Car guides

Hyundai Kona: common problems, best years and what to check

Small SUV with petrol, hybrid and a long-range EV. Covers 2018–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.

Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide

Is the Hyundai Kona a good used buy?

Best buy

Kona Electric 64kWh (recall done) or 1.6 Hybrid

Avoid

EV without battery recall

Who it suits: Buyers wanting an efficient small SUV, especially the EV.

What's good

  • Long-range EV
  • Five-year warranty
  • Reliable
  • Well equipped

What's not

  • Small boot
  • Cramped rear
  • Firm ride
  • EV battery recall history

By the numbers

  • #93 most common model on UK roads, with about 93k licensed (DfT).
  • The biggest surviving year is 2024: 18.5k cars still licensed.
  • The most expensive common fault: Battery recall (fire risk, 2018–2020) (up to £0).

Hyundai Kona common problems by generation and engine

Hyundai Kona OS (2017–2023) · small SUV; Electric

How to spot it: 17 plate to 23 plate. Split headlights with thin daytime lights on top.

1.0 / 1.6 T-GDi / 1.6 Hybrid (Kappa / Gamma, petrol / hybrid, 2017–2023)

Reliable

Kona Electric 39 / 64kWh (electric, electric, 2018–2023)

Long range

  • Battery recall (fire risk, 2018–2020)—any · Check: Check recall done

Hyundai Kona SX2 (2023–) · small SUV; Electric

How to spot it: 23 plate onwards. Full-width front light bar.

1.0 T-GDi / Hybrid / Electric (Smartstream / electric, petrol / hybrid / electric, 2023–)

Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.

Best and worst Hyundai Kona years

How many Hyundai Konas from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.

survives better than similar carsabout averagesurvives worse

No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.

Hyundai Kona MOT pass rate and common failures

First-time pass rate (2025)

86%

Average UK car of the same age

86%all makes, same ages as these Hyundai Konas

MOT tests analysed (2018+ cars)

54,902

Hyundai Konas pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.

First registeredPass rateAverage UK car that ageMedian mileage
201886%81%44k miles
201987%84%39k miles
202086%86%35k miles
202186%87%31k miles
202286%89%22k miles
202388%92%22k miles

Pass rate by fuel

Hybrid

86% 21,856 tests

Electric

86% 17,292 tests

Petrol

86% 16,271 tests

Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.

Most common MOT failures

  1. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.4 per 100
  2. Headlamp aim: too high2.74 per 100
  3. Tyres: has a cut2.57 per 100
  4. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.95 per 100
  5. Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.56 per 100
  6. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.13 per 100
  7. Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn0.78 per 100
  8. Headlamp aim: too low0.51 per 100

Most common advisories

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.12 per 100
  2. Tyres: has a tear18.69 per 100
  3. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened7.46 per 100
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5.55 per 100
  5. Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn3.82 per 100
  6. Tyres: has a cut2.89 per 100
  7. Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.62 per 100
  8. Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.59 per 100

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Does the Hyundai Kona have a timing belt or chain?

EngineTypeWhenCost
All ICE engineschaindurable£600–£1,100

Hyundai Kona running costs

Road tax (from April 2017)

£200 a year; +£440 for years 2–6 if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars).

Insurance groups

11–29

Real-world economy

1.0 T-GDi: 42–48
1.6 Hybrid: 52–60
Electric: 3.8–4.4 mi/kWh

Servicing (independent)

Minor £140–£200 · Major £250–£360

Tyres

215/55 R17 · set of four £360–£520

Warranty when new

5 years / unlimited miles, transfers to the next owner

Is the Hyundai Kona ULEZ compliant?

  • Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
  • Electric: always compliant.
  • Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.

Safety and practicality

Euro NCAP

OS: ★★★★☆ (2017)
SX2: ★★★★☆ (2023)

Boot

361 litres

Seats

5

Electric / hybrid

Electric 64kWh: ~260 mi real range

Hyundai Kona vs rivals

ModelOn UK roadsInsuranceBootBest buy
Hyundai Kona93k11–29361 lKona Electric 64kWh (recall done) or 1.6 Hybrid
Kia Niro121k13–33451 l2019–2022 e-Niro 64kWh or HEV
Nissan Juke379k11–20422 l2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual
Toyota C-HR129k14–25377 l2019+ 1.8 or 2.0 Hybrid
MG ZS103k11–25448 l2021+ ZS EV Long Range or 1.0 T-GDI
Volkswagen T-Cross48k9–16455 l1.0 TSI 110

What to check when buying a used Hyundai Kona

  • EV battery recall

Hyundai Kona FAQ

›Is the Hyundai Kona reliable?

Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: Kona Electric 64kWh (recall done) or 1.6 Hybrid. Avoid: EV without battery recall.

›What is the Hyundai Kona MOT pass rate?

86% of Hyundai Konas passed their MOT first time in 2025 (54,902 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.

›What are the most common Hyundai Kona problems?

The costliest known faults are Battery recall. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.

›Does the Hyundai Kona have a timing belt or chain?

All ICE engines: chain.

›What is the best year Hyundai Kona to buy?

By DfT survival data, 2018, 2019, 2021 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.

›How much does a Hyundai Kona cost to run?

Real-world economy: 1.0 T-GDi 42–48 mpg; 1.6 Hybrid 52–60 mpg; Electric 3.8–4.4 mi/kWh. Insurance groups 11–29. A minor service is about £140–£200 at an independent garage.

›How much is road tax on a Hyundai Kona?

Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.

›Is the Hyundai Kona ULEZ compliant?

Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.

How we build this guide

We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.

  • How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
  • MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
  • Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
  • Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
  • Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.

This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.

Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.