2018 Hyundai Kona engine problems
41 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2018 Hyundai Kona — 55% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I purchased a 2018 Hyundai Kona, and it has had one major issue after another. It burns an excessive amount of oil, the engine misfires, and now the turbocharger is failing. I’ve already spent approximately $2,300 repairing the air conditioner and engine, and I can’t afford thousands more in…”
filed Jul 21, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, there was a loud clunking sound coming from the engine bay, followed by grinding gear sounds. The vehicle lost drive power, causing the driver to coast over to the side of the road, where the vehicle…”
filed Jul 13, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving it began to smoke, a noise was hear, put in neutral to coast down a hill and had to pull the parking break to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with defective piston oil rings, and the engine was…”
filed May 29, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Engine problems in other Kona years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Kona | 2 | 7% |
| 2024 Kona | 8 | 18% |
| 2023 Kona | 7 | 11% |
| 2022 Kona | 32 | 34% |
| 2021 Kona | 74 | 65% |
| 2020 Kona | 100 | 65% |
| 2019 Kona | 126 | 68% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Hyundai Kona
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.