2021 Hyundai kona
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2021 Hyundai kona is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 1,036 on record.
2021 Hyundai kona at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2021 Hyundai kona recalls 1
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2021 Hyundai kona common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 117 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2021 Hyundai kona safety ratings
Rollover risk: 14.1% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2021 Hyundai Kona SUV FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2021 Hyundai kona MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 4 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2021 Hyundai kona costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2021 Hyundai kona — ranges cover the 3 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 1
Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that…
NHTSA #DP22005 · Electrical System · opened Jan 2023 · closed Aug 2023An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 67
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 67.
Hyundai has become aware that certain Kona vehicles equipped with 1.6T-GDI engines may not meet engine-out NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and Particulate Matter (PM) emission standards.
Bulletin 9D1 OL · Engine · Sep 2026Certain Kona (OS) vehicles equipped with the 1.6T-GDI engine may exhibit elevated engine-out emissions that may not meet engine-out NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and Particulate Matter (PM) emission standards.
Bulletin 26-01-027H DN · Engine · Aug 2026Certain Kona (OS) vehicles equipped with the 1.6T-GDI engine may exhibit elevated engine-out emissions that may not meet engine-out NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and Particulate Matter (PM) emission standards. This bulletin provides the instructions to update the emis…
Bulletin 26-01-027H TSB · Engine · Aug 2026Certain 2021-2023 model year Kona, 2021-2023 model year Kona Electric, and 2022-2023 model year Kona N vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. At Hyundai, we are committed to provid…
Bulletin Z07 OL · May 2026Some vehicles may exhibit difficulty starting in cold weather. This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary, replace the starter magnetic switch (solenoid) assembly.
Bulletin 26-EE-003H TSB · Electrical System, Engine · Apr 2026Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date of origina…
Bulletin 26-BE-010H DN · Apr 2026Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date of origina…
Bulletin 26-BE-010H TSB · Apr 2026The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not suppl…
Bulletin DTN DL · Air Bags · Apr 2026The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been iden…
Bulletin DTN DCS · Air Bags · Apr 2026In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023. In addition to the anti-theft software, w…
Bulletin P33 OL · Electrical System · Dec 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the KONA AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 3
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2021 Hyundai kona. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Other
Issue : Hyundai Auto Canada is conducting an extended warranty campaign for certain vehicles as water could enter the horn assembly and cause the horn's electrical contacts to corrode. As a result, the horn may not work properly or at all. Safety risk: A horn that doesn't work properly could prevent a driver from warning others of a danger and create an unsafe situation. Correc…
Transport Canada #2025636 · Nov 2025Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safet…
Transport Canada #2024552 · Sep 2024Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine's piston oil rings may be defective. This can cause engine wear that can lead to increased oil consumption. Eventually, this can create abnormal engine noise and the oil pressure warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail. Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L…
Transport Canada #2021252 · Apr 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Hyundai kona
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The first-generation Kona debuted in June 2017 and the production version was revealed later that year. The current, second-generation model was revealed in December 2022 and launched in 2023. It was developed first as a battery-electric model before being adapted for petrol and hybrid variants, which are offered depending on the market. Depending on the market, the Kona is positioned above either the Venue or the Bayon and below the Tucson in Hyundai's crossover SUV line-up. The battery-electric version, called the Kona Electric or Kona EV, was first launched in South Korea during the first hal…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2021 Hyundai kona trims & engines on record
2021 Hyundai kona vehicles on record
2021 Hyundai kona SELKM8K22AA7MU629352
2021 Hyundai kona LimitedKM8K3CA55MU631607
2021 Hyundai kona SEKM8K12AA8MU602731
2021 Hyundai kona SEL Plus, NIGHTKM8K6CAA6MU630602
2021 Hyundai kona SELKM8K2CAA8MU683121
2021 Hyundai konaKMHK381HFMU130102
2021 Hyundai konaKMHK581GFLU117417
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381HFMJ032290
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK281GFNJ047636
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK281HFMJ037745
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381GFMJ027648
2021 Hyundai konaKM8K62AB3NU850638
2021 Hyundai konaKM8K22AA8MU721831
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381GFNJ049010
2021 Hyundai konaKM8K53AG8MU131324
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381HFMJ032289
2021 Hyundai konaKMHK281HFNU138609
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381HFMJ032604
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK581GFLJ018333
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381HFMJ032992
2021 Hyundai konaKM8K33AG9MU129250
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381GFLJ016512
2021 Hyundai konaKM8K23AG3MU133779
2021 Hyundai konaTMAK381HFNJ047420