2018 Ford Escape vs 2018 Hyundai Kona
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2018 Ford Escape | 2018 Hyundai Kona |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,791 | 74 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 173 | 94 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 25 | 9 |
| Fire reports | 5 | 10 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–26 | 27–30 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 81,000 mi | 15,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escape | Hyundai Kona |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,145 | 41 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 342 | 3 |
| Power Train | 269 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 53 | 8 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 42 | 4 |
| Steering | 32 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 24 | 0 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 556 | 12 |
| Overheating | 474 | 0 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 352 | 0 |
| Stalling | 157 | 17 |
| Vibration / shaking | 129 | 6 |
| Loss of power | 83 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 56 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 21 | 5 |
2018 Ford Escape
2018 Hyundai Kona
Compare all Ford Escape vs Hyundai Kona years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.