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Types Of Gas A Hyundai Kona Takes (All Generations)

By: Author Stefan K.

Posted on Last updated:

Categories Crossovers & SUV's

Types Of Gas A Hyundai Kona Takes (All Generations)

We’ve written extensively about the Hyundai Kona, its capabilities, and various features on this blog, whether that’s certain problems you need to look out for, or Hyundai Kona’s towing capacity.

Today, we will talk about what fuel this crossover needs and what fuels are strictly prohibited. Let’s start with a quick answer:

All generations of the Hyundai Kona manufactured since 2017 use regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87. This advise also applies to the Hyundai Kona N. However, it does not apply to the electric version of the Hyundai Kona which solely takes electricity.

However, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Below we’ve outlined recommendations and requirements for different kinds of fuels and fuel additives. We’ll also go into detail about the compatibility of the Journey with oxygenated blends. Furthermore, we discuss the tank size of these generations. Read on!

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Infographic explaining the different fuel types for a Hyundai Kona
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Premium Gasoline

Let’s first talk about the use of premium gasoline in the Hyundai Kona. Many people wonder whether or not premium gasoline isn’t a better option all the time. Supposedly premium gasoline offers a better performance of the car as well as less wear-and-tear of the components.

However, it’s advised you use regular unleaded gasoline with an octane of 87 for the Hyundai Kona all of the time. This is because premium gasoline with an octane of 91 or higher does not give the car any benefits.

Since the engines of the Kona aren’t designed for this kind of fuel, and therefore there is no possible way for the engine to make use of the higher octane level. This is true whether we’re talking about the Kona, Elantra, Sentra, Ioniq, or another model.

Therefore, using premium gasoline will result in a higher bill for your gasoline, but that’s about the only consequence you can expect here.

Reformulated Gasoline

Another form of gasoline we need to talk about is the use of reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline is the gasoline that’s designed to burn more cleanly and therefore produces fewer emissions than non-reformulated gasoline.

This type of gasoline first became mandatory in California around two decades ago. However, these days it’s compulsory in more than 19 areas of the United States.

It’s good to know that the engines of all generations of the Hyundai Kona are entirely compatible with reformulated gasoline. Hyundai recommends you to use this kind of fuel whenever it’s available.

Also, using reformulated gasoline will not decrease performance, and it will also not negatively affect the lifespan of the components of your car.

Oxygenated Blends

Oxygenated blends of gasoline are also very common to come across. This is because oxygenated blends contain methanol or ethanol, which are components added to fuel during wintertime. These chemicals help the car start up more quickly when temperatures are cold. However, it’s essential you know the rules for the usage of these fuels.

  • Methanol should never be used with the Hyundai Kona.
  • Ethanol can be used with the Hyundai Kona but the percentage of ethanol should never exceed 15%.

Using methanol or a higher than recommended ethanol level will result in a whole range of problems such as:

  • Poor accelaration
  • Check engine light coming on
  • Knocking of the engine (more on that in a later subheading).

Gasoline With Additives

These days you also have many options in terms of additives that can be added to your fuel. Additives supposedly help your car in terms of performance or decrease the amount of deposits in your engine and fuel system. However, can they be used with the Kona?

It’s advised you do not add any form of additives to the fuel yourself. The reason for this is that many of these additives contain materials such as silicon or metallics, which will damage the engine when used. Furthermore, they may not improve the car’s performance since the engine can only use regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87.

Instead, Hyundai advises you to use fuel that already has the suitable additives mixed into it. This type of gasoline can be bought at certified TOP TIER gas retailers. They sell gas that’s free of silicon or metallics, but that does help the engine clean itself. You can find a certified retailer at toptiergas.com.

Engine Knock After Refilling

Finally, it’s essential to know what to do when an engine knock occurs. A slight knocking sound of the engine is entirely typical, especially when the car is performing at peak levels, such as when towing or driving up a hill.

However, if the engine knocking sound becomes loud and occurs immediately after refilling, then you’ve likely used fuel with a lower than recommended octane rating.

In this case, it’s advised you stop the car immediately and contact your dealer. You will likely need to drain the vehicle from the fuel, replace the fuel filter, disconnect, and reconnect the car’s battery to reset its memory.

Continuing to drive with a heavy knocking sound will result in severe damage to the engine and the car’s fuel system that’s not covered under warranty.

For more insight into engine knocking check this video:

Fuel Tank Size Per Generation

Closing Thoughts

We’ve just unpacked a lot about the fuel needs of the Hyundai Kona, but remember, this is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to car maintenance. Your Kona runs on more than just fuel; it thrives on care and attention to all its parts.

So, while you’re keeping an eye on the gas pump, don’t forget about the other essential aspects of your car. If you’re a new Hyundai Kona owner and you want to dive deeper into your vehicle’s needs whether that’s the expected mileage of a Hyundai Kona, or the maintenance cost of this vehicle we got you covered!

And for those of you looking to switch up your wheels, we may want to check our in-depth article on “The Exact Bolt Pattern Of A Hyundai Kona.”

Let’s keep that engine purring and the wheels turning. Happy driving!

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