Safety recall at a glance
- Vehicle: Hyundai Kona (SX2) 2025-2026, all variants per the notice (petrol and hybrid; the Electric is not named)
- Vehicles affected: 14,551 in Australia
- Defect: certain rear centre seat belt buckle anchors did not meet specifications
- Hazard: the seat belt may not operate as intended, increasing injury risk in a crash
- Interim action: avoid using the rear centre seat until the repair is complete
- Remedy: free repair at an authorised Hyundai dealer once parts arrive
- Register: REC-006734 on vehiclerecalls.gov.au, Hyundai campaign 61D282, published 28 September 2026
- Hyundai Customer Care: 1800 186 306
Hyundai Australia has pulled 14,551 Konas back in on a rear seat belt defect, and the first thing an affected owner should do this week is stop using the middle seat in the back. The recall covers the SX2 Kona from the 2025 and 2026 model years, and the notice says it applies to all variants within that model, which means the petrol and the hybrid. The notice doesn't name the Kona Electric, so whether the Electric is caught up is not confirmed either way. Whatever you drive, the VIN check is a five-minute job and the fix itself is free.
The defect sits in the rear centre seat belt buckle anchor. According to the notice, certain of those anchors did not meet specifications during internal testing, and as a result the seat belts may not operate as intended. The register's wording is deliberately plain: in the event of an accident, a seat belt not operating as intended could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants. That is a hazard statement, not a theatrical one.
Own one? We will email you when a recall is published for your car. Your VIN is checked on the federal register, not here.
What is actually wrong
The buckle anchor is the fitting that holds the rear centre seat belt buckle in place, and it is the point the belt pulls against in a collision. A seat belt only works if it holds the occupant against the seat as the car decelerates. If the anchor isn't up to spec, the belt may not do that job properly, which is exactly what the notice is warning about.
The notice is specifically about the rear centre belt. It says nothing about the front belts, the outboard rear belts or the airbags, so the interim advice only asks owners to keep the middle rear seat empty.
The problem was picked up in internal testing, and the notice doesn't mention any field incidents or injuries. That is how the recall framework is meant to work: a parts problem found in testing and a campaign raised before the risk shows up on the road.
Which Konas are on the list
| Model | Powertrain | Status on REC-006734 | Model years in scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Kona 2.0 FWD / N Line / Premium | 2.0L petrol, CVT, front-wheel drive | Covered (all SX2 variants) | 2025 and 2026 |
| Hyundai Kona 1.6T AWD / N Line / Premium | 1.6L turbo petrol, 8-speed DCT, all-wheel drive | Covered (all SX2 variants) | 2025 and 2026 |
| Hyundai Kona Hybrid / N Line / Premium | 1.6L hybrid, 6-speed DCT, front-wheel drive | Covered (all SX2 variants) | 2025 and 2026 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | Electric | Not named on the notice, not confirmed either way | Check your VIN |
Compare these picks side by side
2 of them on 200+ specs, price, safety and running cost in one view.
Each price is that car's stored figure with its basis and check date. Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
The notice lists the model as Kona (SX2), years 2025 to 2026, with all variants within this model in scope. It doesn't name the Electric anywhere. So if you have a Kona Electric, don't assume you're in or out: put the VIN through the check at vehiclerecalls.gov.au or call Hyundai Customer Care on 1800 186 306. Konas from before the 2025 model year sit outside the notice's year range.
The 14,551 figure is the count on the published VIN list, so the VIN lookup is the way to be sure for any given car.
What Hyundai is telling owners to do
The register is explicit on the interim step. Until replacement parts are available and the repair is complete, avoid using the rear centre seat. For a family that uses the back row for one or two child seats on the outboard positions, nothing changes day to day. For a household that routinely runs three in the back row, this is the awkward stretch: either rotate someone forward or leave the centre position empty.
Replacement parts were not yet available when the notice went live on 28 September. Once they are, Hyundai Motor Company Australia will contact affected owners in writing asking them to book an appointment with an authorised Hyundai dealer. If you have moved since you bought the car, update your details with Hyundai Customer Care on 1800 186 306. If you bought the Kona second-hand, a direct call is faster than hoping the letter finds you.
The repair is done by an authorised Hyundai dealer and it is free of charge. The notice doesn't spell out the workshop procedure or how long it takes, so ask the dealer when you book.
Safety and ANCAP
For the Kona's ANCAP rating and the year it was tested, see the Kona page. The recall does not change the ANCAP outcome. ANCAP ratings are assessed on a car that meets its own manufacturing specification, and this notice is about parts that fell outside that spec. The fix is meant to bring the recalled Konas back into line.
A side note for buyers: a current ANCAP rating remains a strong signal of baseline occupant protection, but it never guarantees that every unit off the production line is perfect, which is exactly why the recall framework exists on top of it. We cover the stars and what they actually measure in our ANCAP safety ratings explained primer.
CarSorted Manufacturer offer
Hyundai Australia has an offer on the Kona until 31 December 2026
Offer from Hyundai Australia, checked 15 Nov 2026
How this fits the Kona on CarSorted
On the CarSorted directory, the current Kona lineup starts at $33,700 before on-road costs for the Kona 2.0 FWD and moves to $36,950 for the Kona Hybrid FWD. Because the notice covers all variants of the 2025-2026 SX2, switching grade or between petrol and hybrid doesn't get you around it. The Kona Electric isn't named on the notice and its status is unconfirmed, so check the VIN on any Electric too.
Cross-shopped against rivals we also track, the Kona on recall still stacks up on price. The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid opens at $37,440 before on-roads and the GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid sits lower. The MG ZS Hybrid runs beneath both. For a shopper mid-decision this week the recall is a factor on the Kona side of the ledger. It is not a reason to walk, but it is a reason to insist the fix is done before delivery on any Kona you order out of 2025 or 2026 stock.
For a shopper deciding between the Kona Hybrid and a straight small-SUV comparison, our Hyundai Kona vs Toyota Corolla Cross page carries the running-cost maths and the equipment deltas. If you are weighing up EVs in the same money, our best Chinese EVs for 2026 guide has the alternative view.
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If you are shopping a used SX2 Kona this weekend
Three practical rules while this campaign is open. First, use the VIN check as a condition of sale. A dealer should be able to tell you whether a stock SX2 Kona is on the list and whether the repair has been done or booked. A private seller can read the VIN down the phone to Hyundai Customer Care on 1800 186 306 and ask for its status against REC-006734. If the seller won't run the check, run it yourself before you put a deposit down. It takes under five minutes.
Second, do not pay a premium for a car with the campaign still open. A 2025 or 2026 Kona with REC-006734 outstanding is worth marginally less than the same car with the repair done, because you are inheriting the dealer visit and the parts wait. A bit of negotiation is fair game, more so if parts are still delayed when you buy.
Third, check for any other open campaigns on the VIN while you are at it. A seller who has left recalls open is telling you something about how often the car has seen a Hyundai dealer, and that pattern tends to repeat.
What this means for buyers
If you already own a 2025 or 2026 Kona, this is a short interim inconvenience and a free repair, not a reason to panic. Keep the rear centre seat clear until the repair is done. Phone Hyundai Customer Care on 1800 186 306 if your VIN check comes up positive and the letter has not landed. Keep the dealer completion paperwork once the work is done, because an open recall against a VIN can cost you at trade-in time.
If you are shopping new, do not take delivery of a 2025 or 2026 Kona until the dealer has run the VIN against REC-006734 and either cleared it as unaffected or booked the repair before handover. On a car with the campaign cleared, nothing about the ownership proposition changes.
If you are cross-shopping outside Hyundai, this recall is one data point, not a verdict. Seat belt, airbag and structural campaigns turn up across plenty of brands, and the recall system is the reason problems like this surface before an injury rather than after one. For the full cross-shop context on the Kona's rivals, our best small SUVs Australia 2026 guide is the place to start, and the CarSorted directory covers the full lineup across petrol, hybrid and electric.
More on CarSorted: Kona vs Corolla Cross | Kona specs and pricing | ANCAP safety ratings explained.
Hyundai Australia contact
- Hyundai Customer Care: 1800 186 306
- Hyundai recall information: hyundai.com/au/en/owning/safety-recalls
- Official register: REC-006734 at vehiclerecalls.gov.au/recalls/rec-006734
- Hyundai campaign number: 61D282
Disclaimer: Recall details are sourced from recall notice REC-006734 (Hyundai campaign 61D282), first published on the federal Vehicle Recalls register (vehiclerecalls.gov.au) on 28 September 2026, and from Hyundai Motor Company Australia. Vehicle counts and the affected model range are accurate at the time of publishing and may change if the campaign is extended. Pricing and specification references for the Kona range reflect current list prices on the CarSorted directory and are before on-road costs unless otherwise stated. Always confirm the campaign status of your specific vehicle with Hyundai Australia (1800 186 306) or through the official recall lookup. Read our methodology for how we source and verify recall data.
