2023 Hyundai Kona: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
63 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Hyundai Kona has no year to avoid: every one of its eight model years is a BUY, from a score of 93 on the 2018 car to 74 on the 2024. The strongest years are the 2018, with 74 complaints and no recalls, and the 2021 to 2023 cars at 85, 85 and 86; the weakest are the 2019 and 2020, at 187 and 156 complaints and 81 each. Read the full note on the model page. 2023 specifically: a year the record favours — 63 complaints, score 86/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Hyundai Kona, Genesis and Santa Fe Sport: what the record says, including 2023 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 63 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 21.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated before driving forward. The Engine START/STOP feature was engaged. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated temporarily. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. The check engine warning illuminated…
My horn is not working again. It was replaced when I initially got the Kona in 2023. It did not work coming out of the dealership. And now again it is back to not working. This is a liability and also a danger to my children.
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the horn was working intermittently. The horn occasionally operated but had become permanently inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 23V526000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Fluid/Lubricant:Pump | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat. |
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 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
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 System25 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other17 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Forward Collision Avoidance13 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Power Train10 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine7 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Hyundai Kona years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2023 Hyundai Kona?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (25 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2023 Hyundai Kona a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 86/100, computed from 63 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2023 Hyundai Kona's most common problem?
25 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2023 Hyundai Kona 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 2023 Hyundai Kona cost to run per year?
About $3,589 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $17,945 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 2023 Hyundai Kona have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2023 Hyundai Kona, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 27/07/2023. 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 2023 Hyundai Kona 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 — 63 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 63 NHTSA complaints on record (21.0/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (24.5/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems