Hyundai Kona vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 1,080real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Hyundai Kona or Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
Verdict from 1,080 NHTSA complaints
Hyundai Kona wins this comparison overall. Hyundai Kona comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 4107% lower complaint rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Hyundai Kona wins by 4107%
Hyundai Kona wins by 204%
Hyundai Kona wins by 24%
Hyundai Kona wins by 7149%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Hyundai Kona
2026 model yearMitsubishi Eclipse Cross
2025 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Volume — Year by Year
Sales-volume data not available for both models — showing raw complaint counts. Higher-volume models will appear higher even when reliability is comparable.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hyundai Kona vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Hyundai Kona or the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
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Hyundai Kona wins this comparison overall. Hyundai Kona comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 4107% lower complaint rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Hyundai Kona or a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
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On reliability data alone, the Hyundai Kona is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross share?
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Top complaints for the Hyundai Kona: Engine Problems, Electrical Faults, Transmission / Drivetrain. Top complaints for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Electrical Faults, Airbags, Engine Problems. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Hyundai Kona or the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
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Across all model years, the Hyundai Kona has 982 NHTSA complaints and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has 98. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Hyundai Kona has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/hyundai/kona/vs/mitsubishi/eclipse-cross
Which is safer in a crash, the Hyundai Kona or the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Hyundai Kona 6.7% vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 20.4% — the Hyundai Kona has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Hyundai Kona or the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Hyundai Kona 3.30% vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 4.10%. The Hyundai Kona has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/kona and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/mitsubishi/eclipse-cross
What years of the Hyundai Kona are worse than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/kona/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/mitsubishi/eclipse-cross/{year}.
Where does this Hyundai Kona vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the Kona or Eclipse Cross also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Hyundai Kona has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: