Hyundai Kona Electric reliability & safety rating
The Hyundai Kona Electric scored five Euro NCAP stars for safety, and the brand's reliability record is enviable
| Euro NCAP | Adult protection | Child protection | Safety assistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars (2017) | 87% | 85% | 60% |
From a European perspective, Hyundai has gone from fringe manufacturer to mainstream player in quite a short timeframe, 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 on a complex petrol or diesel model.
Hyundai Kona Electric reliability & problems
Hyundai finished mid-table in the 2020 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey – placing 13th out of 30 manufacturers. The results showed the maker to finish well in some areas but less so in others; infotainment was a strong suit – a plus point that is certainly applicable to the latest Kona models. Customers praised their cars' low running costs too – something that goes hand-in-hand with Kona Electric ownership.
Buyers weren't fussed on the styling of their cars, and quality wasn't as good as some might hope. But it was the ride and handling category that saw Hyundai's lowest-place finish. The 2020 edition of the survey also saw the Kona (encompassing petrol, hybrid and electric versions) ranked 60th out of 75 models. Negative comments focused on practicality and engine noise – though the latter obviously doesn't applying to the electric version. Reliability of the model was praised, with only a tiny 4.5% of owners saying they'd experienced a fault.
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.
