Showing the 2025 Kona N Line S. 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
26–31 mpgcombined; city 24–28, highway 29–35; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$12,490U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$11,160 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: $3,920–$4,250 at U.S. average electricity prices
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2025 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.
Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 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.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
10
0
0
0
Unknown or other
6
0
0
0
Power train
4
0
0
0
Service brakes
4
0
0
1
Forward collision avoidance
3
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
2
0
1
Engine
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Suspension
2
0
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
7 more parts
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
1
0
1
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
1
Steering
1
0
0
1
Visibility
1
0
0
1
Wheels
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 2025 Kona 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 2024-2025 Kona Electric and 2024-2026 Kona vehicles. The seat belt buckle in the rear center seat may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash.
Risk: A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Passengers are advised not to use the rear center seat until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 306. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 15, 2026.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 27 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2025 Kona, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (17), engine (5), exterior lighting (4), forward collision avoidance (3), lane departure (3).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
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 2025 Kona.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Kona Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 35 / 31
Kona All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 29 / 28
Kona Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 32 / 28
Kona All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 29 / 27
Kona All-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
24 / 29 / 26
Kona Electric (17 inch Wheels) Front-Wheel Drive
150 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 261 miles of range
129 / 103 / 116 MPGe
Kona Electric (19 inch Wheels) Front-Wheel Drive
150 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 230 miles of range
113 / 93 / 103 MPGe
Kona Electric Standard Range Front-Wheel Drive
99 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 200 miles of range
131 / 105 / 118 MPGe
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