Hyundai Kona Electric (2018-2023) review: reliability & safety rating

From a European perspective, Hyundai has gone from fringe manufacturer to mainstream player in a remarkably short amount of time, but there’s nothing second-class about the safety kit packed into its latest cars like the Kona. Reliability for the Kona Electric should be good, too, thanks to the fact there are fewer moving parts than you'd find in the petrol or hybrid models.

Hyundai Kona Electric reliability & problems

The Hyundai Kona was named the best electric car to own in 2022 and once again in 2023 in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. Owners were particularly impressed by the Kona’s infotainment system, as well as the ride comfort. Customers have also praised their cars' low running costs – something that goes hand-in-hand with Kona Electric ownership. 

Safety

While the Kona Electric hasn’t been crash-tested specifically by Euro NCAP, the combustion-engined version was evaluated in late 2017, receiving the maximum five-star safety rating. Adult and child occupant protection were rated at 87% and 85% respectively.

There’s no shortage of safety equipment on the Kona Electric, with every version featuring autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, hill-start assistance and lane-keeping assistance. You'll need to upgrade to the Premium car for blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic alerts. The range-topping Ultimate gets a head-up display designed to help minimise distractions from the road ahead.