The new 2020 Hyundai Kona is here and the latest version of this popular subcompact SUV has made a positive impression. It has a striking appearance, comfy interior, and impressive handling. The new Hyundai Kona will be at the top of the list for many drivers looking for a new, smaller SUV.

But for those who value safety and reliability, how safe is Kona? What is its predicted reliability rating?

The 2020 Hyundai Kona

Reviews for the new 2020 Hyundai Kona are good. A favorite subcompact SUV, it’s easy to park and offers a lot of cargo space for everything you need to bring with you. And have we talked about the price? Starting at $20,300, the Kona offers great value.

For those looking for a great car for a new driver, a college student, or the family, you get a lot for your money. Even the base model and lower trim levels offer all the popular features like forward collision warning, heated front seats, and smartphone compatibility. If you get one of the higher trim levels, you get all-wheel-drive, an athletic 175-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. In 2020, Hyundai also added available adaptive cruise control.

While the turbo engine’s transmission can be a little slow to shift and there’s some cabin noise, the Kona is hard to beat. 

Car and Driver put the 2019 Hyundai Kona on their list of best trucks and SUVs. Edmunds put the Kona with the turbocharged engine on their list of Fastest SUVs for 2019. 

How safe is the Hyundai Kona?

The 2020 Hyundai Kona was given an overall safety rating of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They also gave it five stars when it came front and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test.

The Kona was also given the highest rating of Good in all six crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Kona was given the Superior rating, the highest, for front crash prevention when the optional pedestrian detection system was installed. The available LED lights got the highest rating of Good. The only weak point was the standard halogen headlights which got the lowest rating of Poor for their ability to light up the road ahead.

The Kona has a nice suite of driver assistance features. Aside from a driver attention monitor, there’s a rearview camera, lane keep assist, and forward-collision warning. There are other available features like automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alerts, and rear-parking sensors.

The Ultimate models of the 2020 Kona feature adaptive cruise control with a system that has radar sensors to help keep the SUV at a specified safe following distance behind other vehicles on the road.

What’s the predicted reliability of the Hyundai Kona?

Consumer Reports gives the 2020 Hyundai Kona a predicted reliability rating of five out of five. They list the Kona as a top contender in its class that also includes the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and the Subaru Crosstrek. The Kona was also given a slightly above-average predicted reliability rating from J.D. Power.

While they find the base 2.0-liter engine to be good enough for most local travel, they took issue with the sluggish shifting. They favored the turbo engine for its power. They liked the Kona’s nimble handling and how it negotiated corners. They found the SUV’s controls easy to use. 

The appealing warranty offered by Hyundai doesn’t hurt either. The Kona comes with a five-year or 60,000-mile limited warranty and a 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty for the powertrain. Many of Hyundai’s peers don’t offer warranties at those lengths which is a real plus for buyers.

If you’re in the market for a smaller SUV, the 2020 Hyundai Kona is an affordable and safe option. It offers great value, comfort, and safety for peace of mind on all your travels.