2019 Hyundai Kona

2019 Hyundai Kona Overview

Is the 2019 Hyundai Kona a Good Used SUV?

Yes, the 2019 Kona is a fantastic used subcompact SUV . In fact, we named it our 2019 Best Subcompact SUV for the Money because of its superior combination of quality and value. The Kona boasts a top-notch cabin and lots of standard features. Additionally, it's more fun to drive than most competitors. However, rivals such as the Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks have more passenger and cargo room.

Compare the Kona, HR-V, and Kicks »

Why You Can Trust Us

To give you a complete overview of the 2019 Kona – and make your car-shopping experience easier – we analyzed 26 Hyundai Kona reviews alongside performance specs, interior dimensions, and more.

U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking and reviewing vehicles since 2007, and our crew has more than 75 years of combined experience in the auto industry. To ensure our objectivity, we do not accept expensive gifts from carmakers, and an external company manages the ads on our site.

Pricing

How Much is a 2019 Hyundai Kona?

Based on listings for the 2019 Hyundai Kona, the average list price is $17,226. Prices range from $17,226 to $21,780 and vary depending on the vehicle’s condition, mileage, features, and location.

See the Best Used Car Deals »

How Much Does the 2019 Hyundai Kona Cost to Own?

The 2019 Kona’s five-year costs for gas, insurance, taxes, fees, repairs, and maintenance are projected to be about $26,820, or $5,364 per year. That’s above average for the class.

2018 vs. 2019 Hyundai Kona: What's the Difference?

The Hyundai Kona was introduced for the 2018 model year, and it saw a few changes for 2019. The 2019 model gained standard safety features such as forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and a driver-attention monitor, and the all-electric Kona EV debuted.

Compare the 2018 and 2019 Kona »

If you're considering an older model, be sure to read our 2018 Kona review to help make your decision. Also, check out our Best New Car Deals and Best New Car Lease Deals pages to learn about savings and discounts you can find on new vehicles.

How Reliable Is the 2019 Hyundai Kona?

The 2019 Hyundai Kona has a slightly above-average predicted reliability rating of 3.5 out of five.

Read more about Kona reliability »

2019 Hyundai Kona Recalls

There are no major recalls for the 2019 Hyundai Kona at this time.

See more information on Hyundai Kona safety recalls »

Which Used Hyundai Kona Trim Is Right for Me?

The 2019 Hyundai Kona comes in four trims: SE, SEL, Limited, and Ultimate (we review the all-electric 2019 Kona EV separately).

The base trim has a solid number of features, and its standard four-cylinder engine is powerful enough for your daily travels. For the more powerful turbocharged engine, as well as more safety and comfort features, look for the Limited trim.

• Hyundai Kona SE: The base SE trim comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, cloth seats, remote keyless entry, alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 7-inch touch screen, a six-speaker audio system, two USB ports, and Bluetooth. A rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and a driver-attention monitor are also standard.
• Hyundai Kona SEL: The SEL trim adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, satellite radio, HD Radio, proximity keyless entry, and push-button start.
• Hyundai Kona Limited: The Limited trim features a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Limited gains a Blue Link telematics system, an eight-speaker Infinity premium stereo, automatic climate control, leather seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, automatic high-beam headlights, full LED headlights, a sunroof, and fog lights.
• Hyundai Kona Ultimate: The Ultimate trim features an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, a head-up display, wireless device charging, rain-sensing windshield wipers, pedestrian detection, rear parking sensors, and high-beam assist.

See 2019 Hyundai Kona trims and specs »

What Does Hyundai's Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

Hyundai offers a certified pre-owned program for vehicles five years old or less and with fewer than 60,000 miles. Eligibility is determined by the vehicle’s initial sale date. Certified pre-owned Hyundai vehicles receive the balance of the original new-car 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, as well as the remainder of the five-year/60,000-mile comprehensive warranty. Hyundai CPO vehicles must pass a 173-point inspection. Additional benefits like towing, roadside assistance, and rental car reimbursement may be available. 

Hyundai has one of the better CPO programs among affordable car manufacturers, according to our analysis. Still, automakers like Kia, Mini and Honda have better programs.

See the best CPO programs »

Extended Warranties for Hyundai Cars and SUVs

Not every used Hyundai will qualify for a certified pre-owned warranty. However, there are options available if you want additional coverage after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired. 

Read more about extended car warranties »

2019 Hyundai Kona Safety

Score: 9.9/10

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2019 Kona an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2019 Kona the highest rating of Good in all six crashworthiness tests and named it a Top Safety Pick+. The Limited and Ultimate trims earned a Good rating for how well its headlights illuminate the road ahead, while the SE and SEL trims received the lowest rating of Poor.

The IIHS uses a different scale for grading collision avoidance features. The 2019 Kona earned the highest rating of Superior for its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, while the optional vehicle-to-pedestrian system received the second-highest rating of Advanced.

Standard advanced safety features:

• Rearview camera
• Forward collision warning
• Lane keep assist
• Driver-attention monitor

Available advanced safety features:

• Rear parking sensors
• Pedestrian detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• High-beam assist
• Blind spot monitoring
• Rear cross traffic alert

2019 Hyundai Kona Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: 2019 Hyundai Kona or 2019 Honda HR-V?

The 2019 Honda HR-V doesn’t fare as well as the Kona in our subcompact SUV rankings . It has a lower predicted reliability rating, as well less standard and available safety and infotainment features. The base engines in both SUVs have similar power, but the Kona is available with a more robust turbocharged engine. The HR-V comes out ahead in terms of cargo and passenger space, but unless these are high on your list of priorities, the Kona is the better choice.

Which Is Better: 2019 Hyundai Kona or 2019 Nissan Kicks?

The 2019 Nissan Kicks costs less than the Kona, on average, and offers more seating space and cargo room. However, the Hyundai is the better choice. The Kona has more powerful engines than the Kicks, and it comes standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which are options in the Nissan.

Compare the Kona, HR-V, and Kicks »

2019 Kona Performance

How Does the 2019 Hyundai Kona Drive?

The Kona’s standard powertrain is sufficient for driving around town, but the available turbocharged engine provides quicker acceleration, making it a better choice if you do a lot of highway driving. The Kona also offers sharp steering, powerful brakes, and agile handling. Its suspension does a decent job of mitigating road bumps, but the ride can feel stiff at times.

• Base engine: 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder
• Available engine: 175-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder
• Drivetrain: standard front-wheel drive; available all-wheel drive
• Transmission: standard six-speed automatic; available seven-speed dual-clutch automatic

Does the 2019 Hyundai Kona Get Good Gas Mileage?

Kona models with the base engine get above-average fuel economy, and models with the available turbocharged engine are just as efficient. Ratings drop by 2-3 mpg in all-wheel-drive models.

• 2.0-liter, FWD: 27/33 mpg city/highway
• 2.0-liter, AWD: 25/30 mpg
• Turbo 1.6-liter, FWD: 28/32 mpg
• Turbo 1.6-liter, AWD: 26/29 mpg

Read more about Kona performance »

2019 Kona Interior

How Many People Does the 2019 Kona Seat?

The 2019 Kona seats five people in two rows. The seats are comfortable, supportive, and spacious in the first row, and there’s a decent amount of headroom in the rear. However, taller folks will likely wish for additional rear-seat legroom.

Standard seating features:

• Cloth upholstery

Available seating features:

• Power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated front seats
• Leather upholstery
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel

How Many Child Car Seats Fit in the 2019 Hyundai Kona?

The 2019 Kona has two complete sets of LATCH car-seat connectors for the rear outboard seats and an upper tether for the rear middle seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave this LATCH system the second-lowest rating of Marginal for ease of use. The upper tethers are easy to use, but lower anchors are too deep in the seats and difficult to maneuver around.

2019 Hyundai Kona Features

The standard infotainment system has a straightforward touch screen that responds quickly to user inputs. The system also features physical audio and climate controls and comes standard with smartphone integration tech.

• Standard infotainment features: a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, and two USB ports
• Available infotainment features: an 8-inch touch screen, an eight-speaker Infinity premium audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless device charging, Hyundai's Blue Link telematics system, and navigation
• Additional standard features: remote keyless entry
• Other available features: a sunroof, proximity keyless entry, and push-button start

See 2019 Hyundai Kona specs »

Read more about Kona interior »

2019 Hyundai Kona Dimensions

Hyundai Kona Cargo Space

There’s 19.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 45.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The Kona provides a good amount of room behind the second row, but several class rivals offer more cargo room overall.

2019 Hyundai Kona Length and Weight

• Length: around 13 feet, 8 inches
• Curb weight: 2,890 to 4,255 pounds
• Gross vehicle weight rating: 3,979 to 4,255 pounds

Where Was the 2019 Hyundai Kona Built?

Hyundai built the 2019 Kona in South Korea.