2018 Hyundai Kona
Showing the 2018 Kona SE. We haven't verified this trim's engine; 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
- 27–30 mpgcombined; city 25–28, highway 29–33; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $10,830–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $9,680–$10,750 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 75filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Kona. 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.
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kona. 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.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 42 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Unknown or other | 25 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Power train | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
7 more parts
| Back over prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
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.
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2018 Kona. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 96 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Kona, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (46), equipment (19), power train (13), engine and engine cooling (10), steering (10).
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 DP22003 Loss of Motive Power · covers 3 makes | Engine | Sep 12, 2022 | Closed Dec 12, 2023 Petition denied NHTSA's record and documents |
Maintenance
Oil
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 2018 Kona.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kona Front-Wheel Drive | 1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo | Automatic (AM7) | Regular Gasoline | 28 / 32 / 30 |
| Kona Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (S6) | Regular Gasoline | 27 / 33 / 30 |
| Kona All-Wheel Drive | 1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo | Automatic (AM7) | Regular Gasoline | 26 / 29 / 27 |
| Kona All-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (S6) | Regular Gasoline | 25 / 30 / 27 |
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