Hyundai Kona — model-year timeline & key facts
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
Compiled from the Hyundai Kona deep-research dossier; researched 2026-09-21. UNVERIFIED flags from the source research are preserved verbatim.
Key facts
| Powertrain | ICE/Hybrid/EV |
|---|---|
| Power | 147 (2.0L gas) / 190 (1.6T) / 141 (hybrid sys) / 201 (EV LR) |
| Range | ~320 (EV std) / ~420 (EV LR, WLTP ~514) |
| Battery | 48.4 / 65.4 (EV) |
| 0–100 km/h | 7.5–10.5 (variant) |
| Fast charge | 100 (EV) |
| New price US | $27.5k–41k new (2026 US) |
| New price EU | UNVERIFIED (sold in EU/UK; pricing unconfirmed) |
| New price CN | UNVERIFIED (Beijing Hyundai; limited volume) |
| Used price signal | Gen-1 gas cheap used; 2020–21 EV with replaced pack = best used value |
| Value call | 2025 gas 2.0L or EV LR for new; 2025 used sweet spot; 2020–21 EV with new pack for bargain hunters |
| Sweet-spot year | 2025 |
| Years to avoid | 2019–2020 EV; 2024 |
| Reliability flag | 2024 electrical-system complaints lead NHTSA (50 vs 21 in 2025); 12V drain on EVs |
| Biggest risk | 2019–2020 EV battery fire (pack replacement); 2024 electrical shutdown-at-speed reports |
| Community verdict | Buy simple and used: 2025 2.0L gas or EV LR; verify pack-replacement paperwork on 19–20 EVs |
Model-year timeline 2021–2026
| Year | Generation / changes / reliability / used prices |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Gen 1 (OS) · [GAS] 2.0L 147hp CVT / 1.6T 175hp 7DCT; [EV] 64kWh facelift, 258 mi range · Solid year; [EV] post-recall packs rolling out · 1–2 (incl. EV battery recall tail) · UNVERIFIED (est. $12k–17k gas) |
| 2022 | Gen 1 · [N] added: 2.0T 276hp 8DCT; [EV] carryover · N launch year — strong; base 2.0L the safe pick · 2 · UNVERIFIED (est. $13k–19k) |
| 2023 | Gen 1 final · [N] final year; [HYBRID] refresh in EU/AU markets · Best-sorted gen 1; N values holding among enthusiasts · 2 · UNVERIFIED (est. $14k–21k) |
| 2024 | Gen 2 (SX2) launch · Bigger body; [GAS] 1.6T → 8AT (DCT dropped); [EV] 48.4/65.4kWh, ~200/261 mi · First-year gremlins: electrical complaints lead NHTSA, rattles, trunk-noise reports · 3 · UNVERIFIED (est. $19k–28k) |
| 2025 | Gen 2 · Carryover · Complaints roughly halved vs 2024 (21 vs 50); the sorted one · 0 · UNVERIFIED (est. $21k–30k) |
| 2026 | Gen 2 · Carryover; minor trim shuffles · Too early; rear-rattle posts already appearing (FB Sept 2026) · 2 · New: ~$27.5k–$41k; used UNVERIFIED |
Sweet-spot year: 2025
Years to skip: 2019–2020 EV; 2024