Model year 2021 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2021 Hyundai Kona: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2021 Hyundai Kona at 27–30 mpg combined (gas versions) and 120 MPGe combined with 258 miles of EPA-rated range across 5 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 147 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

27–30

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as KONA ELECTRIC.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Hyundai dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2021 Hyundai Kona recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2021 Hyundai Kona, newest first.

Electrical system: Propulsion system: Traction battery: Thermal management: Fluid/coolant

NHTSA 22V941000 Reported Dec 16, 2022

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 239)
Units affected: 853 (estimate)
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Kona EV vehicles. The Electric Power Control Unit (EPCU) may have been improperly sealed and may leak coolant internally.
Risk: Coolant contacting the EPCU circuit board may cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the EPCU, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2023. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 239.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine

NHTSA 21V301000 Reported Apr 28, 2021

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 203)
Units affected: 158,493 (estimate)
Problem: 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.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, hydraulic: Power assist: Electric: Control module: Software

NHTSA 20V748000 Reported Dec 1, 2020

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 199)
Units affected: 8,176 (estimate)
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Nexo Fuel Cell and 2019-2021 Kona Electric vehicles. The Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system may detect an abnormal sensor signal and as a result, may significantly reduce braking performance.
Risk: Reduced braking power could lengthen the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the IEB software, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 199.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2021 Hyundai Kona fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2021 Hyundai Kona EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Electric range	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Kona AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/29/27 mpg	—	$2,500	324
Kona AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/30/27 mpg	—	$2,500	326
Kona Electric	Electric (150 kW AC PMSM)	Single-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Electricity	132/108/120 MPGe	258 mi 27 kWh/100 mi	$600	0
Kona FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	28/32/30 mpg	—	$2,250	303
Kona FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	27/33/30 mpg	—	$2,250	300

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2021 Hyundai Kona crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2021 Hyundai Kona NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2021 Hyundai Kona EV SUV FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	—	Standard
2021 Hyundai Kona SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	13.6%	Standard
2021 Hyundai Kona SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	14.1%	Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2021 Hyundai Kona owner complaints

Owners have filed 147 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Kona, most recently on Oct 15, 2026. 3 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 3 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2021 Hyundai Kona complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	85
Unknown or other	26
Electrical system	18
Power train	14
Fuel/propulsion system	6
Service brakes	6
Vehicle speed control	6
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking	4
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings	4
Lane departure: Blind spot detection	3

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Hyundai Kona model years

Hyundai Kona by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2027 Kona	26–31 mpg	—	—	4/5
2026 Kona	26–31 mpg	3	10	4/5
2025 Kona	26–31 mpg · 103–118 MPGe	1	29	4/5
2024 Kona	26–31 mpg · 116–118 MPGe	4	68	4/5
2023 Kona	23–32 mpg · 120 MPGe	2	75	5/5
2022 Kona	23–32 mpg · 120 MPGe	2	130	5/5
2020 Kona	27–30 mpg · 120 MPGe	5	189	5/5
2019 Kona	27–30 mpg · 120 MPGe	4	252	5/5
2018 Kona	27–30 mpg	0	75	—

All Hyundai Kona years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2021 Hyundai models

2021 Hyundai Accent 2021 Hyundai Elantra 2021 Hyundai Ioniq 2021 Hyundai Nexo 2021 Hyundai Palisade 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 2021 Hyundai Sonata 2021 Hyundai Tucson 2021 Hyundai Veloster 2021 Hyundai Venue

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Hyundai.