The Hyundai Kona is known for its stylish design, impressive features, and overall value. 2-liter engines produced between 2019 and 2021 have been recalled for improperly machined piston oil rings, which can cause the engine to burn oil and require replacement. This can also cause the engine to catch fire when oil leaks into the hot exhaust components. Hyundai's impressive 10-year/100,000-mile warranty covers the engine and transmission, though. Some drivers report knocking or ticking noises from the engine, likely due to direct injection noises. The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine is a safer bet. Some drivers have reported rough shifting, hesitation, or even complete transmission failure. This is more common on cars with a 2-liter engine, made to the CVT transmission. It's suggested to change the CVT fluid every 50,000 miles. The interiors are well-designed and made with high-quality materials for the price. Though Hyundai has a reputation for building reliable cars, there have been some reports of electrical issues. Some owners have experienced issues with the infotainment system, where it freezes, crashes, or becomes slow to respond to commands. Others have reported that the Bluetooth connection is unreliable. There have also been reports of malfunctioning sensors, such as the blind spot warning and the front collision warning system shutting down. This is common across all models and years and can include other sensor reliance systems. While relatively uncommon, some have reported a soft or spongy brake pedal, or even a complete loss of braking power. This could be due to a faulty brake booster or other brake components. Braking issues are more common in the electric model. The company has released a battery management software update to prevent battery shorts once fully charged. This model averages around 200,000 miles of lifetime expectancy. Overall, it has fewer complaints compared to other small SUVs. Only 4.5% of owners have ever reported any faults. The reviewer recommends going for the limited ultimate, or N-line models with the 1.6 turbo engines.
