Showing the 2020 Ioniq SE. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.6 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
52–58 mpgcombined; city 53–57, highway 52–59; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 119 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$5,600–$5,910U.S. average; Ohio $5,000–$5,280 at local prices; every version of this model year, electric versions apart; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Electric versions: $3,480 at U.S. average electricity prices. Plug-in hybrid versions: $6,500, EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 Ioniq. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Ioniq. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
9
1
1
0
Electrical system
8
0
0
0
Service brakes
7
2
1
1
Power train
3
1
0
1
Structure
3
0
0
0
Engine
2
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
1
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
2
1
0
0
Lane departure
2
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
1
0
0
2 more parts
Steering
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2020 Ioniq over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric and 2020 Ioniq Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Risk: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the interim action is complete. Hyundai will notify owners, and as an interim action, owners have the option to follow provided instructions to perform a battery update through the vehicle's infotainment system or request a Hyundai dealer to provide the update. Once parts are available, dealers will inspect the Battery System Assembly (BSA), and replace it if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk, and the interim action, with a letter mailed April 9, 2021. Final owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 200.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 55 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Ioniq, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (25), equipment (10), steering (8), engine and engine cooling (6), fuel/propulsion system (5).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 Ioniq.
EPA class: large cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Ioniq Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
55 / 54 / 55
Ioniq Blue Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
57 / 59 / 58
Ioniq Electric Front-Wheel Drive
100 kW AC PMSM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 170 miles of range
145 / 121 / 133 MPGe
Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 29 miles on electricity, 630 miles in all
53 / 52 / 52 on gasoline 119 MPGe on electricity
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data