Selling a junk Hyundai Kona
Any Kona sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Hyundai Kona
NHTSA has 876 owner complaints on file for the Hyundai Kona, model years 2018 to 2022, the 300th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are engine (395, 45%), other (108, 12%), transmission and drivetrain (81, 9%). 51 complaints involved a crash, 33 a fire, and 79 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 23,700 miles. The 2019 model year has the most complaints (255). Data as of 2026-10-12.
When the top complaint is engine, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to selling a car with a blown engine: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.
Hyundai Kona by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 117 | Engine | 14 | 19 | 0 | 29,000 |
| 2019 | 255 | Engine | 18 | 6 | 1 | 40,000 |
| 2020 | 203 | Engine | 12 | 3 | 2 | 16,000 |
| 2021 | 154 | Engine | 2 | 5 | 1 | 35,000 |
| 2022 | 147 | Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Hyundai Kona recalls
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for engine (1), equipment (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2019 model year, engine (campaign 21V301000, Apr 2021): Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could re…
- 2020 model year, equipment (campaign 20V022000, Jan 2020): Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles. The certification label may indicate incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Fed…
What a Hyundai Kona is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk Kona on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car with a blown engine 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Hyundai models
- Hyundai Sonata 21,920
- Hyundai Elantra 11,650
- Hyundai Santa Fe 9,714
- Hyundai Tucson 7,771
- Hyundai Accent 2,769
- Hyundai Veloster 1,784
- Hyundai Genesis 1,729
- Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 1,593
All Hyundai models · All makes · Cash for junk cars by state
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Hyundai Kona worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Kona gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Hyundai Kona that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Hyundai Kona?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Hyundai Kona numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.