600 for Powertrain. This is the second time this issue has occurred, the dealership replaced the knock sensor the first time.
While driving after a recent car wash, my car entered limp mode, limiting the engine to 2000 RPM. Multiple warning lights for electrical, safety, and engine issues appeared on the dashboard, and the error code P211800 was displayed. Despite being inspected at the dealership, the issue couldn’t be reproduced, and the error code disappeared. This problem has occurred twice, but each time the dealership was unable to identify the cause since the error code was no longer present.
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona N. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V528000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000. VIN tool confirms part not available.
I bought a used from Route46Nissan. Horn wasn't working when I bought the car and battery was also dead which I had to pay out of pocket to replace. I realized that two tires have side bubbles and which is extremely unsafe which they sold the car like that with security issues. They sold me a warranty and they are not keeping their promises for the stuff that they need to fix
Horn stopped functioning
Showing 11 of 11 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Hyundai KONA N
These pages show model-year patterns across 2 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Hyundai KONA N, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Hyundai KONA N has 11 complaints on record across 2 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Hyundai KONA N has 3 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 0 of the Hyundai KONA N's 11 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Good) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Hyundai KONA N vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Hyundai KONA N vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Hyundai KONA N has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Hyundai KONA N.
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Hyundai KONA N reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Hyundai KONA N reliable?
Good. The Hyundai KONA N has 11 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Hyundai KONA N years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2022 (7 complaints), 2023 (4 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Hyundai KONA N problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (6 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5 complaints); POWER TRAIN (3 complaints).
Does the Hyundai KONA N have recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Hyundai KONA N. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.