2019 Hyundai Kona Electric: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
54 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 54 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.71
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owned a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle accelerated rapidly through a busy intersection on its own and would not slow or stop, despite the brake pedal being depressed. As a result, the contact briefly lost control of the vehicle as it swerved left to right, only coming to a complete stop after colliding with another vehicle. The air ba…
Component Failed: Electric transmission/drive unit failed twice before 150,000 miles. Still in vehicle, available for inspection. Safety Risk: Loss of propulsion while driving creates risk of being rear-ended or stranded in dangerous traffic conditions. Right now the car is not drivable Confirmed By: Problem confirmed by Hyundai dealership/service center on both failures. Inspection: Inspected by authorized Hyund…
-the gear drive was diagnosed as needed to be replaced -the GRU may lock up during driving causing the vehicle to stop -dealer confirmed needs replacing -no warnings or lights on vehicle, it was noticed that the vehicle made a louder noise while driving but could be confused with tires or normal air noise while driving.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V127000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | 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. |
| 20V748000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Electric:Control Module:Software | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Nexo Fuel Cell and 2019-2021 Kona Electric vehicles. The Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system may detect an abnormal sensor signal and as a result, may significantly reduce braking performance. |
| 20V630000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery:Management System/Energy Control Module (Bms/Becm):Software | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 120 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $650 · EPA range 258 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System42 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System10 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Engine5 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train5 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Unknown Or Other4 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Hyundai Kona Electric years
Hyundai Kona Electric years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (42 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 75/100, computed from 54 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric's most common problem?
42 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric cost to run per year?
About $2,446 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $12,230 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/03/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 54 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 54 NHTSA complaints on record (7.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (6.4/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems