Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Hyundai Kona, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 14% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Power train | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 4% |
| Air bags | 1 | 4% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 4% |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The dash will completely go black except for red words *no signal.* and all warnings are no longer visible, I cannot tell what speed I’m going, or what percentage battery my car is at. I don’t see visible lane or collisi
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
I purchased a used Hyndai Kona with 26,000 miles April 30 2026. I was told I have the balance of the manufacturer warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles. I have not driven my car for 73 days because of extreme safety probl
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Power train the engine roars up and drops jarring you back and forth second car within a yr first blew up brand new both and Hyundia and dealership blew me off
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Component or System: The brake system, specifically what appears to be a false ABS activation or IEB (Integrated Electronic Brake) system malfunction. The component is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk:
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owned a 2025 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed through an intersection, the vehicle collided with another vehicle that was towing a trailer. The contact stated that d
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
My forward collision warning activates without cause. My automatic braking systems will engage.
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
The vehicle experienced a total electrical failure while driving. Dealer diagnosed the issue as a loose fuse box connector/power distribution connector. The vehicle and repaired component should be available for inspecti
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving, she observed a loud explosion emanating from the roof of the vehicle. The contact slammed on her brakes and then steered the vehicle to the sid
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2025 Hyundai Kona. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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.
Risk: A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
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 were mailed
| Reliability raw | 83 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 82 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 62 | average |
| Performance | 55 | average |
| Efficiency | 48 | below average |
| Safety | 92 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 4 of them (14%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 83/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2025 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.