Hyundai Kona SE (gas) price & real 5-year cost in the U.S.
The Hyundai Kona SE (gas) starts at $25,600. As of August 6, 2026, over 5 years, owning one (gas car) costs about $39,243 in the U.S. — $654/month, $0.65/mile — including depreciation, fuel, maintenance, insurance, financing and fees. That's $1,849 less than a comparable Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) over the same 5 years.
Hyundai Kona SE (gas) · U.S. average · 5-year estimate$39,243 total · $654/mo · $0.65/mi
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Gas · Hyundai Kona SE | Gas · Toyota RAV4 LE |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $9,907 (25%) | $10,800 (26%) |
| Charging / fuel | $7,446 (19%) | $7,694 (19%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | — | — |
| Maintenance | $5,640 (14%) | $5,520 (13%) |
| Insurance | $11,000 (28%) | $11,000 (27%) |
| Financing interest | $4,250 (11%) | $5,078 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,000 (3%) | $1,000 (2%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $39,243 | $41,092 |
Hyundai Kona SE (gas) specs & assumptions
- Starting MSRP
- $25,600manufacturer base
- Powertrain
- Gas
- Efficiency
- 31 mpgEPA
- Gas (US avg)
- $3.85/galAAA
- Annual miles (assumed)
- 12,000adjustable in tool
Compare the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) against any car, your miles & your state
What else moves your Hyundai Kona SE (gas) cost
The 5-year total already folds in depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance and financing. These are the levers that actually move money on this car, biggest first — each figure re-run through the same kernel with one input changed. Levers that don't move $400+ here aren't listed.
- Insurance. On a car this cheap to buy, insurance is the quiet giant: $11,000 over 5 years, 28% of the whole total and more than the fuel bill. Quotes swing widely by driver and ZIP, so get your own before deciding.
- Financing. The total finances $22,600 of the $25,600 price at 7.0% over 60 months: $4,250 of pure interest, 11% of everything above. Paying cash or shopping the rate removes it outright — both are inputs in the calculator.
- Efficiency. 31 mpg puts the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) above the 24 mpg median of the non-electric models we price — $2,172 less fuel over 5 years than a median car at the same pump price.
- Fuel price. The total runs on the U.S. average $3.85/gal. Add a dollar to the pump price and this car's 5-year total rises $1,936 to $41,179 — at 31 mpg and 12,000 mi/yr, fuel is the lever your own driving moves most.
Hyundai Kona SE (gas) cost anatomy — where the money concentrates
The Hyundai Kona SE (gas) costs about $39,243 to own over 5 years in the U.S. — $654/month, $0.65/mi at 12,000 mi/yr — and insurance is the biggest line: $11,000, 28% of the total (as of August 6, 2026).
- Where the Hyundai Kona SE (gas)'s $39,243 actually goes: insurance $11,000 (28%), depreciation $9,907 (25%), gas $7,446 (19%), maintenance $5,640 (14%), financing interest $4,250 (11%), registration & fees $1,000 (3%).
- Per mile, that is $0.17 of depreciation and $0.12 of gas, with $0.36 for everything else — $0.65/mile all-in.
- Gas vs the fleet: the Hyundai Kona SE (gas)'s 5-year gas bill ($7,446) runs $1,787 below the $9,233 median of the 37 gas and hybrid models we price at the same rates.
What we assume for maintenance
Maintenance & repairs for the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) are costed at $0.094/mi (a model-specific rate below the gas car average) — about $1,128/yr at 12,000 mi/yr, and $5,640 of the 5-year total above. That is within $60/yr of the $0.092/mi we cost for the gas Toyota RAV4 LE it is compared against above ($5,520 over 5 years) — no meaningful servicing advantage either way.
Rates are anchored to U.S. DOE 2025 per-mile figures (AAA-calibrated) — full sourcing in the methodology. The total scales with the annual-miles input in the calculator.
Recalls & reliability record — Kona
Official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety record for the Kona, MY 2018–2025. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the Kona nameplate for the model years shown. A recall means a free remedy is available at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of .
Recalls (6)
- Engine And Engine Cooling
Dealers will replace the exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly, free of charge.
- Electrical System
Dealers will install sheathing over the wiring, free of charge.
- Seat Belts
Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractor as necessary, free of charge.
- Power Train
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.
Park outside, away from structures, until repaired — NHTSA “Park Outside” advisory.
- Engine
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge.
- Equipment
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers displaying the correct GAWR over the affected areas of the certification label, free of charge.
Full recall history: every Kona campaign →
Consumer complaints
NHTSA has 742 consumer complaints on file for the Kona (MY 2018–2025). The most-reported areas: Engine, Electrical System, Power Train. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.
Hyundai Kona SE (gas) head-to-head comparisons
The 5-year cost gap against the cars buyers cross-shop:
Where the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) numbers change most
Same car, same 5-year horizon, 51 different state rate sets: the total runs from $37,129 in Indiana to $41,726 in California — a $4,597 swing, 12% of its U.S.-average $39,243. Every 10¢/gal at the pump moves this car's total by about $194; state registration fees stack on top of that. Each link opens that state's cost table at the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) row.
Cheapest states for the Hyundai Kona SE (gas)
Most expensive states for the Hyundai Kona SE (gas)
- California $41,726
- Hawaii $41,671
- Washington $40,991
- Alaska $40,444
- Oregon $40,225
- Nevada $39,982
Does any state change the verdict? No. Against the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) — the segment rival we price it against — the Hyundai Kona SE (gas) is cheaper in all 51 state rate sets, by $1,849 at the U.S. average. No state's mix of electricity, pump price and fees closes that gap, so there is no "it depends on where you live" story here.