Ranked #22 car in the UK · Crossover SUV · 22,384 units sold last year

Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is a small SUV available as petrol, full hybrid and the popular Kona Electric, the last of which offers strong real-world range for the class. It's well-equipped, comfortable and easy to live with, with Hyundai's long warranty behind it. Cross-shop the Kia Niro (mechanical cousin), Nissan Juke, Ford Puma and Vauxhall Mokka.

From our report

The Kona's reliability ranking beats 88% of the models on our index — a genuinely strong safety net for used buyers.
Which Used Hyundai Kona Actually Adds Up? · Forecourt Data Desk

How these figures are sourced the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

Hyundai Kona
Photo: Alexander Migl via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Body
Crossover SUV
Years
2018–2026
Fuel
Petrol / Mild Hybrid / Hybrid / Electric
Economy
49 mpg

combined

Insurance
Group 17

The short version

57/100

Forecourt score

Value 71 · Reliability 43 · catalogue percentiles

The Hyundai Kona holds its value well and is cheaper to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is good — an MOT score of 75/100, ahead of 73% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 71% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Eligible for £3,750 off — UK Electric Car GrantBand 1

Applies to the Kona Electric Long Range. Applied at point of sale — no application needed. Details on gov.uk.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Mild Hybrid · 998cc

Power

120 ps

Drivetrain

FWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

49 mpg

Entry Mk2 (2023-) Kona. 1.0 three-cylinder turbo with 48V mHEV, 7-DCT. The everyday volume choice. Chain-driven — no belt to budget for.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
23,517 mi
0Expected: 23,517180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£16,350

Range £13,750£19,150

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £23,000Age-based value£15,017Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£17Market calibration+£2,416Forecourt price£17,450Private sale£15,250Part-exchange£13,400
Buythis 3-year-old

Past the steep drop — most of the depreciation is behind it.

At 23,517 miles it’s about the ~24,314 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

£

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Hyundai Kona loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 23,517 miles you entered above — worth about £16,350 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,839 miles a year.

5-year total

£14,240

Per year

£2,848

All-in per mile

£0.36

Fuel per mile

14.3p

If a company carAround £326/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£163/mo at 20%) — 31% band

Depreciation£2,709
Fuel / energy£5,586
Servicing£1,765
Road tax£1,000
Insurance£3,180

If you're a company-car driver

At 31% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £326/month in company-car tax (£163/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 2 years

A 2-year-old example loses roughly £2,650 a year — 59% less than the £6,500 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 71%
Reliabilitybetter than 43%
Fuel economybetter than 84%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

Kona (ICE/Hybrid)

Hyundai's small crossover SUV. Mk2 grew larger than Mk1. Cross-shop Kia Niro, Toyota Yaris Cross, Nissan Juke, Ford Puma. Kona Electric is the volume small electric SUV. Kona N (Mk1 used market) is the cult hot SUV at sub-£30k used.

New price
circa £30,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,200
3-yr depreciation
45%

Watch for

  • ·12V battery drain on Kona Electric (campaign-fixed)
  • ·Some 2018-2019 1.6 T-GDi had clutch wear on DCT
  • ·Minor infotainment freezes pre-2022
  • ·Hyundai 5-year warranty

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 17 of 50 (mid — around the UK average) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£636/ year

Roughly £53 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£1,449£1,811£2,355
Age 26-32£756£890£1,085
Age 33-39Selected£559£636£750
Age 40-49£475£527£612
Age 50+£423£470£555

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

7,839 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 7,83930,000

Routine service

£185

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£210

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£529

49 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£636

Age 33-39, group 17

Clean-air zones

ULEZ compliant
  • Electric, Hybrid variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.
  • All petrol variants meet Euro 4 standards and are ULEZ compliant.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£1,760 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£80

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£240

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£520

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£900

per year · high risk

Tyres

205/60 R16 · 215/55 R17 · 225/45 R18

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

OptionNew costAdded used valueReturn

Tow bar (factory-fit)

Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.

£650£45069%

Parking sensors & reversing camera

Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.

£500£30060%

Heated seats / cold-weather pack

£450£20044%

Metallic or premium paint

Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.

£600£20033%

Panoramic / opening roof

£1,100£35032%

Larger alloy wheels

£700£20029%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 23,517 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at 60k-100k milesCost £80-£500low severityParts high

Recorded in 6.0% of MOT tests 60k-100k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at 60k-100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 2.8% of MOT tests 60k-100k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewWatch now

Typical at 30k-60k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 2.3% of MOT tests 30k-60k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at 60k-100k milesCost £150-£450low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.0% of MOT tests 60k-100k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Identification & otherUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £20-£150low severityParts high

Recorded in 0.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 273,996 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Safety rating

Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the Hyundai Kona, from its 2017 assessment.

5/5
TEST YEAR2017
Rating lapsed after 2023 · protocol superseded

The passenger compartment of the KONA remained stable in the frontal offset test.

Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 295,169 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

A 3-year-old Kona passes its MOT 89.6% of the time; by 9 years that has slipped to 89.4%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

95%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 7,142 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

93%95%98%100%20182022

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every Kona with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 128,295 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

  • Hybrid 41.2%
  • Electric 37.4%
  • Petrol 21.0%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a Kona registered 2020–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 57,280 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

  • Tyres & wheels4.6%
  • Driver's view1.4%
  • Brakes0.9%
  • Lighting & signalling0.6%
  • Suspension0.4%
  • Electrical0.2%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a Kona at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

  • 3 yr24,314
  • 4 yr31,620
  • 5 yr38,072
  • 6 yr42,662
  • 7 yr47,612
  • 8 yr53,237
  • 9 yr58,707

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

75/ 100

Good

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2020 onward (57,280 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

88%first-time pass rate

73rd percentileAbout catalogue average

Based on 39,463 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

0%50%90%

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

  • 01Hyundai's 5-year/unlimited-mileage warranty is a useful safety net - check the remaining term on a used car.
  • 02The Kona Electric is the standout - good range and efficiency; verify battery state of health and that any software or recall updates are done.
  • 03Closely related to the Kia Niro - cross-shop both, as pricing and spec can favour one over the other.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Hyundai Kona, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Desirable SUVs like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Higher

Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.
  • A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Hyundai Kona into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
GlasgowCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
EdinburghCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
AberdeenCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
DundeeCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • BathCity centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • BradfordOuter ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • SheffieldInside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & GatesheadCity centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • PortsmouthPart of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Hyundai Kona as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 129 g/km, using £31,500 as the P11D value.

Tax yearBIK %Tax @ 20%Tax @ 40%Monthly @ 20%Monthly @ 40%
2025-2630%£1,890£3,780£158£315
2026-2731%£1,953£3,906£163£326
2027-2832%£2,016£4,032£168£336
2028-2932%£2,016£4,032£168£336
2029-3032%£2,016£4,032£168£336

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Hyundai is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~155

Large network

Mass-market

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Hyundai is 3.4% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,350 mm

Width

1,810 mm

Height

1,560 mm

Kerb weight

1,400 kg

Boot

420–1,300 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

How the UK Hyundai Kona fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Currently registered

114,272

Currently taxed & on road

113,748

100% of all registered

SORN (off road)

524

0% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

n/a

not in this DfT extract

UK fleet trend — 2017 to 2025

+20.1% vs 2024
443113,748

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 29 Jul 2026

Same underpinnings

Built on the Hyundai K3 platform

Hyundai-Kia's modern combustion / hybrid platform shared across small-to-mid-size SUVs and hatches. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Hyundai-Kia K-platform (3rd gen) · Hyundai Motor Group

Common questions

Hyundai Kona, answered from the data

Is the Hyundai Kona reliable?
The Hyundai Kona scores 75/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 73% of the cars we track. That is computed from 295,169 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used Hyundai Kona cost?
A 2023 Hyundai Kona with around 23,517 miles is worth roughly £17,750 today (typical range £16,050–£19,500). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Hyundai Kona depreciate?
A new Hyundai Kona typically loses about 36% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Hyundai Kona?
The Hyundai Kona sits in insurance group 17 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Hyundai Kona?
The most common age-related issues we track for the Hyundai Kona are: tyres & wheels (typically around 60k-100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); brakes (typically around 60k-100k miles, £150-£500 to put right); driver's view (typically around 30k-60k miles, £60-£300 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Hyundai Kona cost to run?
Expect around 58 mpg combined on the Mk2 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid, £200 a year in road tax, about £185 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the Hyundai Kona ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol Hyundai Konas from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
How many Hyundai Konas are on UK roads?
About 113,748 Hyundai Konas are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

SearchCompare with