2020 Hyundai Kona engine problems
100 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2020 Hyundai Kona — 65% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I am filing a safety complaint against Scott Stark’s South Point Hyundai for selling me a vehicle with an active open safety recall, a blown transmission, an A/C failure, and a dry-rotted tire. Before returning the car for service under a promised 1,000-mile warranty, my sister, who has worked for…”
filed Aug 4, 2026
“The Kona was driven a 1/2 hour before parking the vehicle. The Kona was turned off. Within 5 minutes smoke began wafting from under the hood. When I opened the hood to inspect I found the engine & underside of the hood was engulfed in flames. I closed the hood immediately. The Kona fully ignited…”
filed Jul 3, 2026
“The car failed to accelerate on highway on multiple occasions, including when slowing down and then trying to accelerate when pulling out on highways.”
filed Jun 18, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine…Campaign 21V301000 · Apr 28, 2021
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% |
| 2019 Kona | 126 | 68% |
| 2018 Kona | 41 | 55% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 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.