Is the Hyundai Kona more reliable than the Mazda CX-30?

No, the Mazda CX-30 comes out slightly ahead. Both rate good, but Kona owners file 790 complaints, or 13.4 per 10,000 sold, against 218 for the CX-30. The Kona's list includes engine power loss, transmission failures and cooling leaks, which the CX-30 largely avoids.

Which has more recalls, the Kona or the CX-30?

The Kona has more. Federal recall records show 16 recalls across 9 model years for the Kona and 10 across 7 for the CX-30. The Kona has also been on sale longer, so some of the gap reflects more years in the count.

Which model years of the Kona and CX-30 should I avoid?

Avoid the 2019 and 2020 Kona, which are its weakest years. For the CX-30, skip 2020 and 2021. The newest years of either car have had less time to collect complaints, so treat a light record there with caution, not as proof.

What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-30?

Emergency braking and air bags are the most serious. Owners report the car stopping fully with nothing ahead, one saying it happened 11 times. Air bags have deployed with no crash. Brake complaints have 6 crash-linked reports, and air bags have 4.

What goes wrong most on the Hyundai Kona?

Engine trouble leads, with 264 complaints. Owners describe power cutting out while driving, cars that will not restart, and coolant leaks. Electrical issues follow, including a horn that keeps failing and a drained 12V battery on the Kona Electric. Transmission failures at low mileage are also reported.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30: Reliability Compared

Hyundai Kona

Good

More Reliable

Mazda CX-30

Good

A slight edge goes to the Mazda CX-30 over the Hyundai Kona, because owners file far fewer complaints about it. The Kona draws 13.4 complaints per 10,000 sold against 5.7, with more engine and transmission failures. Both still rate good overall.

How Do the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30 Generations Compare?

Most used cars you will see from either maker belong to a first generation. For the Kona, that generation covered model years 2018 to 2023 and got a facelift for 2021. It includes the weakest years, 2019 and 2020. A second generation began with the 2024 model year. The CX-30 has one generation, which the data lists as 2020 to 2024. Its early years, 2020 and 2021, carry the most complaints. The newest years of both models have had less time to gather complaints, so a thin record there is not a guarantee.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-30 is more reliable than the Hyundai Kona, scoring 67/100 vs 65/100.

Reliability gives the Mazda CX-30 a slight edge, and both sit in good standing. The deciding fact is the complaint rate. Owners file 5.7 complaints per 10,000 sold for the CX-30 against 13.4 for the Kona. The Kona also has more recalls and a heavier engine and transmission problem list, including power loss while driving. The CX-30 has serious issues of its own, mainly emergency braking and airbags, so the gap is real but not large.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-30 has 7.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-30 has 6 fewer total recalls
3Mazda CX-30 scores 2 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

0Hyundai Kona

—

4Mazda CX-30

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Kona	Mazda CX-30
Reliability Score	65/100	67/100
Years Tracked	9	7
Total Recalls	16	10
Complaints per 10k Sold	13.4	5.7
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2 (1 tied)	4 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30?

Mechanical failures dominate the Hyundai side. Kona owners report power cutting out at highway speed, cars that will not restart, coolant leaks, transmissions failing at low mileage, and a horn that keeps failing. Engine, electrical, speed control and brake complaints all include crashes. Adaptive cruise control crash reports, including a car accelerating while parking, appear only for the Kona. The CX-30 has fewer complaints, and its crash-linked areas are brakes and air bags. Emergency braking can stop the car with nothing ahead, and air bags have deployed with no crash. Its engine complaints are mostly low oil warnings, with no crashes and no engine damage reported.

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30 common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Kona	Mazda CX-30
ENGINE	4.5Average	1.2Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	3.3Average	0.8Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	0.3Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.3Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.3Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30 Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Kona	Mazda CX-30	Edge
2026	67/1002R / 4C	72/1000R / 0C	Mazda CX-30
2025	74/1000R / 21C	68/1001R / 22C	Hyundai Kona
2024	68/1003R / 50C	68/1002R / 23C	Tie
2023	66/1002R / 68C	68/1001R / 20C	Mazda CX-30
2022	64/1002R / 115C	67/1001R / 28C	Mazda CX-30
2021	63/1001R / 102C	60/1002R / 94C	Hyundai Kona
2020	57/1002R / 140C	64/1003R / 31C	Mazda CX-30

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Hyundai Kona scored 68/100 and the 2024 Mazda CX-30 scored 68/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Hyundai Kona vs the Mazda CX-30?

Pick the CX-30 if you want the lower chance of trouble. Owners file fewer than half as many complaints per car sold, and its engine reports center on a low oil light rather than stalling. Target 2024 or later within the first generation, and avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. Check the oil level often, and ask whether any open airbag recall remains unfixed. Pick the Kona if its fit or price suits you better, but shop more carefully. Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest years. The 2018 ranks among the strongest, though it is the oldest. Newer years such as 2025 have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read their clean record as proof. On any Kona, ask about engine cooling repairs and transmission behavior. Test adaptive cruise control on a highway. Be extra cautious with a Kona Electric that has a history of a dead 12V battery.

Hyundai Kona vs Mazda CX-30: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Kona more reliable than the Mazda CX-30?: No, the Mazda CX-30 comes out slightly ahead. Both rate good, but Kona owners file 790 complaints, or 13.4 per 10,000 sold, against 218 for the CX-30. The Kona's list includes engine power loss, transmission failures and cooling leaks, which the CX-30 largely avoids.
Which has more recalls, the Kona or the CX-30?: The Kona has more. Federal recall records show 16 recalls across 9 model years for the Kona and 10 across 7 for the CX-30. The Kona has also been on sale longer, so some of the gap reflects more years in the count.
Which model years of the Kona and CX-30 should I avoid?: Avoid the 2019 and 2020 Kona, which are its weakest years. For the CX-30, skip 2020 and 2021. The newest years of either car have had less time to collect complaints, so treat a light record there with caution, not as proof.
What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-30?: Emergency braking and air bags are the most serious. Owners report the car stopping fully with nothing ahead, one saying it happened 11 times. Air bags have deployed with no crash. Brake complaints have 6 crash-linked reports, and air bags have 4.
What goes wrong most on the Hyundai Kona?: Engine trouble leads, with 264 complaints. Owners describe power cutting out while driving, cars that will not restart, and coolant leaks. Electrical issues follow, including a horn that keeps failing and a drained 12V battery on the Kona Electric. Transmission failures at low mileage are also reported.

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How we score the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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