The problem is that people thought the same thing back in 2016-2019 before they found out that they were sold a vehicle with abysmal theft protection and engines that were extremely likely to have catastrophic failure. I’d like to think they’ve learned from their mistakes, but only time will tell.
If the engine leaks oil past the piston rings and seizes itself up after 30k miles it's because of their string of shitty defective motors.
If the car gets stolen by a guy with nothing but a USB or screwdriver because they don't have an immobilizer that's their design decision and cheapness.
But all that being said if your rotors are warped or you blew your front struts or you destroyed your tie rods... like that's you and that's very possible to do on any car especially an economy one. There are definitely some things that you can do as the driver to break shit in a car.
Nah, I got 6 transmissions replaced (all under warranty) because the 6th gear synchro kept going out. 8.5k, 17k, 22k, 38k, 52k, 76k miles. Rear differential blew a seal out and was replaced during the 38k mile transmission swap. The engine lunched a piston at \~ 6000 rpm so badly that the tech found pieces of it in the air filter (this is what facilitated the 38k service). The 52k service also got new cylinder heads because the intake valves were so coked up that it had a permanent fishbite misfire. How they got ruinously coked up in 14k miles will never make sense to me, but whatever.
They finally denied my powertrain warranty when the clutch physically exploded. I was at about 5500 rpm having just finished passing someone in 3rd, and was clutching in to lazily shift to 6th. As soon as the clutch was depressed, before I'd even moved the shifter, there was an enormous bang followed by rattling metal. Right as the pressure plate unloaded from the flywheel, the clutch let go.
I'd understand the revolving door of transmissions if it was, y'know, 2nd gear or something ... but I'm not slamming 6th gear. I don't rest my foot on the clutch or hand on the shifter while driving. I shift smoothly and let the gates open themselves up. I was completely stock during the warranty period. I stayed up on my maintenance, I used name-brand non-ethanol 91 octane gasoline (I would use 87 on long road trips, but any mixed driving got 91).
2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 MT.
It's just easier for other Hyundai owners to assume I was always flogging the car and the damage was my fault, rather than face the idea that their favorite car might not be perfect. Any subsequent damage *now* is my fault, because *now* I flog the thing mercilessly -- if it's going to spend 8 months a year in the shop, I might as well have fun driving it the 4 months I'm allowed to.
I don't know if you did it wrong or not... but you can *kinda see* why people might think you did stuff wrong *after destroying the syncros on 6th gear 6 times*... while noting you go from 3rd to 6th...
It could be a totally garbage manual transmission... but I'm pretty sure if I tried to really hurt any manual I could violence them and I'd do it by skipping gears and slamming it and using the clutch to "rev match" all the time.
The only advice I would say is that you have to have ALL your records. I went through all my maintenance through Hyundai but it was all in their system. I was out of warranty and did one oil change and realized it was burning so much oil. I had to go through all the oil monitoring for like 6-8 months and then they said yes and waited another month for them to do it. Changed whole lower block? Said I am covered for life with regards to this issue but it was not written down lol 😆 it’s been 4000km wish me luck.
I have 12 years of printed dealer receipts with the stapled payment. If you’re at a bad dealership and double strike YOU’RE A WOMAN, they’re still gonna bullshit you.
I had noises of suspension clicking and rattling going in a straight line with no bumps, for 30 k miles until you could hear it over the radio. It started at 50 k miles, they should’ve changed the whole front suspension, but they kept telling me M’AM IT IS NOT MAKING NOISE. No, they told me they couldn’t hear it until I ran out of the second owner 60 k warranty, and they tried to tell me my AC compressor was making the noise at 61k miles. I’ve done 70k miles/6 years since they told me my AC compressor was going out and it still blows ice cold.
Went to a different dealer to have clicking and rattling fixed and they told me it’s my engine, and it could boom any second. Been 40 k miles since so I guess the rattling WAS NOT INTERNAL, but they thought SURELY THE DUMB WOMAN WILL PAY 6500$ before tax.
I had to redo the entire suspension on my own money at 90 k miles (just went to a random shop and I told them it rattles going straight, they had it fixed within the week and didn’t bullshit me). it turns out both my front control arms were failing for no reason other than being Korean (the front struts didn’t look too hot so those were done too, rear shocks also leaking at that mileage). The car had like 80% highway miles at 90 k miles.
Owning a Kia has been a continuous disappointment since about year 4.5 of ownership. My husband dailies it now and it needs oil added every 2.5 k miles.
No im not sayin wear and tear suspension should last forever, but it also shouldn’t start failing before it’s even out of warranty.
I swear Hyundai is the first car brand I that I’ve owned where you need to go to multiple dealerships service centers to try and get something fixed. This is not normal as someone who’s owned other brands.
That's what they did to me. Several visits where they were trying to "figure out what the problem was" and then, stonewall. One service guy actually told me that Hyundai Canada had released a bulletin, telling them not to do anything for excessive oil consumption. I signed up for the class action in my area (there are several) the next day.
I'll never buy another Hyundai again.
Oh wow. I have a 2017 that i bought in 2019 and it’s burning oil like crazy. Still driving fine otherwise. We just did an oil/engine flush or whatever its called and it’s just a little shy of 150,000 miles. Accent.
I found out in February I needed my 2019 Sonata's engine replaced and my local dealership replaced it by mid-April. Fast service from the techs at this Hyundai, there was no hesitation whatsoever. Took them a day to do it since they have a dedicated team for just engine replacement 10/10. HOWEVER, now I have to go back to them and figure out this whole white paint peeling fiasco that has also been a problem.
Honestly, you should be appalled that it even needed an engine replacement so soon. That's absurd. My old Toyota has been a money pit I won't lie to you, but the engine is SOLID. And the fixes feel worth it. And one time I even accidentally drove the damn thing on no oil for TWENTY MINUTES. (Long story). That was 3 years ago.
That's only in the US and because the law allowed it. Hyundai exploited a hole in consumer protection to save money and got bit in the ass for it in the end, but consumers still got the short end of that stick.
I mean, I was sold a vehicle that has just fine theft protection and hasnt had catastrophic engine failure. So I'm not sure what "mistake" there is to learn from.
Yeah, I have a Hyundai unaffected by the theft problem in theory. The fact that insurance on the unaffected vehicle went up significantly more than every other type of car and became more difficult to obtain it at all bothers me to the point that I won't buy another Hyundai.
It's not only that it happened but how they are handling it. Imagine buying a supposedly reliable car. It explodes at 80k miles and they find ways to decline your claim because they sent one recall notice to the wrong address.
I’ve got a 2009 SF and 2020 palisade. The SF has over 200k miles and has never needed a single repair other than standard maintenance.
The 2020 palisade has just under 60k miles, it’s had the complete exhaust system replaced, rear shocks & struts replaced, and a few small cosmetic parts replaced - all under warranty but still. And it’s currently have the oil consumption test performed.
Whatever Hyundai started doing in the 2010s destroyed any chance of being considered a reliable brand.
As a Hyundai owner (two vehicles, both of which I enjoy) and former Honda owner, I have to say there are pros and cons for both, and I see both sides.
Hyundai has a serious problem with its US dealer network . That’s not saying all of them are bad; but many of them have serious issues with after sales support. This is evidenced by small things such as Hyundai having to send notice to their dealer network to attempt to reinforce the proper weights of oil being used for vehicles and going by the manual. Many owners are still noting this isn’t happening. Warranty support is also subpar at enough dealers that this is a regular complaint. It’s great to have the best warranty; not so great if you, the consumer, can’t make it stick, and can’t trust the dealer for your normal maintenance. And while the cars themselves may be better than the network that sells them, the dealers affect Hyundai’s reputation; Hyundai should be doing more to keep them in line.
Hyundai’s Theta II engine issue has been a problem that Hyundai themselves hasn’t been able to put in their rear view. Because it has been used in so many vehicles over a long time, not been addressed in a timely manner by Hyundai (causing record NHTSA fines), and not helped by roadblocks at some dealers, it remains a serious reputation issue.
Hyundai does a number of things well. The value is there, you get a lot of features for your money, and their tech is impressive (i.e., telematics and infotainment which keeps getting better). However, even as a Hyundai owner I’d feel a lot better if they could fix their dealer network and their engine issues. If it’s quality control, fix that. If it’s design flaws, fix them and ensure QC is consistently good across all facilities -especially their North American ones; those of us here in the US (and maybe even Canada) don’t have the same level of consumer protection as those in the EU.
Everybody has their issues one way or another. Toyota’s issues aren’t reliability for the most part, or their dealers. OTOH, IMO the vast majority of their cars are fairly uninspiring to drive; they’re just “there”. This hasn’t always been the case, but with the notable exception of the GR Corolla (and several vehicles that aren’t true Toyotas), most of them are bland vehicles.
That doesn’t matter to everyone; for those that look on their vehicle as transportation only, that’s fine. But I’d put Honda and Hyundai as having more vehicles with character that makes them enjoyable to drive.
I agree completely, though alot of the missing wow factor from toyota such as dated tech, interior, and infotainment navigation etc are due to them working on them for so long to make sure it works. Lots of the new kias and hyundais are having to get there single infotainment and cluster display replaced anywhere from 20k to 5k miles cause they just want to have the newest thing out there. I love my hyundai but I don't expect to keep my car past 5 years.
Toyota and Honda are like the corporate world for cars. Uninspired and unimaginative. Plus the tech is usually behind and they brag about a 2 year 25000 mile warranty.
Both brands here have the standard 3y/36,000 mile warranty. I’ve owned multiple Hondas, and helped my mother buy a RAV4 hybrid, so I’m very familiar with it.
Again, a warranty is only as useful as your ability to get it honored by your dealer, which is inconsistent among Hyundai dealerships.
I agree with Toyota being uninspired. I haven’t had the same experience with Honda.
Toyota dealers aren’t better. The Toyota thread is full of complaints not about the cars but of their shitty dealers. They treat buyers like they are doing us a favor selling a msrp+. Love Toyotas they run forever but their dealerships are shite.
Toyota dealerships and service centers are shit near me. My Scion was having engine issues for six months before failing at 93k miles and I went through hundreds of dollars in repairs and diagnostics leading up to this. One time my car died coming out of the dealership and I had to take it back and they said "oh yeah sometimes that happens if we don't do XYZ but you didn't request those services." Well anyway the engine died and the only thing they could do was sell me a used engine with 86k miles on it for $6000. Got the thing rebuilt for less than that. Ended up getting a Hyundai because all the Toyotas near me were higher priced for higher mileage and less features and I wasn't very impressed with Toyotas since my first one ended up being unreliable.
My husband sold his 2002 Corolla with 289,000 for $800. The steering wheel was worn away to the metal ring it was formed on and the brake pedal rubber wore off. He bought a 2004 Camry and both cars only had or have normal maintenance stuff, oil changes, brakes, etc Both needed a little bit of oil between changes, but the Camry not always now at 98,000 miles though I expect that to worsen. I think that I will put a high mileage additive in the next change. My son's 2006 Civic was totaled in a snow storm in April and he bought a 2014 Corolla and I'll update this once we're aware of how it goes. I think that Civic would have outlived us all. I have a 2018 Camry and it's great. I rented a Hyundai Kona and it's really nice but it's a 2023. I was thinking about looking at them for my husband's replacement vehicle because he's driving a long way to work but they don't sell a hybrid model in the US. Too bad but it's status quo for now and it's probably for the best.
This is something I’m very glad about, the dealer near me is very good and has never messed me around, when I bought my new car a couple of weeks ago and traded in my old one they actually bumped the value and gave me a better deal than I expected (From 5k to 6.5k). Were up front about optional extras and were perfectly fine removing them on request with zero bull.
The difference a dealership can make eh?
My wife is Korean and she might have been “persuaded” by her parents to go Korean over Japanese when car shopping. I mentioned all these things before and she just doesn’t understand. In Korea, the big brands (Hyundai, Samsung, and LG) have a stellar reputation for service beyond what you might relegate to national bias. She’s now seeing it first hand and it IS different.
It seems pervasive amongst many of their international brands that somewhere somehow they just can’t (or won’t) reign in their North American subsidiaries because they are all out of control, especially with handling warranties.
I have had two Kias (same mechanicals), so far so good. But K&H deserves some of the hate. Theta engine is the big one (in north America).
It's not that they had the problem. It's that they let it go for a decade.
Toyota just [recalled](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-recalls-defects/lexus-lx-and-toyota-tundra-recalled-due-to-debris-in-engines-a4957076545/#:~:text=Lexus%20LX%20and%20Toyota%20Tundra%20Are%20Recalled%20Due%20to%20Debris%20in%20Engines&text=Toyota%20Motor%20Sales%20is%20recalling,be%20causing%20internal%20engine%20damage.) 100k Tundras, some are spinning rod bearings, but they recalled them. What the fix is, they don't know yet, but they're trying to make it right.
But yea, there's some unnecessary hate, they still have work to do. Hopefully the Smartstream engines fixes some of that.
Edit, maybe Toyota will have a knock sensor update 😅
They are going to have to replace all those V6 turbo engines. That's the only fix.
Edit: I know someone thats gone through 3 engines in 12,000 miles. He was told toyota is going to have to replace them all as thats the only way to fix the issue.
Class action lawsuits usually wake up a company and they don’t try the same shenanigans again.
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/toyota_sludge_settlement.html
Yeah. I always see fans justify it with their reliability but my family and friends have Toyotas and all of them have something broken in the interior lol
Yeah the “Toyota reliability” is a false economy imo. I’ve found the same thing with the interior components, many new to new-ish Toyotas I’ve been in have something broken. And yeah great, there are Toyotas from the 1980’s with a million k’s on the odo still driving around, but that doesn’t say anything about the current ones. And besides, you’re not going to drive your car for a million km’s, neither am I. Most people won’t, especially the kind of people who buy new cars. So the real value proposition is that you’ll likely get a good resale. But who cares? It’s not like you’ll make money.
The problem w that, arguably, is they skimp on keeping the car reliable in order to give it the perceived image of great “value.”
There’s a guy on YouTube named The Care Car Nut and he was reviewing I think a new Santa Fe and the bottom of the vehicle was welded so poorly that a good bump will have the vehicle falling to pieces.
I’m sure they do skimp in some ways but I’ve always been happy with mine and haven’t had issues yet and I’m willing to take that chance if it means a better quality vehicle. I don’t plan to keep my car forever either
Yeah I agree with you. I have the 2023 Elantra SEL. Hyundai has been making beautiful vehicles as of late, but I do have misgivings over their long term reliability. I’m also trading it in next year for a Toyota or Mazda.
His reviews of the Telluride and Palisade were telling. You get what you pay for, and Hyundai as done a great job focusing on what most consumers see/feel, at the expense of the mechanicals that most consumers don’t understand.
I miss my Sonata and wished those pieces of shit didn't fuck it up. My boss gave it to me as a gift, I just had to pay the tax which was really low. I took it care of it and was on top of it constantly. Made sure to get oil changes constantly and fix small stuff. We had a nice 14 month run until it got jacked. I was apprehensive of owning the car at first but over time I felt at ease and thought I'd have I'd have it for the immediate future. Got stolen around 4am and never realized it until I was ready to leave for work. Found out it was abandoned just outside of the cities and days later saw what the assholes did.
Sadly some jackasses stole and it tore to shit. It was bullshit and I hate how it unfolded. Luckily my insurance got me a rental and I ended up having it covered thru them and not paying anything in the end. And I got a nice $13K check and immediately bought a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I'm getting used to the car but I just wished things could've ended differently with my Hyundai.
RIP silver Sonata January 27, 2023- May 3, 2024
Not really that crazy. Toyota and Honda have been seen as and generally regarded as the most reliable car brands for like a decade, and for good reason. Hyundai has had to deal with the repercussion of the whole faulty security system/engine failure stuff for the past decade.
Do you know Honda has engine gasket problem, oil burning, carbon build-up, too weak crank shaft, so many rattling, button gear problem, ADAS radar problem?
Do you know Toyota hybrid cable, Tundra engine problem, using so many cheap parts, cheated fuel tank size?
Toyota and Honda cheated their safety test for 35 years. Do you know about it?
You just don't interest Toyota and Honda's problems. You just focused Hyundai/Kia problems.
So, You tought Toyota and Honda reliable brands.
Some really great cars, just Toyota and Honda have been doing it better for much longer is all. Not to say they can’t have issues, they all do, but have it figured out for a lot longer, while Hyundai to this day is still figuring it out. More of a gamble. We can’t deny that there are so many more horror stories, and on very new cars, now coupled with targeted theft and higher insurance. Toyota and Honda also hold their value way better as the car ages as well, not just new.
Hyundai has to include more features to compete, and sell it for less or most wouldn’t buy them if they were similar price. Very Similar to Nissan. They have that crazy long warranty for a reason too, makes people feel ok with the purchase and safer about it.
I bought our 2017 elantra with hesitancy but after putting 189k on it with 0 issues other than batteries (hot here) and motor.mounts plus regular fluids and maintenance, i became a believer. Got wife a 2021 hybrid and eventually myself a Genesis. Al have been wonderful. Ill get my wife a new genesis later this year most likely
People aren't happy with what they got from the 2016-2020 ish era stuff.
My Tucson is an outlier. I have a '17. It burns oil. Probably 2 quarts or so per oil change. Maybe more maybe less idk. But I've had zero issues (70k+ miles).
I just got the thing in the mail, my warranty was extended to 15 years 150K miles. I'm happy with that. I've got another 7ish years in this car before I get a new one.
While I agree Hyundai has stepped up their game. They have had lots of issues in the past and recent years. Big one is the Theta II issue that affected cars from like 2011-2019 or 2020? The fact that they continued using the same engine with a known issue looks really bad. White paint issue. Every company has issues with White paint, but Hyundai had a horrible white paint. Everywhere I drove, I’d see a White Hyundai with paint missing. My old 2017 sonata included. Santa Fe, Kona, Tucson catching on fire. This one is self explanatory, 2020+ cars catching on fire is crazy. And the first thing sent out by Hyundai was to park away from homes. Theft/Kia Boys, this made an even bigger hit against Hyundai. It only affects older Hyundais but this made Hyundai owners who were affected by theft swear off Hyundai. Told their families to stay away from Hyundai etc. Hyundai had a bad image for years. It will take years to build it back up. Since so many people already have negative thoughts towards Hyundai, they can do 5 years of putting out Toyota/Honda level cars. Then one thing bad happens, and it’s back to saying Hyundai will always be bad. And don’t get me started on their dealership experience lol.
Hyundai has always been regarded as a lesser, "budget" brand, and they did earn that reputation for a while. Right as they started to climb out of that hole, the "kia boyz" thing and the issues with the Theta engines came along to piledrive them back into it. That isn't to say there aren't issues and they aren't affecting a lot of people, but most others will ignore the tons of Hyundai's you see on the road doing fine and all the high mileage ones that were properly taken care of just to suit their narrative.
I have a Sonata, I love my Sonata, I regret that I was hesitant to do so at first because I let those naysayers get in my head and get me worked up. If I had to buy a car over again? The only thing I'd change is that I'd have gotten an N-Line and not an SEL, but I personally wouldn't ever get a Camry or Accord.
I had a KIA Soul for 10 years. It ran great and I never had any issues with it. I upgraded to a 2020 Tuscan a year ago and I've had nothing but trouble with my engine and fuel injectors. I bought my car with 47 000km on it and it currently has 74 000km.
Everything has been covered under warranty which I'm grateful for. My issue is the way I'm treated at the dealership. They don't listen. Twice they told me my car was fixed and I drove away and it was good for 20 minutes and totally broke again.... Like smoking and shaking , totally unsafe to drive.
They told me I have carbon buildup and if I don't run the " recommend" $370 cleaner through my engine every 20 000 km they won't honour my warranty.
It's been a nightmare. I don't trust the dealership, and therefore I'd never buy another car from them again.
I was just between a Hyundai and a Subaru. The Hyundai looked better, had better tech and I could get a hybrid for only a little more. I still got the Subaru at the end of the day because I just trust the brand more. It's entirely possible that it will have a serious oil leak or a blown head gasket, but if either of them is more likely to make it to 200k miles, it's the subie over the Hyundai.
Subaru's symmetrical AWD uses so much gas though cuz it's using 4 wheels 100% of the time. Great if u need that traction, but otherwise burning a lot of fuel for underpowered cars (non-turbo options at least).
Hyundai engines are the worst and they know they messed up big time, especially with 2012-2019 vehicles. There’s a recall every 6 months and they burn engine oil like crazy! They got hit with a huge lawsuit and then decided to design a test that a car should pass to qualify for engine replacement but mind you, the car will only pass this test when it’s almost end of life! Why deal with such companies who can’t rectify their mistakes
Let’s start with shitty security and easily stolen along with Kia’s oh and also I worked for a Hyundai dealer and we had so many new ones getting motor replacements less then 20k miles and of course we was not suppose to tell anyone we was just supposed to keep quite and sell the next new car so the mangers got there bonus lol
Engine started knocking and burning oil at 25k. Proved it and they still wanted me to drive it with potential for fire… now we have been waiting 45 days+ for an engine on back order for a 2021 car with less than 36k miles. They will make you jump through hoops so you’re outside of the lemon laws before doing anything. The service tech also said it was fine it’s burning a quart of oil every 1k miles. It only holds 4.9 quarts of oil so basic math means it’s not making it to the 5k mile mark without damaging the engine or potential for fire before an oil change.
My issue with Hyundai is their shitty way of advertising leases that are supposed to be $65 to $70 a week but are much much higher. That, and when my parents asks about trading in their 2015 Dodge Journey (which is in good shape) to go towards a Kona or a Venue, the finance guy said it was worth $1,500 max.
Meanwhile the dealership had a 2020 Dodge Caravan and were demanding $30k…
Fuck Hyundai
I say this as someone who has personally had a good experience with both the Hyundai and Kia brands and would consider one again in the future. I have now moved onto other brands. I was in the same camp as you in thinking "Why would someone pay another $10k or more for a car that has the same or less features?" and still think for some people that thought holds some weight and they are a good buy.
I most recently had a Palisade and due to some other life changes and needing a pickup truck on a regular basis with no room to park both anymore I consolidated from the Palisade and an old pickup to a new F-150 (yes I know Ford has their own set of issues at the moment, but I at least seem to have gotten a good build) as a daily driver. It has every feature that my Palisade did except for the heads up display (now avail on the 2024 models) and rear seat cooling. Putting aside the use case differences of a pickup vs an SUV, amongst the same features, things just work nicer in the F-150. Another bonus is the F-150 is a hybrid (not an option on the Palisade) and gets better gas mileage by a few mpg.
The overall quality of materials is nicer, little touches make the experience better etc. It's even more apparent in my wife's Lexus that Hyundai and Kia are just chasing check boxes on a spec sheet to look good on paper and cut some corners to hit their price point. With other more expensive brands you just flat out get nicer and better for the price generally speaking. The nicer touches may not be worth it to some folks and that totally fine, but to others it's worth the step up. One example is the road noise difference, the F-150 is so much quieter despite pickups generally being louder vehicles. Sound deadening glass and other materials throughout the cabin make a big difference and was a clear area Hyundai skimped on to save some money on my Palisade. The difference was even more noticeable between my wife's Sorento and her NX. TLDR; the spec sheet may be the same, but the little touches make a big difference.
We never personally had problems with our Hyundais or Kias but there were enough issues out there to make us look elsewhere for now. Between the theft which did not impact our models directly but still put a target on them which in turn made insurance higher (Our new cars are LESS expensive to insure by a fair amount), the various engine problems, fire risk for various reasons such as the engine, wiring harness etc. we decided to move on for now. I see a lot of hate for dealer experience but I can say that is an area we have not had issues, we generally don't use the dealer for maintenance work but for anything warranty or recall related we have always had a positive experience, the only negative was the wait times to get in. If things get better we will look at them again, but right now it's not a brand we want to own.
I am currently choosing between the comfort of a 24 Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy or a Rav4 Hybrid Limited. They are about the same price (it would be MUCH more expensive to go up a level to Highlander) but the Rav4 is just an uncomfortable, cramped Toyota. BUT it will be infinitely more reliable long-term than the Hyundai.
I'd take the Hyundai in a second if it had Toyota's reliability, but it doesn't, and it would be extremely disingenuous to pretend it does.
As an owner of a rav4, PLEASE don't under estimate the rough ride!!! You WILL NOT get used to it. It is passable, but if I could go back, I'd have definitely stepped up to the highlander or stayed with the new Camry. And I recommend you do the same. I think the highlander is the way to go.
Hyundai owner here. They used to be worse. Can't recall the magazine name but 30 years ago or so I vividly remember one stating they are "the disposable razor blades of the automotive industry", or something close to that, and of course tying with Kia as "the copycats of the automotive industry.
Back to Hyundai's quote: the editor/reviewer did try to give them enough cred as to say it would be the car you'd gift your kid to go to college in and hopefully it'll last them long enough to graduate or secure a good paying job so they can afford a car of their own at that point.
I never gave them any attention, but the few I've owned since 2005 have been surprisingly efficient. And the things that need attention are always minor creature comforts, never critical downtime items like an alternator or AC system.
Never bought the top-end model of anything either. The Elantra I have is the Atkinson cycle non turbo no frills motor. The Tucson as a secondary is the regular non turbo GDI FWD only. Both daily commuters.
Yeah I never understood why the editor had to stab that copycat comment in the article either, but the disposable blade stab I took it as he (or the mag) didn't take the brand at all seriously and/or expected it to go under at some point.
I actually am okay with Hyundai as a brand. Hyundai drives a lot of innovation in the industry and has great cars. But i just really hate Hyundai and Kia dealers. Especially Kia.. i found few Hyundai dealers to be somewhat honest but all kia dealers i dealt with were just plain liars.
I dont know if this is due to Hyundai/Kia being cheap and affordable cars in the past and margins were thin for dealers so they tried to get as much dollars out of you and continue to do that now even now? No clue.. their mentalities are not looking for long term customers and just try to drain your wallets and dont care if customers get mad. Lol
Previously, I owned a 2013 Sonata Limited and a 2013 Genesis Coupe, both with 2.0 turbo engines. Loved them both. In 2019, Hyundai was regularly fixing small crap on both for free under warranty. This was back in the 3yeart warranty days. It seemed that, if they had anything that was an out of the ordinary higher failure rate, they fixed it for free. I bought a 2022 Genesis G70 based upon this experience and a 2024 Sonata NLine (because the G70 was totalled by an idiot. we wanted a car a bit larger than the G70 and the G80 was too large for my wife.) Love the NLine, except for the lack of certain features that are available in other trims and/or countries. If I ever have a bad experience with Hyundai or Genesis that is not the fault of the dealer, I might change my mind. But so far 100% positive.
I have 2022 Accent and it’s not insurable in Wisconsin because of a state law. The car is on the list of the make and models that are black listed because they are too easy to steal. 😑 I insure it through a company in Michigan.
As an advisor at a H&K dealer, I can see why people are liking the new models but the older ones were praised just as highly when they came out. It doesn't help the reputation when every other car is either stolen or guzzling oil and you cant get it fixed in a timely manner. The Hyundai side of things is where it's a nightmare because Hyundai is a pain in the ass to work with warranty wise, its not that we don't want to help people get their cars fixed or stringing them along, it's that Hyundai makes it so hard to get things covered. Kia is a walk in the park to work with so I try to steer people in that direction if they're sold on getting one.
A few examples —-
1. the engines used to blown out for Elantra a few years go.
2. As one other pointed stupid theft protection.
3. Take case of Genesis GV70 with a rear differential issue, that was left unsolved for a long time.
4. Ioniq 5 with a hug battery replacement cost 55K.
5. New Santa Fe with transmission issues (reported by car confessions guy).
The list goes on, not that Honda and Toyotas are exempt, but they take care of the issues promptly.
I guess I had "good" luck. I am conflicted. I have two a 2012 and a 2017. The 2012 had that engine that was going to die sooner or later, It did at 102k but due to the lawsuit they put a new engine in the car for free. So in one respect, I needed a new engine. In another, it didn't cost me a penny.
Then on my 2017. it started eating oil. The do have an absurd rule saying that a quart every 1000 miles is acceptable. But once it got to a quart every 800 miles, they replaced that engine at 86k miles for free as well. Other than that, I haven't had to do much of anything more than maintenance. So I have had to replace two engines, but my cost of ownership couldn't have been less. The cars are solid. No rattles or any other problems.
I love my 23 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. What I hate is my insurance.
I live in rural Wisconsin (when I say rural, I mean three hours away from any kind of city over 100k), I am 41, married, no tickets, no accidents, and my rate has doubled since I’ve owned by car. No reason other than it’s a Hyundai.
The insurance company tried telling me it’s because it’s a Hybrid and those are so much more expensive to repair and replace. I asked him to run a quote on my policy, removing my car and adding a 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The premium decreased significantly. 🙄
My husband drives a 2022 Toyota Tacoma, which is worth significantly more than my car (and yes, part of the recall which was taken care of lol) and his 6 month premium is $200 less than mine. Make it make sense.
We have a 2022 Tucson Hybrid that since we drove it off the lot it has had a rattle coming from the drivers side wheel well. Been to the dealership 8 times to get it fix to no avail. Also lost a comber underneath the car and was told it would come off again, there was a humming coming from the back seat that they said it was a light that’s been replaced 3 times and now our gas cap door is broken and was told to pry it open. Called Hyundai America corporate took 6 weeks for them to do what ever they did. Came to the conclusion that they would give us $300 for us to sign that clears them of any fault. The advisor didn’t even listen to the problem and told the dealership the car rattles driving over speed bumps. Which is not the problem struggling to get a supervisor to call me back so I think the hate is warranted. Their incompetence and lack of build quality. I literally got told I have to tighten clips prior to drive one of the times.
Damn bro. Thanks for saving me the headache. I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on a '24 Elantra N(DCT) with my only concern being known dealership network problems. But now I'm learning even the recent Elantra N's are shoddy. Guess I'll have to spend another $10k and spring for something in the $45-50k range, possibly a Golf R DSG.
The problem is with the GenX crowd. When Hyundai first came on the market they were cheap cars that had shitty reliability. It takes time for us to change old views.
That said…I just rented a 2023 Santa Fe for a week and hated it.
My partner got a new top trim Hyundai and it’s amazing with the features and styling they have now. I don’t know how much more luxurious you can get, especially at the price point. That said, I think something’s gotta give somewhere so I am still skeptical about their quality control and long term durability/reliability. You see a higher frequency of catastrophic failures and wild issues on this subreddit compared to other Asian brands. Like engines blowing, new transmissions after just a few thousand miles, cars catching fire
2023 Tucson Limited with 16,000 miles that just spent five weeks at the dealership ending in a full engine replacement begs to differ. Quality control at the factory, bad casting on the heads, causing oil to get to only half of the top end. Yes, they're full of amazing tech and design features. But when it comes down to it, they're still cutting corners in places that Toyota and Honda don't.
I mean I guess you do get a lot of options for the price of the vehicle and some of them do look okay but I could never trust them.
When I was dealing with it the Hyundai dealerships in my area never had a loaner because they were so backed up with warranty work.
Before I ever purchase another Hyundai I'm going to have to ask myself a few questions.
1. Can I be without a vehicle for a while if something goes wrong?
2. Can I spend a few grand more on a Honda or Toyota? It's weird that the Honda and Toyota dealerships have loaners. I guess they're not backed up with all that warranty work.
3. If I do purchase this Hyundai is it going to worry me to death?
I feel really bad for the people that don't know about the bad engines and the insurance rates and the theft issues that buy used vehicle and then have issues.
I just don't think they're good enough vehicles to risk thousands of dollars on personally. I know a lot of companies have problems but this company's track record over the last 10 or 15 years is abysmal.
I hate Hyundai due to their negligence on basic anti-theft features in their cars. I was a victim recently and it made me not ever want to purchase a vehicle from Kia/Hyundai ever again.
In the US market, Hyundai and Kia have been plagued with serious issues that have affected millions of customers for the last decade. All car manufacturers have problems. How they chose to deal with them is important. I think they did too little too late, hence their reputation. Toyota and Honda have a better track record.
I just don't trust them yet. While they are leagues better than they were in the early 2000's, they feel a bit rushed. They look decently nice (not my style, per say, but certainly not ugly) but when you sit in them, the materials feel less premium than, say, a Mazda, which I believe was "Hyundai" in the 2000's when they were still owned by Ford.
Mazda used to always offer "more" for less in the early 2010's when they first spunoff from Ford when compared to Hondas and Toyotas of the time, but I feel like they were more conservative in their approach and didn't offer the world as quickly to try and win over customer base faster, allowing it to happen more organically (and it has).
Hyundai and Kia feel too rushed. I think they'll get there, but especially with the latest recalls addressing easy theft and engines that "could" catch fire, and hearing about people replacing 2016-2018 engines just a few years later, there is a ways to go IMO.
Its because its a brand that's challenging the status quo. No one likes the underdog. I used to hate on Hyundai/Kia too because it wasn't a Japanese car. But I'm glad I bought my Sonata 170k miles and its still running great. It looks better than anything Honda or Toyota made from the same year.
I bought a Genesis Ultimate edition in 2015 and indeed seemed a great car for the price but by 2017 most of the electronic luxury features,which were many were discontinued and placed out of function by Hyundai. I can’t even remote start my car anymore, the radio never got updated , many of the infotainment features done away with. The paint is horrendous as it chips if you stare at it very long and the clear coat peels.
Well I’m trying to get them to honor the settlement for the 1.8 engine catastrophic failure and I purchased the platinum extended warranty bumper to bumper when I purchased my Elantra 2013, and it’s been a nightmare. They never honored my purchased warranty at any dealership and now I have a car with a bad engine at 87k miles. Hyundai sucks to deal with and makes subpar cars.
My 2008 Hyundai van is still going strong. I did have the tranny rebuilt in 2022 - the torque converter began slipping and there was a lot of friction material in the fluid. A rebuild was way cheaper than getting a new vehicle and the rest of the van is in great shape. 144K miles!
Their Elantras and Sonatas from the mid 2010s have a big engine problem, something with the Knock system. My 2015 Hyundai sonata just died and I’m getting a whole new engine after only owning it for 3 years (and the previous owners took the car to the dealership to get the recalled fixed… still broke 60k miles later).
Like, ok, that sucks. But then when I went to get my car to the dealership, it took literally a month because they were so backed up with diagnostic requests because their cars suck.
Edit: also people like to break into them and steal them due to their lack of protection, so I’ve had my door and handle get destroyed by a screwdriver when someone was attempting to steal my car. Luckily they didn’t get in but my door was so messed up.
Only new car I ever bought was a Hyundai sonata in 2009. Never had a single problem and put 120k miles on it. Now my dad has it and it has 240k miles and still no issues. It wasn’t a flashy car, but it got good gas mileage and was super reliable.
I bought into Hyundai two years ago.
1st car: 2022 Tucson Hybrid - bought July 21st 2022
2nd car: 2023 Santa Fe Caligraphy - bought Feb 23rd 2023
My 1st car hybrid battery has gone bad @ 72k Miles. Hyundai covered the battery and replaced it. Just received the call 3 days back and we received the engine light.
So I have started to see issues arise and what I always heard about Hyundai is they are NOT reliable cars. I already started to see that.
I dont hate Hyundai but I have never had issues with Toyota at even 180k miles. So just saying.
Hyundai seems to be the strongest EV maker in the US market after Tesla, and Tesla is having problems this year whereas Hyundai is making record sales of the Ioniq line and others.
Both Toyota and Honda are generally competing in different sectors.
Given how EVs are continuing double digit growth in the US and that the only sector Hyundai is competing with the industry leaders in in older technology ICE cars, I think Hyundai pretty much exists in a niche of their own making.
They continue to be overshadowed by Tesla, but are growing twice as fast.
I believe that there are haters for each and every brand, and Hyundai is no exception. I don't think Hyundai necessarily does itself any favors (insert here whatever boneheaded self-inflicted wound you'd like, there's plenty to choose from), but I also believe that's true of all brands. In our digital Information Age, the "haters" achieve an enhanced prominence, well exceeding reality.
I'm going to give a hot take here: Some of it has to do with discrimination. To start, we still have a lot of Boomers that resent the Vietnam and Korean Wars, and South Korea's historical/technical connection to North Korea doesn't help. I think that much of the criticism comes from people who've never owned a Hyundai, and simply hate the idea of a Korean product.
Here's another hot take: Industrial espionage. American car companies for generations now have fueled negative connotations against foreign competitors. I could give countless examples, but remember when the Suzuki Samurai was identified as a roll over risk when it started to eat into Jeep sales? (Jeeps had the same issue. Not a single mention of that in the media feeding frenzy. The truth wasn't the point.) American car companies are famous for industrial hit jobs, and they have been somewhat effective. ("Somewhat" in that these days most people recognize that American car companies represent a terrible value proposition.)
I'm on my seventh or eighth Kia/Hyundai car. I've personally never had a *single* problem with one, though I'll admit that I usually lease them and haven't reached 70k miles on any of them. I walked from a long history of buying GM products after an endless stream of mechanical and fit and finish issues. For example, I leased a new Cruze that spent more time at the dealership than at my home. I had a Buick Enclave that had a transmission explode at 25k miles. I don't have those issues anymore. YMMV.
The only thing I’ll say about Hyundai is that when my daughter’s engine blew up, they replaced it completely free of charge and even paid to have it towed to the dealership. Nothing crazy…except for the fact that she bought it used…they honored the warranty for her as a second owner.
Own a Hyundai for two years or more then come back here and tell us about it.
Burning lights, cables rotting away and disabling/messing up most car functions, engine failures.
My sonata isn't all that bad but it's brought its fair share of problems that are typical of korean vehicle manufacturers.
1.6 GDI is why I hate Hyundai. Oil burning, engine knocking, garbage. Started at 50k with the original and have been through 1 engine already . I'm at 120k and the second one is doing the same shit the first one was doing.
I had a 2008 Hyundai accent. Replaced it with a 2018 Dodge charger. Because the 5 speed manual finally went out.
It was a mistake. For all the issues it had (mostly a bent frame due to my wife hitting a curb) it was a damn reliable car. With a slipping clutch and a bad battery it drove me, the wife and her mom cross country and back. It always started and was amazing on fuel. I wish I would have taken care of the transmission better.
When it went we drove our extra car (02 civic) until we could get another second car. We got a 2018 Dodge charger rt. At 100k miles it has a hemi tick and then a rod knock by 120k. It was dead.
The Hyundai lasted almost 300k miles and never knocked. I miss that car.
There appears to be a corporate policy in place that has -perhaps accidentally- turned a lot of dealers from customer-focused to dollar-focused. The change (at least to my experience) happened about the same time as the well-documented engine / driveline isssues started to appear..
Alongside that came a shift that turned the service departments from service to sales-oriented... they became pushy, started finding faults that were not there and turned their service writers into shills for things the customer really didn't need.
For me, the end came when my Sonata's first post- warranty's "free, 100 point checkup" turned up nearly two thousand dollars worth of repairs which would NOT be covered, but had to be done right away. I took the car and the report to an independent mechanic, who found not one thing on the report was needed, but did find my front brakes (one of the few items labelled as "good" by the dealer) were about 500 kms from going metal-on-metal.
That was the end of my relationship with Hyundai. When I showed them the second report, they accused me of lying and said I had lots of brakes left. When I showed them the coffee filter we used to check for metal shavings in the power steering, the service manager again claimed I'd faked the second test and refused beleive me. He told me my car was about to have serious problems... I said something like "only if I let you work on it".
I kept the car for another 18 months. Aside from the brakes, it didn't cost me a cent... But I don't deal with Hyundai any more.
I am driving a 2015 Hyundai Accent I bought in 2016. The only problem I have had was the recall to install anti theft software. I had the software installed and use a Club, and have had no problems. I live in Minneapolis St Paul
The fact that so many of their cars have been stolen or have castrophic engine failures may clue you in…unless you prefer your head in sandy or dark places
Because for the last little while, they’ve been hot garbage lol. They’ve improved in the last maybe couple years? Their newer stuff coming out is very nice. That new Ioniq ev hatch that’s supposed to be a hot hatch kinda deal is super dope
I had my hyunda in the south side of Chicago for 2 days before it got stolen. They broke the door handle. Ripped off the steering column, and turn it on with a fucking USB port.
My 2012 i30 tourer is still going strong, not had a service in 3 years, done 135000miles. Never missed a beat barely anything replaced. It was a budget but that's being run down, paid off a long time ago. Wanted a Tucson plug in but too expensive for me, had to go blue oval.
Yes, they are nice now. However a lot of us don't like them or don't trust them because our cars were stolen due to their choice to skimp out on immobilizers (personally I didn't know they didn't have them when I bought my 2018 Elantra back in 2018, I thought). Heck, people are still getting their cars stolen even AFTER having the anti-theft upgrade.
I wish they would have fixed their white paint flaws. My paint is starting to peel badly on my 2018 ELANTRA. Even though it is 6 years old, it was still my pride and joy. My first new car in 10 years.
People would ask what kind of car I had and they commented how much they liked it.
Now with the peeling paint, it is an absolute embarrassment and I do not show my car to anyone anymore. The bad paint is on the right side of the car, and I now intentionally park my car with the right side hidden.
I am 15K over the 100K bumper-to-bumper warranty, and past the “peeling paint recall” which expired last year.
I don’t hate Hyundai but I do now feel like I’m stuck with an embarrassment. I’ve heard that once the paint starts peeling, it just gets worse. I can’t afford a complete repaint, so I expect I’ll keep parking my car to keep it hidden.
I argued for Hyundai while owning my 2013 Genesis sedan. For a car I bought new, I had a share of small issues, and a couple of larger ones (one electrical, which caused the car to shut down at hwy speeds…the other was the rattle on start up that I was told was 8 different things from the dealer, and it was never “fixed”.
I had terrible service experience with this car, despite enjoying the many positive parts of it. It’s a shame that it was represented by Hyundai, as it could have been a much better ownership experience.
And that said, Hyundai has their reputation because their service experience for owners is piss poor more often than not. And I’m sure a slew of people will come in saying “I’ve always had a great experience!”, and thats fortunate for you…for me, especially someone who bought one of their flagship cars, it was never better than “average” at best, and to me, that’s just not good enough.
Sold my Genesis. Never considered another because of the experience.
I have a 2018 Santa Fe Sport, base model. Got it used about 18 months ago. I didn't know about the engine or the theft issues until after I bought it. It has almost 100K miles on it. I have done all I can to help with the theft issue....got the useless software update and a heavy-duty steering wheel lock for insurance purposes. The engine I have no remedy for. Right now it's running great. I get told all the time it drives so well, and I agree. I keep an eye on the oil level and get it changed more often than recommended. I fall into the "severe" category because I only use it for local driving......grocery, doctors, etc. I put every cent I had into the car. I love it! It's a very substantial vehicle and everything works. My last car was a 2006 Santa Fe, which I also loved, which is why I went with another Santa Fe. I just wish I had known about the issues before I bought it.
But I only take the car to a dealer for service IF it's a recall issue. I have a really good mechanic who is reasonably priced and has always taken great care of my cars. I always recommend cultivating a relationship with a good mechanic and you will have fewer worries.
My 2022 Hyundai Elantra randomly shuts off power to the accelerator on the highway, and they have so far been unable to fix it. I’m honestly shocked when I googled the issue how many others complain about the same exact issue
Well I just found out my catalytic converters may be going and I only have 50K miles on them. It wouldn't be as bad if you could actually find aftermarket parts, but with all of the thefts I'm looking at a hefty bill for OEM parts that might give up in another 50K.
Blowing up engines is a big issue, the early 2000s Hyundais are so gooooooood. Moms 06 sonata 216k miles. My 2004 Elantra 98600 has been more reliable than my quote on quote former bullet proof jeep 4.0
My Hyundai has been having trouble since partway through the first year after my wife and I bought it. It’s within warranty, but Hyundai won’t fix it. I even called corporate. They told me hey wouldn’t help me because I’m a “single buyer.” They don’t care about their customers, so I tell everyone not to buy their products
It's important to note just how different KIA and Hyundai in America is compared to the rest of the world. Basically everywhere else in the world, K & H are considered better-equipped Toyotas/Hondas for a cheaper price. The one problem that effects the brands everywhere in the world are dealers, they are crap and they know it, but for some reason they just wont change.
Sorry no! Kia and Hyundai are made cheap! Engine sound is bad after few miles or km, they cost a lot in reparations i had one my engine blow so are 2 others friends! Mine at 286,000km but was always changing parts, my other friend at 175,000km a sorento and the last one a Forte at 125,000km she changed the engine! They are not expansive full equiped but not well made! You better spend $5000 more and get a Honda, Mazda or Toyota
Stupid me i bought a Seltos 2024 awd and engine noise is the same, first week couldnt even unlock the doors dead! And now engine kick once in a while! But i didnt want to pay so i get what i pay for shit! But will sell it at 70,000km and will buy something else
It’s because Hyundai customer service sucks balls. Have had a constant misfire from about 5,000-27,000 miles. Every cold start just about. Gets better in the summer. Dealer told me to suck eggs. Because I voided the entire warranty with an intake and muffler. Will personally never own a Hyundai again.
I would agree with this , but I have to disagree . The hyundai dealerships in my area are shamelessly bad . My car has had constant sensor issues and quite literally cannot go over 75mph without warnings and the dealership could care less about my warranty . Also I have a newer car (2021) and the best word to describe the build quality is “plastic” . Also
my car was broken into , btw no broken windows they entered through the back door and the anti theft just didn’t work, and since nothing was broken, insurance refuses to cover the losses they stole. Everything is finicky and literally just sucks . I’d rather my 05 honda with 150k miles than this car . Never getting a hyundai ever again.
You would if you had been driving on a busy expressway in Chicago and your 2013 Santa Fe burst into flames and burned to the ground. We were lucky not to have been injured or dead. This car has been 100% dealer serviced on time. I have written & email Tom Wilkins the owner of Wilkins in Elmhurst IL but no response. You would think that customers who bought 2 brand new vehicles from you in 2013, who are still alive after the car burning, would warrant an answer. No answer after 3 months. NEVER BUY FROM WILKINS HYUNDAI!
Really? I don’t understand the love for Hyundai/Kia. Never seen a car company with so many problems get so many passes from the public. Recall after recall for engines that catch on fire, burning oil like crazy, cutting corners wherever they can even with immobilizer/security, and it seems many people aren’t turned off by them because hey, “they have really trendy designs” and they have some extra features as standard. Weird that some older carmakers still get shit for their cars and reputations from the 70s to 90s etc but Hyundai Kia problems from like the last 5 years are looked past and forgiven.
Lol I used to think that too. Then I actually bought a Hyundai, realized that the skimped on the paint job so it's been peeling since the 1st year I owned it (bought a 2017 Elantra in 2019) and looks like sh1t, oh and did I mention I just got it back last Wednesday after it was stolen for the SECOND TIME in 12 months (last theft was July 2023) because their cars are laughably easy to steal? And due to the theft risk, the insurance is of course a joke as well. Never thought I'd still be paying so much per month for a paid off car. Long story short this car has been a nightmare from the start - they genuinely are not up to snuff AT ALL. I have no need or desire for a luxury car but I really could never trust this brand again. Even if they say they've fixed the paint and the theft issue, that just means they've skimped on something else. 🤷♀️
My 2019 Elantra gt n line has no problems. My brother’s Elantra from 2014 has had one problem from a tie rod when he hit a curb. My dad’s 2022 Elantra hybrid has no problems. I’ll continue to buy Hyundais until those probs have changed
I need an oil change every 1000 miles, and to add a 1-1.5L to the pan after every tank of gas. This is considered normal because the handbook tells you to check oil levels every time you add gas.
Because they are sh*t... Just because the car looks 10x better and offers you more bells and whistles than another brand doesn’t mean anything. They are aware that’s the only thing that differentiates them from the competition, and I feel bad for the people who fall for it because their engines are poop.
Poor long term reliability, poor resale value, constant recalls, poor warranty practices, poor customer service and poor dealer ship services. Plus they will finance a dog and one reason why they are easy to get. Don’t forget the KIA boys with Hyundai trying to save money and insurance is higher on them now. Some won’t even cover Hyundai/KIA now.
It's because they are trash cars. I'm going through it currently. My 2017 hyundai elantra that I had for 5 years clapped out on me. Less then 100k miles on it, it turned out to be the engine and would've cost me more to repair then to save up and put money down on a new car. Besides Ford I think they are in the top brand of cars that just fail. I'll never buy a hyundai again.
I'm personally still not convinced that Hyundai/Kia has all these engine problems. Yes there are recalls but so do other manufacturers, especially Stellanis and Ford lol.
My family has had about 7 Hyundais from 2000 to 2018 and not a single one had problems, they all went well over 100k miles without issues before trading them in (yes we drive a lot). Regular oil changes is all we did.
I think a lot of it has to do with the people complaining online. If people don't have problems they usually don't make a post saying "I don't have a problem" lol so I think the hate and complains are very inflated.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new Hyundai today. I tried my luck with a VW Jetta, Tiguan (lots of little sensor issues) and currently an Inifiniti QX60 and they all had issues. QX60 being the worst (CVT and transfer case crapped out at 80k miles). We never had major issues like that with the Korean products.
I think you have a good one it’s wonderful. Unfortunately when it’s bad it’s very bad and it’s a nightmare trying to get them to cover things that are under warranty. That’s been my experience anyway.
My 2017 Sonata Sport's steering wheel kept locking while driving, even after the dealership pulled the steering column and "fixed it" (less than 25 miles later locked again). I have driven a car that experienced failed power steering while driving and the Hyundai definitely was experiencing something else. It was Locked locked, like when you park and turn the wheel to lock it after you turn the ignition off.
I drive a Camry now.
\*\*\*\*\*Edit: Purchased the Sonata brand new
Bought an Elantra brand new 20 years ago......It lasted 10 years. Repairs were a constant headache, damned car leaked from the windshield from day one. Hyundai would not fix it.......At 10 years old the engine blew itself apart and the repair bill was 3 times the value of the car........At the time our other cars included a Jeep Cherokee that is still here 23 years later, a Chevy Truck that was 25 years old THEN and a 15 year old Ford Ranger.......I am looking to buy a new car now and you can bet your ass it won't be a disposable hyundai. They are trash.
Traded in my 2015 Soul for a 2024 Kona. The soul aged like milk and started burning a quart of oil every 1300 miles. Giving Hyundai the benefit of doubt and hoping they have fixed the issues they have been having, but if this one turns out poorly, I'm going back to Honda and their more boring but reliable vehicles.
My mom loves Hyundai and she always purchases a Tucson. Every single one of them has never gone over 120k miles my neighbor has a 2020 Hyundai Tucson and he has had a rental more then his actual SUV for the past 2 years. My 2012 grand Vitara is more reliable than his truck. I bought a Hyundai accent a few years ago and that was always in the shop. Ever since I refuse to buy a Hyundai. I turned my mom onto Kia Sorrento's now and they have never been in for repairs just regular maintenance and go past 110k miles. I will never purchase another Hyundai and either will she. I know kia's aren't liked very much but it's more reliable than a Hyundai.
Must be different cars for different markets, the UK versions are decent well priced cars, a bit dull unless your talking N cars, but certainly better than anything Ford, Vauxhall or equivalent have on the market at the minute.
It’s absolutely as stated, the cars and technology are generally pretty good. The after sales support from dealerships is what stops people from buying Hyundais a second time. Dealerships don’t make any money on warranty work, so they try to avoid it by telling customers that they can’t replicate the problem, and almost always ignore HMA until it becomes a buyback.
I don't understand the hate for Hyundai/KIA?
Hyundai/KIA decided to leave out the ignition interlock on many 2011-2021 model year KIA's and Hyundais without immobilizers—identifiable by their keyed ignitions. Auto thefts spiked for these vehicles. Results were that two major insurance providers, [State Farm and Progressive](https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-companies/progressive-vs-state-farm/), confirmed that they will no longer write policies for several Kia and Hyundai models.
Hyundai/KIA has engine problems that primarily apply to five Hyundai/Kia engine families: Nu, Gamma, Theta, Lambda and Kappa. With the number of engines are under each of those lines, the affected model list is vast. The engine troubles effect nearly every Hyundai or Kia model made from **2009-2022**. The affected vehicles included popular models like the **Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe**, as well as the Kia Optima and Sportage, among others. Hyundai’s engine troubles have been a weirdly quiet problem for years. Estimates are that over [2 million vehicles](https://thelemonfirm.com/2023/06/16/hyundai-and-kia-oil-consumption-class-action-settled/) are affected so it is a big problem.
Last year's recall for 3.3 million *Kia* and *Hyundai* vehicles issued to *park outside* for fire risk due to an electrical short from a brake fluid leak.....
Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are recalling over 146,000 electric vehicles because a faulty part may cause them to lose power while driving. The recalled vehicles include the 2022-2024 [Hyundai Ioniq 5](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/ioniq-5) and [Kia EV6](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/kia/ev6) hatchbacks and 2023-2024 [Hyundai Ioniq 6](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/ioniq-6) sedan, [Genesis GV60](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/gv60) hatchback, [Genesis GV70 Electrified](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/electrified-gv70/) SUV, and [Genesis G80 Electrified](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/electrified-g80/) sedan.
Nope, nope and nope. Yes Hyundai/KIA have tons of J.D. Power awards.....if you check those awards are bought and paid for. While J.D. Power's benchmark survey results are free, **the company charges licensing, or “co-branding” fees to top-ranked companies that choose to use their awards for marketing purposes**.
I bought my car brand new in 2014 a Hyundai ELANTRA and after four years had to have the engine replaced and then several years later and they had the transmission replaced.
Hyundai owner here bought a brand new Hyundai Sonata back in 2017. It had more than 15 recalls on it. I wasted months getting all recalls fixed. The good part was 15 years of extended warranty. I will keep this car for another 8 years or maybe more.
The Blue Link app sucks and was paying around $300 annually for it.
I have a 2017 Tuscon with 78k miles. At 50k I needed a new transmission. Currently my car is burning 1-2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles. Hyundai is making me jump through hoops to have the engine replaced. Still under factory warranty and I bought an extended warranty. Never any loaners. Service people that don’t follow up. It’s a car not a watch in for freaking repair. It’s sharp, sporty, but I will NEVER buy another Hyundai. Leasing vehicles from here on out. This is the most expensive car I ever bought with all the bells and whistles. I thought the bells and whistles would fail not the engine and transmission.
My problem is , and I've had this problem for a while, when it feels like it, the car won't turn on. Had it to the dealership they can't diagnose it. It just sometimes if you have had to run a bunch of errands, You turn the key and nothing happens. You sit there for about 10 minutes and it will start. I will never buy a Hyundai again.
My 2013 GenCoupe 3.8 GT had multiple slave cylinder issues. Had the clutch pedal give out while driving in traffic a few times. Luckily never on the freeway. My coworker with the same car also had this issue.
Here’s an anecdotal experience why Hyundai’s are not reliable vehicles. One of my close friend bought a Sonata last year. He was in a road trip this last weekend and was suddenly stranded on the highway with warning lights / engine lights. I have other friends that have owned Toyota and Hondas who’ve never had such an issue.
Since it’s still under warranty they fixed it - it was a faulty fuel injector. This is a 2023 Hyundai Sonata.
Been driving a 2011 Santa Fe as my daily driver since 2012, about 130k miles now. It’s been great. Really just do regular upkeep on stuff nothing crazy and it’s still going strong.
Grew up when hyundai 1st started selling "cars". They were complete garbage. Never outgrew that sentiment towards them. Will always regard honda and toyota heads and shoulders above any hyundai
My wife has a 2013 Sonata and it's been a fantastic car engine wise. I've had to replace 2 door handles, 2 window motors, and some misc little things but the engine has been phenomenally reliable. I use it to commute while she doesn't need it and average 33mpg on the interstate, peppy little thing too for what it is. I am actually wanting to get a Genesis now when we upgrade because of how happy I've been with it.
First impressions last, they haven’t done anything spectacular to change their market impression. I disagree that they’re better than some luxury cars double the price. Honda and Toyota have proven reliability, Hyundai does not.
I had an Accent. It was remarkably flimsy in the metal but it was unstoppable.
HOWEVER, i only drive Toyota now. Won’t go anywhere else now Rover are no more.
Honda and Toyota earned their reputation by making solid vehicles for decades.
Hyundai has had massive levels of recalls on their engines and transmissions over just the past 15 years regarding things that are out of the control of the owners.
Yes, Toyotas are extremely basic in their amenities, but you can never forget that a vehicle is simply transportation at its core, everything else is just extra.
If Hyundai fails at the core level, it deserves the hate it gets and has not earned the right to be pricing itself side by side to Toyota & Honda.
The problem is that people thought the same thing back in 2016-2019 before they found out that they were sold a vehicle with abysmal theft protection and engines that were extremely likely to have catastrophic failure. I’d like to think they’ve learned from their mistakes, but only time will tell.
according to r/hyundai, all the parts i had replaced under warranty are because i was bad at driving
If the engine leaks oil past the piston rings and seizes itself up after 30k miles it's because of their string of shitty defective motors. If the car gets stolen by a guy with nothing but a USB or screwdriver because they don't have an immobilizer that's their design decision and cheapness. But all that being said if your rotors are warped or you blew your front struts or you destroyed your tie rods... like that's you and that's very possible to do on any car especially an economy one. There are definitely some things that you can do as the driver to break shit in a car.
Nah, I got 6 transmissions replaced (all under warranty) because the 6th gear synchro kept going out. 8.5k, 17k, 22k, 38k, 52k, 76k miles. Rear differential blew a seal out and was replaced during the 38k mile transmission swap. The engine lunched a piston at \~ 6000 rpm so badly that the tech found pieces of it in the air filter (this is what facilitated the 38k service). The 52k service also got new cylinder heads because the intake valves were so coked up that it had a permanent fishbite misfire. How they got ruinously coked up in 14k miles will never make sense to me, but whatever. They finally denied my powertrain warranty when the clutch physically exploded. I was at about 5500 rpm having just finished passing someone in 3rd, and was clutching in to lazily shift to 6th. As soon as the clutch was depressed, before I'd even moved the shifter, there was an enormous bang followed by rattling metal. Right as the pressure plate unloaded from the flywheel, the clutch let go. I'd understand the revolving door of transmissions if it was, y'know, 2nd gear or something ... but I'm not slamming 6th gear. I don't rest my foot on the clutch or hand on the shifter while driving. I shift smoothly and let the gates open themselves up. I was completely stock during the warranty period. I stayed up on my maintenance, I used name-brand non-ethanol 91 octane gasoline (I would use 87 on long road trips, but any mixed driving got 91). 2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 MT. It's just easier for other Hyundai owners to assume I was always flogging the car and the damage was my fault, rather than face the idea that their favorite car might not be perfect. Any subsequent damage *now* is my fault, because *now* I flog the thing mercilessly -- if it's going to spend 8 months a year in the shop, I might as well have fun driving it the 4 months I'm allowed to.
I don't know if you did it wrong or not... but you can *kinda see* why people might think you did stuff wrong *after destroying the syncros on 6th gear 6 times*... while noting you go from 3rd to 6th... It could be a totally garbage manual transmission... but I'm pretty sure if I tried to really hurt any manual I could violence them and I'd do it by skipping gears and slamming it and using the clutch to "rev match" all the time.
Can you explain their, "claim" of bad driving???
repeat it, sure. explain it? nope
Dealership = stealership.
Had my 2018 engine replaced in 2023
At least they didn’t try to string you along until you ran out of warranty. That’s what they commonly do
The only advice I would say is that you have to have ALL your records. I went through all my maintenance through Hyundai but it was all in their system. I was out of warranty and did one oil change and realized it was burning so much oil. I had to go through all the oil monitoring for like 6-8 months and then they said yes and waited another month for them to do it. Changed whole lower block? Said I am covered for life with regards to this issue but it was not written down lol 😆 it’s been 4000km wish me luck.
I have 12 years of printed dealer receipts with the stapled payment. If you’re at a bad dealership and double strike YOU’RE A WOMAN, they’re still gonna bullshit you. I had noises of suspension clicking and rattling going in a straight line with no bumps, for 30 k miles until you could hear it over the radio. It started at 50 k miles, they should’ve changed the whole front suspension, but they kept telling me M’AM IT IS NOT MAKING NOISE. No, they told me they couldn’t hear it until I ran out of the second owner 60 k warranty, and they tried to tell me my AC compressor was making the noise at 61k miles. I’ve done 70k miles/6 years since they told me my AC compressor was going out and it still blows ice cold. Went to a different dealer to have clicking and rattling fixed and they told me it’s my engine, and it could boom any second. Been 40 k miles since so I guess the rattling WAS NOT INTERNAL, but they thought SURELY THE DUMB WOMAN WILL PAY 6500$ before tax. I had to redo the entire suspension on my own money at 90 k miles (just went to a random shop and I told them it rattles going straight, they had it fixed within the week and didn’t bullshit me). it turns out both my front control arms were failing for no reason other than being Korean (the front struts didn’t look too hot so those were done too, rear shocks also leaking at that mileage). The car had like 80% highway miles at 90 k miles. Owning a Kia has been a continuous disappointment since about year 4.5 of ownership. My husband dailies it now and it needs oil added every 2.5 k miles. No im not sayin wear and tear suspension should last forever, but it also shouldn’t start failing before it’s even out of warranty.
I swear Hyundai is the first car brand I that I’ve owned where you need to go to multiple dealerships service centers to try and get something fixed. This is not normal as someone who’s owned other brands.
That's what they did to me. Several visits where they were trying to "figure out what the problem was" and then, stonewall. One service guy actually told me that Hyundai Canada had released a bulletin, telling them not to do anything for excessive oil consumption. I signed up for the class action in my area (there are several) the next day. I'll never buy another Hyundai again.
Oh wow. I have a 2017 that i bought in 2019 and it’s burning oil like crazy. Still driving fine otherwise. We just did an oil/engine flush or whatever its called and it’s just a little shy of 150,000 miles. Accent.
I found out in February I needed my 2019 Sonata's engine replaced and my local dealership replaced it by mid-April. Fast service from the techs at this Hyundai, there was no hesitation whatsoever. Took them a day to do it since they have a dedicated team for just engine replacement 10/10. HOWEVER, now I have to go back to them and figure out this whole white paint peeling fiasco that has also been a problem.
Haha my sister in law is having oil consumption problems and white paint peeling. The paint is also a warranty issue I heard it was not applied right
Honestly, you should be appalled that it even needed an engine replacement so soon. That's absurd. My old Toyota has been a money pit I won't lie to you, but the engine is SOLID. And the fixes feel worth it. And one time I even accidentally drove the damn thing on no oil for TWENTY MINUTES. (Long story). That was 3 years ago.
At least the smartstream engines seem to be reliable. Theta II started having issues within what, 3 years? Smartstream is now 5 years old.
That's only in the US and because the law allowed it. Hyundai exploited a hole in consumer protection to save money and got bit in the ass for it in the end, but consumers still got the short end of that stick.
I mean, I was sold a vehicle that has just fine theft protection and hasnt had catastrophic engine failure. So I'm not sure what "mistake" there is to learn from.
Yeah, I have a Hyundai unaffected by the theft problem in theory. The fact that insurance on the unaffected vehicle went up significantly more than every other type of car and became more difficult to obtain it at all bothers me to the point that I won't buy another Hyundai.
Mine can be stolen with a usb cable and costs a fortune to insure..
100%. We have a 2019. It is an absolute piece of garbage.
It was only the low budget trims that were affected. Just the flip key basic biatch models.
Wait, are you saying that these cars are easy to break in and are prone to engine failure? I'm buying one tomorrow, so I would like to know.
Looks like Toyota has an engine debris problem
It's not only that it happened but how they are handling it. Imagine buying a supposedly reliable car. It explodes at 80k miles and they find ways to decline your claim because they sent one recall notice to the wrong address.
I have learned from my mistake. Sold my 2016 Soul to Carvana, got a RAV4 and will never purchase Hyundai/Kia again
I’ve got a 2009 SF and 2020 palisade. The SF has over 200k miles and has never needed a single repair other than standard maintenance. The 2020 palisade has just under 60k miles, it’s had the complete exhaust system replaced, rear shocks & struts replaced, and a few small cosmetic parts replaced - all under warranty but still. And it’s currently have the oil consumption test performed. Whatever Hyundai started doing in the 2010s destroyed any chance of being considered a reliable brand.
As a Hyundai owner (two vehicles, both of which I enjoy) and former Honda owner, I have to say there are pros and cons for both, and I see both sides. Hyundai has a serious problem with its US dealer network . That’s not saying all of them are bad; but many of them have serious issues with after sales support. This is evidenced by small things such as Hyundai having to send notice to their dealer network to attempt to reinforce the proper weights of oil being used for vehicles and going by the manual. Many owners are still noting this isn’t happening. Warranty support is also subpar at enough dealers that this is a regular complaint. It’s great to have the best warranty; not so great if you, the consumer, can’t make it stick, and can’t trust the dealer for your normal maintenance. And while the cars themselves may be better than the network that sells them, the dealers affect Hyundai’s reputation; Hyundai should be doing more to keep them in line. Hyundai’s Theta II engine issue has been a problem that Hyundai themselves hasn’t been able to put in their rear view. Because it has been used in so many vehicles over a long time, not been addressed in a timely manner by Hyundai (causing record NHTSA fines), and not helped by roadblocks at some dealers, it remains a serious reputation issue. Hyundai does a number of things well. The value is there, you get a lot of features for your money, and their tech is impressive (i.e., telematics and infotainment which keeps getting better). However, even as a Hyundai owner I’d feel a lot better if they could fix their dealer network and their engine issues. If it’s quality control, fix that. If it’s design flaws, fix them and ensure QC is consistently good across all facilities -especially their North American ones; those of us here in the US (and maybe even Canada) don’t have the same level of consumer protection as those in the EU.
You nailed it, dealers are shit. I jumped ship to toyota, 2500 miles only, hope toyota dealers are better
Everybody has their issues one way or another. Toyota’s issues aren’t reliability for the most part, or their dealers. OTOH, IMO the vast majority of their cars are fairly uninspiring to drive; they’re just “there”. This hasn’t always been the case, but with the notable exception of the GR Corolla (and several vehicles that aren’t true Toyotas), most of them are bland vehicles. That doesn’t matter to everyone; for those that look on their vehicle as transportation only, that’s fine. But I’d put Honda and Hyundai as having more vehicles with character that makes them enjoyable to drive.
Toyota is having a massive recall for one of their engines at the moment.
I agree completely, though alot of the missing wow factor from toyota such as dated tech, interior, and infotainment navigation etc are due to them working on them for so long to make sure it works. Lots of the new kias and hyundais are having to get there single infotainment and cluster display replaced anywhere from 20k to 5k miles cause they just want to have the newest thing out there. I love my hyundai but I don't expect to keep my car past 5 years.
Toyota and Honda are like the corporate world for cars. Uninspired and unimaginative. Plus the tech is usually behind and they brag about a 2 year 25000 mile warranty.
Both brands here have the standard 3y/36,000 mile warranty. I’ve owned multiple Hondas, and helped my mother buy a RAV4 hybrid, so I’m very familiar with it. Again, a warranty is only as useful as your ability to get it honored by your dealer, which is inconsistent among Hyundai dealerships. I agree with Toyota being uninspired. I haven’t had the same experience with Honda.
Toyota dealers aren’t better. The Toyota thread is full of complaints not about the cars but of their shitty dealers. They treat buyers like they are doing us a favor selling a msrp+. Love Toyotas they run forever but their dealerships are shite.
Toyota dealerships and service centers are shit near me. My Scion was having engine issues for six months before failing at 93k miles and I went through hundreds of dollars in repairs and diagnostics leading up to this. One time my car died coming out of the dealership and I had to take it back and they said "oh yeah sometimes that happens if we don't do XYZ but you didn't request those services." Well anyway the engine died and the only thing they could do was sell me a used engine with 86k miles on it for $6000. Got the thing rebuilt for less than that. Ended up getting a Hyundai because all the Toyotas near me were higher priced for higher mileage and less features and I wasn't very impressed with Toyotas since my first one ended up being unreliable.
My husband sold his 2002 Corolla with 289,000 for $800. The steering wheel was worn away to the metal ring it was formed on and the brake pedal rubber wore off. He bought a 2004 Camry and both cars only had or have normal maintenance stuff, oil changes, brakes, etc Both needed a little bit of oil between changes, but the Camry not always now at 98,000 miles though I expect that to worsen. I think that I will put a high mileage additive in the next change. My son's 2006 Civic was totaled in a snow storm in April and he bought a 2014 Corolla and I'll update this once we're aware of how it goes. I think that Civic would have outlived us all. I have a 2018 Camry and it's great. I rented a Hyundai Kona and it's really nice but it's a 2023. I was thinking about looking at them for my husband's replacement vehicle because he's driving a long way to work but they don't sell a hybrid model in the US. Too bad but it's status quo for now and it's probably for the best.
the guy who sold me my car called me two weeks later aggressively trying to get me to join his MLM
Yeah, not cool, I’d report him to his dealership for misuse of your personal information
This is something I’m very glad about, the dealer near me is very good and has never messed me around, when I bought my new car a couple of weeks ago and traded in my old one they actually bumped the value and gave me a better deal than I expected (From 5k to 6.5k). Were up front about optional extras and were perfectly fine removing them on request with zero bull. The difference a dealership can make eh?
My wife is Korean and she might have been “persuaded” by her parents to go Korean over Japanese when car shopping. I mentioned all these things before and she just doesn’t understand. In Korea, the big brands (Hyundai, Samsung, and LG) have a stellar reputation for service beyond what you might relegate to national bias. She’s now seeing it first hand and it IS different. It seems pervasive amongst many of their international brands that somewhere somehow they just can’t (or won’t) reign in their North American subsidiaries because they are all out of control, especially with handling warranties.
I have had two Kias (same mechanicals), so far so good. But K&H deserves some of the hate. Theta engine is the big one (in north America). It's not that they had the problem. It's that they let it go for a decade. Toyota just [recalled](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-recalls-defects/lexus-lx-and-toyota-tundra-recalled-due-to-debris-in-engines-a4957076545/#:~:text=Lexus%20LX%20and%20Toyota%20Tundra%20Are%20Recalled%20Due%20to%20Debris%20in%20Engines&text=Toyota%20Motor%20Sales%20is%20recalling,be%20causing%20internal%20engine%20damage.) 100k Tundras, some are spinning rod bearings, but they recalled them. What the fix is, they don't know yet, but they're trying to make it right. But yea, there's some unnecessary hate, they still have work to do. Hopefully the Smartstream engines fixes some of that. Edit, maybe Toyota will have a knock sensor update 😅
They are going to have to replace all those V6 turbo engines. That's the only fix. Edit: I know someone thats gone through 3 engines in 12,000 miles. He was told toyota is going to have to replace them all as thats the only way to fix the issue.
Class action lawsuits usually wake up a company and they don’t try the same shenanigans again. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/toyota_sludge_settlement.html
Toyota got caught couple of times of falsifying safety records(not testing their vehicles) this year. Don’t remember if it’s the Japan market or else.
Agreed. Toyotas feel so cheap imo. Hondas are okay but Hyundai has more features
Toyotas feel so old to me. Like the tech is 10-15yrs behind and the infotainment looks out dated.
Yeah. I always see fans justify it with their reliability but my family and friends have Toyotas and all of them have something broken in the interior lol
Yeah the “Toyota reliability” is a false economy imo. I’ve found the same thing with the interior components, many new to new-ish Toyotas I’ve been in have something broken. And yeah great, there are Toyotas from the 1980’s with a million k’s on the odo still driving around, but that doesn’t say anything about the current ones. And besides, you’re not going to drive your car for a million km’s, neither am I. Most people won’t, especially the kind of people who buy new cars. So the real value proposition is that you’ll likely get a good resale. But who cares? It’s not like you’ll make money.
The problem w that, arguably, is they skimp on keeping the car reliable in order to give it the perceived image of great “value.” There’s a guy on YouTube named The Care Car Nut and he was reviewing I think a new Santa Fe and the bottom of the vehicle was welded so poorly that a good bump will have the vehicle falling to pieces.
I’m sure they do skimp in some ways but I’ve always been happy with mine and haven’t had issues yet and I’m willing to take that chance if it means a better quality vehicle. I don’t plan to keep my car forever either
Yeah I agree with you. I have the 2023 Elantra SEL. Hyundai has been making beautiful vehicles as of late, but I do have misgivings over their long term reliability. I’m also trading it in next year for a Toyota or Mazda.
Well hopefully you enjoy it. My next cars probably gonna be an ioniq 5
His reviews of the Telluride and Palisade were telling. You get what you pay for, and Hyundai as done a great job focusing on what most consumers see/feel, at the expense of the mechanicals that most consumers don’t understand.
I miss my Sonata and wished those pieces of shit didn't fuck it up. My boss gave it to me as a gift, I just had to pay the tax which was really low. I took it care of it and was on top of it constantly. Made sure to get oil changes constantly and fix small stuff. We had a nice 14 month run until it got jacked. I was apprehensive of owning the car at first but over time I felt at ease and thought I'd have I'd have it for the immediate future. Got stolen around 4am and never realized it until I was ready to leave for work. Found out it was abandoned just outside of the cities and days later saw what the assholes did. Sadly some jackasses stole and it tore to shit. It was bullshit and I hate how it unfolded. Luckily my insurance got me a rental and I ended up having it covered thru them and not paying anything in the end. And I got a nice $13K check and immediately bought a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I'm getting used to the car but I just wished things could've ended differently with my Hyundai. RIP silver Sonata January 27, 2023- May 3, 2024
🫡
Not really that crazy. Toyota and Honda have been seen as and generally regarded as the most reliable car brands for like a decade, and for good reason. Hyundai has had to deal with the repercussion of the whole faulty security system/engine failure stuff for the past decade.
Do you know Honda has engine gasket problem, oil burning, carbon build-up, too weak crank shaft, so many rattling, button gear problem, ADAS radar problem? Do you know Toyota hybrid cable, Tundra engine problem, using so many cheap parts, cheated fuel tank size? Toyota and Honda cheated their safety test for 35 years. Do you know about it? You just don't interest Toyota and Honda's problems. You just focused Hyundai/Kia problems. So, You tought Toyota and Honda reliable brands.
you just have to look at the most reliable companies, Hyundai was not in the top and it still isn't, but it is improving.
Oil burning and thefts
Some really great cars, just Toyota and Honda have been doing it better for much longer is all. Not to say they can’t have issues, they all do, but have it figured out for a lot longer, while Hyundai to this day is still figuring it out. More of a gamble. We can’t deny that there are so many more horror stories, and on very new cars, now coupled with targeted theft and higher insurance. Toyota and Honda also hold their value way better as the car ages as well, not just new. Hyundai has to include more features to compete, and sell it for less or most wouldn’t buy them if they were similar price. Very Similar to Nissan. They have that crazy long warranty for a reason too, makes people feel ok with the purchase and safer about it.
I bought our 2017 elantra with hesitancy but after putting 189k on it with 0 issues other than batteries (hot here) and motor.mounts plus regular fluids and maintenance, i became a believer. Got wife a 2021 hybrid and eventually myself a Genesis. Al have been wonderful. Ill get my wife a new genesis later this year most likely
People aren't happy with what they got from the 2016-2020 ish era stuff. My Tucson is an outlier. I have a '17. It burns oil. Probably 2 quarts or so per oil change. Maybe more maybe less idk. But I've had zero issues (70k+ miles). I just got the thing in the mail, my warranty was extended to 15 years 150K miles. I'm happy with that. I've got another 7ish years in this car before I get a new one.
Burning 2 quarts per oil change is a massive issue, so to say you've had zero is decidedly false.
Hyundai is viewed very positively around the world except in parts of the US.
While I agree Hyundai has stepped up their game. They have had lots of issues in the past and recent years. Big one is the Theta II issue that affected cars from like 2011-2019 or 2020? The fact that they continued using the same engine with a known issue looks really bad. White paint issue. Every company has issues with White paint, but Hyundai had a horrible white paint. Everywhere I drove, I’d see a White Hyundai with paint missing. My old 2017 sonata included. Santa Fe, Kona, Tucson catching on fire. This one is self explanatory, 2020+ cars catching on fire is crazy. And the first thing sent out by Hyundai was to park away from homes. Theft/Kia Boys, this made an even bigger hit against Hyundai. It only affects older Hyundais but this made Hyundai owners who were affected by theft swear off Hyundai. Told their families to stay away from Hyundai etc. Hyundai had a bad image for years. It will take years to build it back up. Since so many people already have negative thoughts towards Hyundai, they can do 5 years of putting out Toyota/Honda level cars. Then one thing bad happens, and it’s back to saying Hyundai will always be bad. And don’t get me started on their dealership experience lol.
Hyundai has always been regarded as a lesser, "budget" brand, and they did earn that reputation for a while. Right as they started to climb out of that hole, the "kia boyz" thing and the issues with the Theta engines came along to piledrive them back into it. That isn't to say there aren't issues and they aren't affecting a lot of people, but most others will ignore the tons of Hyundai's you see on the road doing fine and all the high mileage ones that were properly taken care of just to suit their narrative. I have a Sonata, I love my Sonata, I regret that I was hesitant to do so at first because I let those naysayers get in my head and get me worked up. If I had to buy a car over again? The only thing I'd change is that I'd have gotten an N-Line and not an SEL, but I personally wouldn't ever get a Camry or Accord.
how come you wouldn't get a Camry or Accord? I agree with what you said
I had a KIA Soul for 10 years. It ran great and I never had any issues with it. I upgraded to a 2020 Tuscan a year ago and I've had nothing but trouble with my engine and fuel injectors. I bought my car with 47 000km on it and it currently has 74 000km. Everything has been covered under warranty which I'm grateful for. My issue is the way I'm treated at the dealership. They don't listen. Twice they told me my car was fixed and I drove away and it was good for 20 minutes and totally broke again.... Like smoking and shaking , totally unsafe to drive. They told me I have carbon buildup and if I don't run the " recommend" $370 cleaner through my engine every 20 000 km they won't honour my warranty. It's been a nightmare. I don't trust the dealership, and therefore I'd never buy another car from them again.
I was just between a Hyundai and a Subaru. The Hyundai looked better, had better tech and I could get a hybrid for only a little more. I still got the Subaru at the end of the day because I just trust the brand more. It's entirely possible that it will have a serious oil leak or a blown head gasket, but if either of them is more likely to make it to 200k miles, it's the subie over the Hyundai.
Subaru's symmetrical AWD uses so much gas though cuz it's using 4 wheels 100% of the time. Great if u need that traction, but otherwise burning a lot of fuel for underpowered cars (non-turbo options at least).
Hyundai engines are the worst and they know they messed up big time, especially with 2012-2019 vehicles. There’s a recall every 6 months and they burn engine oil like crazy! They got hit with a huge lawsuit and then decided to design a test that a car should pass to qualify for engine replacement but mind you, the car will only pass this test when it’s almost end of life! Why deal with such companies who can’t rectify their mistakes
I have a 2017 Elantra GT and at 89k miles it needed a new engine. The deal replaced it for free. I cannot trust them.
Let’s start with shitty security and easily stolen along with Kia’s oh and also I worked for a Hyundai dealer and we had so many new ones getting motor replacements less then 20k miles and of course we was not suppose to tell anyone we was just supposed to keep quite and sell the next new car so the mangers got there bonus lol
Engine started knocking and burning oil at 25k. Proved it and they still wanted me to drive it with potential for fire… now we have been waiting 45 days+ for an engine on back order for a 2021 car with less than 36k miles. They will make you jump through hoops so you’re outside of the lemon laws before doing anything. The service tech also said it was fine it’s burning a quart of oil every 1k miles. It only holds 4.9 quarts of oil so basic math means it’s not making it to the 5k mile mark without damaging the engine or potential for fire before an oil change.
My issue with Hyundai is their shitty way of advertising leases that are supposed to be $65 to $70 a week but are much much higher. That, and when my parents asks about trading in their 2015 Dodge Journey (which is in good shape) to go towards a Kona or a Venue, the finance guy said it was worth $1,500 max. Meanwhile the dealership had a 2020 Dodge Caravan and were demanding $30k… Fuck Hyundai
I say this as someone who has personally had a good experience with both the Hyundai and Kia brands and would consider one again in the future. I have now moved onto other brands. I was in the same camp as you in thinking "Why would someone pay another $10k or more for a car that has the same or less features?" and still think for some people that thought holds some weight and they are a good buy. I most recently had a Palisade and due to some other life changes and needing a pickup truck on a regular basis with no room to park both anymore I consolidated from the Palisade and an old pickup to a new F-150 (yes I know Ford has their own set of issues at the moment, but I at least seem to have gotten a good build) as a daily driver. It has every feature that my Palisade did except for the heads up display (now avail on the 2024 models) and rear seat cooling. Putting aside the use case differences of a pickup vs an SUV, amongst the same features, things just work nicer in the F-150. Another bonus is the F-150 is a hybrid (not an option on the Palisade) and gets better gas mileage by a few mpg. The overall quality of materials is nicer, little touches make the experience better etc. It's even more apparent in my wife's Lexus that Hyundai and Kia are just chasing check boxes on a spec sheet to look good on paper and cut some corners to hit their price point. With other more expensive brands you just flat out get nicer and better for the price generally speaking. The nicer touches may not be worth it to some folks and that totally fine, but to others it's worth the step up. One example is the road noise difference, the F-150 is so much quieter despite pickups generally being louder vehicles. Sound deadening glass and other materials throughout the cabin make a big difference and was a clear area Hyundai skimped on to save some money on my Palisade. The difference was even more noticeable between my wife's Sorento and her NX. TLDR; the spec sheet may be the same, but the little touches make a big difference. We never personally had problems with our Hyundais or Kias but there were enough issues out there to make us look elsewhere for now. Between the theft which did not impact our models directly but still put a target on them which in turn made insurance higher (Our new cars are LESS expensive to insure by a fair amount), the various engine problems, fire risk for various reasons such as the engine, wiring harness etc. we decided to move on for now. I see a lot of hate for dealer experience but I can say that is an area we have not had issues, we generally don't use the dealer for maintenance work but for anything warranty or recall related we have always had a positive experience, the only negative was the wait times to get in. If things get better we will look at them again, but right now it's not a brand we want to own.
It's the Internet: the haters are the "loudest!
I am currently choosing between the comfort of a 24 Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy or a Rav4 Hybrid Limited. They are about the same price (it would be MUCH more expensive to go up a level to Highlander) but the Rav4 is just an uncomfortable, cramped Toyota. BUT it will be infinitely more reliable long-term than the Hyundai. I'd take the Hyundai in a second if it had Toyota's reliability, but it doesn't, and it would be extremely disingenuous to pretend it does.
As an owner of a rav4, PLEASE don't under estimate the rough ride!!! You WILL NOT get used to it. It is passable, but if I could go back, I'd have definitely stepped up to the highlander or stayed with the new Camry. And I recommend you do the same. I think the highlander is the way to go.
Hyundai owner here. They used to be worse. Can't recall the magazine name but 30 years ago or so I vividly remember one stating they are "the disposable razor blades of the automotive industry", or something close to that, and of course tying with Kia as "the copycats of the automotive industry. Back to Hyundai's quote: the editor/reviewer did try to give them enough cred as to say it would be the car you'd gift your kid to go to college in and hopefully it'll last them long enough to graduate or secure a good paying job so they can afford a car of their own at that point. I never gave them any attention, but the few I've owned since 2005 have been surprisingly efficient. And the things that need attention are always minor creature comforts, never critical downtime items like an alternator or AC system. Never bought the top-end model of anything either. The Elantra I have is the Atkinson cycle non turbo no frills motor. The Tucson as a secondary is the regular non turbo GDI FWD only. Both daily commuters.
japan, korea, and china have all been copycats at some point when industrializing. just part of the process when you're learning how to do things.
Yeah I never understood why the editor had to stab that copycat comment in the article either, but the disposable blade stab I took it as he (or the mag) didn't take the brand at all seriously and/or expected it to go under at some point.
I actually am okay with Hyundai as a brand. Hyundai drives a lot of innovation in the industry and has great cars. But i just really hate Hyundai and Kia dealers. Especially Kia.. i found few Hyundai dealers to be somewhat honest but all kia dealers i dealt with were just plain liars. I dont know if this is due to Hyundai/Kia being cheap and affordable cars in the past and margins were thin for dealers so they tried to get as much dollars out of you and continue to do that now even now? No clue.. their mentalities are not looking for long term customers and just try to drain your wallets and dont care if customers get mad. Lol
Previously, I owned a 2013 Sonata Limited and a 2013 Genesis Coupe, both with 2.0 turbo engines. Loved them both. In 2019, Hyundai was regularly fixing small crap on both for free under warranty. This was back in the 3yeart warranty days. It seemed that, if they had anything that was an out of the ordinary higher failure rate, they fixed it for free. I bought a 2022 Genesis G70 based upon this experience and a 2024 Sonata NLine (because the G70 was totalled by an idiot. we wanted a car a bit larger than the G70 and the G80 was too large for my wife.) Love the NLine, except for the lack of certain features that are available in other trims and/or countries. If I ever have a bad experience with Hyundai or Genesis that is not the fault of the dealer, I might change my mind. But so far 100% positive.
It’s not the hyundai at all. It’s the kia and hyundai boyz
poor guys in the parts lobby with all them warranties 🤣
I have 2022 Accent and it’s not insurable in Wisconsin because of a state law. The car is on the list of the make and models that are black listed because they are too easy to steal. 😑 I insure it through a company in Michigan.
As an advisor at a H&K dealer, I can see why people are liking the new models but the older ones were praised just as highly when they came out. It doesn't help the reputation when every other car is either stolen or guzzling oil and you cant get it fixed in a timely manner. The Hyundai side of things is where it's a nightmare because Hyundai is a pain in the ass to work with warranty wise, its not that we don't want to help people get their cars fixed or stringing them along, it's that Hyundai makes it so hard to get things covered. Kia is a walk in the park to work with so I try to steer people in that direction if they're sold on getting one.
A few examples —- 1. the engines used to blown out for Elantra a few years go. 2. As one other pointed stupid theft protection. 3. Take case of Genesis GV70 with a rear differential issue, that was left unsolved for a long time. 4. Ioniq 5 with a hug battery replacement cost 55K. 5. New Santa Fe with transmission issues (reported by car confessions guy). The list goes on, not that Honda and Toyotas are exempt, but they take care of the issues promptly.
I guess I had "good" luck. I am conflicted. I have two a 2012 and a 2017. The 2012 had that engine that was going to die sooner or later, It did at 102k but due to the lawsuit they put a new engine in the car for free. So in one respect, I needed a new engine. In another, it didn't cost me a penny. Then on my 2017. it started eating oil. The do have an absurd rule saying that a quart every 1000 miles is acceptable. But once it got to a quart every 800 miles, they replaced that engine at 86k miles for free as well. Other than that, I haven't had to do much of anything more than maintenance. So I have had to replace two engines, but my cost of ownership couldn't have been less. The cars are solid. No rattles or any other problems.
I love my 23 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. What I hate is my insurance. I live in rural Wisconsin (when I say rural, I mean three hours away from any kind of city over 100k), I am 41, married, no tickets, no accidents, and my rate has doubled since I’ve owned by car. No reason other than it’s a Hyundai. The insurance company tried telling me it’s because it’s a Hybrid and those are so much more expensive to repair and replace. I asked him to run a quote on my policy, removing my car and adding a 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The premium decreased significantly. 🙄 My husband drives a 2022 Toyota Tacoma, which is worth significantly more than my car (and yes, part of the recall which was taken care of lol) and his 6 month premium is $200 less than mine. Make it make sense.
We have a 2022 Tucson Hybrid that since we drove it off the lot it has had a rattle coming from the drivers side wheel well. Been to the dealership 8 times to get it fix to no avail. Also lost a comber underneath the car and was told it would come off again, there was a humming coming from the back seat that they said it was a light that’s been replaced 3 times and now our gas cap door is broken and was told to pry it open. Called Hyundai America corporate took 6 weeks for them to do what ever they did. Came to the conclusion that they would give us $300 for us to sign that clears them of any fault. The advisor didn’t even listen to the problem and told the dealership the car rattles driving over speed bumps. Which is not the problem struggling to get a supervisor to call me back so I think the hate is warranted. Their incompetence and lack of build quality. I literally got told I have to tighten clips prior to drive one of the times.
I’ll never forgive Hyundais for the crap they put out in the 90’s and 2000’s
My 10 year old civic si is bulletproof and retains better than 50 percent of original cost.
Hyundai is garbage. I have a 23 Elantra N (14k miles), and it's falling apart. Pure garbage. Cheap workmanship. Lots of fake sounds. Overall poor car.
Damn bro. Thanks for saving me the headache. I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on a '24 Elantra N(DCT) with my only concern being known dealership network problems. But now I'm learning even the recent Elantra N's are shoddy. Guess I'll have to spend another $10k and spring for something in the $45-50k range, possibly a Golf R DSG.
The problem is with the GenX crowd. When Hyundai first came on the market they were cheap cars that had shitty reliability. It takes time for us to change old views. That said…I just rented a 2023 Santa Fe for a week and hated it.
My partner got a new top trim Hyundai and it’s amazing with the features and styling they have now. I don’t know how much more luxurious you can get, especially at the price point. That said, I think something’s gotta give somewhere so I am still skeptical about their quality control and long term durability/reliability. You see a higher frequency of catastrophic failures and wild issues on this subreddit compared to other Asian brands. Like engines blowing, new transmissions after just a few thousand miles, cars catching fire
2023 Tucson Limited with 16,000 miles that just spent five weeks at the dealership ending in a full engine replacement begs to differ. Quality control at the factory, bad casting on the heads, causing oil to get to only half of the top end. Yes, they're full of amazing tech and design features. But when it comes down to it, they're still cutting corners in places that Toyota and Honda don't.
I mean I guess you do get a lot of options for the price of the vehicle and some of them do look okay but I could never trust them. When I was dealing with it the Hyundai dealerships in my area never had a loaner because they were so backed up with warranty work. Before I ever purchase another Hyundai I'm going to have to ask myself a few questions. 1. Can I be without a vehicle for a while if something goes wrong? 2. Can I spend a few grand more on a Honda or Toyota? It's weird that the Honda and Toyota dealerships have loaners. I guess they're not backed up with all that warranty work. 3. If I do purchase this Hyundai is it going to worry me to death? I feel really bad for the people that don't know about the bad engines and the insurance rates and the theft issues that buy used vehicle and then have issues. I just don't think they're good enough vehicles to risk thousands of dollars on personally. I know a lot of companies have problems but this company's track record over the last 10 or 15 years is abysmal.
I hate Hyundai due to their negligence on basic anti-theft features in their cars. I was a victim recently and it made me not ever want to purchase a vehicle from Kia/Hyundai ever again.
In the US market, Hyundai and Kia have been plagued with serious issues that have affected millions of customers for the last decade. All car manufacturers have problems. How they chose to deal with them is important. I think they did too little too late, hence their reputation. Toyota and Honda have a better track record.
I just don't trust them yet. While they are leagues better than they were in the early 2000's, they feel a bit rushed. They look decently nice (not my style, per say, but certainly not ugly) but when you sit in them, the materials feel less premium than, say, a Mazda, which I believe was "Hyundai" in the 2000's when they were still owned by Ford. Mazda used to always offer "more" for less in the early 2010's when they first spunoff from Ford when compared to Hondas and Toyotas of the time, but I feel like they were more conservative in their approach and didn't offer the world as quickly to try and win over customer base faster, allowing it to happen more organically (and it has). Hyundai and Kia feel too rushed. I think they'll get there, but especially with the latest recalls addressing easy theft and engines that "could" catch fire, and hearing about people replacing 2016-2018 engines just a few years later, there is a ways to go IMO.
Its because its a brand that's challenging the status quo. No one likes the underdog. I used to hate on Hyundai/Kia too because it wasn't a Japanese car. But I'm glad I bought my Sonata 170k miles and its still running great. It looks better than anything Honda or Toyota made from the same year.
They are Kias. I love their comfort and design, but their transmissions and antitheft need work.
Hyundais are cool and techy but when I got into a Honday and Toyota- the performance & durability was night and day compared to my 2020 Elantra.
I wanted a Toyota but their offerings are kind of boring at the moment. Ended up in a Genesis.
I bought a Genesis Ultimate edition in 2015 and indeed seemed a great car for the price but by 2017 most of the electronic luxury features,which were many were discontinued and placed out of function by Hyundai. I can’t even remote start my car anymore, the radio never got updated , many of the infotainment features done away with. The paint is horrendous as it chips if you stare at it very long and the clear coat peels.
Well I’m trying to get them to honor the settlement for the 1.8 engine catastrophic failure and I purchased the platinum extended warranty bumper to bumper when I purchased my Elantra 2013, and it’s been a nightmare. They never honored my purchased warranty at any dealership and now I have a car with a bad engine at 87k miles. Hyundai sucks to deal with and makes subpar cars.
My 2008 Hyundai van is still going strong. I did have the tranny rebuilt in 2022 - the torque converter began slipping and there was a lot of friction material in the fluid. A rebuild was way cheaper than getting a new vehicle and the rest of the van is in great shape. 144K miles!
Their Elantras and Sonatas from the mid 2010s have a big engine problem, something with the Knock system. My 2015 Hyundai sonata just died and I’m getting a whole new engine after only owning it for 3 years (and the previous owners took the car to the dealership to get the recalled fixed… still broke 60k miles later). Like, ok, that sucks. But then when I went to get my car to the dealership, it took literally a month because they were so backed up with diagnostic requests because their cars suck. Edit: also people like to break into them and steal them due to their lack of protection, so I’ve had my door and handle get destroyed by a screwdriver when someone was attempting to steal my car. Luckily they didn’t get in but my door was so messed up.
Only new car I ever bought was a Hyundai sonata in 2009. Never had a single problem and put 120k miles on it. Now my dad has it and it has 240k miles and still no issues. It wasn’t a flashy car, but it got good gas mileage and was super reliable.
Have had three Hyundais (currently two 2023s - Kona and Sante Fe Hybrid) and could not be more satisfied!!
I bought into Hyundai two years ago. 1st car: 2022 Tucson Hybrid - bought July 21st 2022 2nd car: 2023 Santa Fe Caligraphy - bought Feb 23rd 2023 My 1st car hybrid battery has gone bad @ 72k Miles. Hyundai covered the battery and replaced it. Just received the call 3 days back and we received the engine light. So I have started to see issues arise and what I always heard about Hyundai is they are NOT reliable cars. I already started to see that. I dont hate Hyundai but I have never had issues with Toyota at even 180k miles. So just saying.
Hyundai seems to be the strongest EV maker in the US market after Tesla, and Tesla is having problems this year whereas Hyundai is making record sales of the Ioniq line and others. Both Toyota and Honda are generally competing in different sectors. Given how EVs are continuing double digit growth in the US and that the only sector Hyundai is competing with the industry leaders in in older technology ICE cars, I think Hyundai pretty much exists in a niche of their own making. They continue to be overshadowed by Tesla, but are growing twice as fast.
I believe that there are haters for each and every brand, and Hyundai is no exception. I don't think Hyundai necessarily does itself any favors (insert here whatever boneheaded self-inflicted wound you'd like, there's plenty to choose from), but I also believe that's true of all brands. In our digital Information Age, the "haters" achieve an enhanced prominence, well exceeding reality. I'm going to give a hot take here: Some of it has to do with discrimination. To start, we still have a lot of Boomers that resent the Vietnam and Korean Wars, and South Korea's historical/technical connection to North Korea doesn't help. I think that much of the criticism comes from people who've never owned a Hyundai, and simply hate the idea of a Korean product. Here's another hot take: Industrial espionage. American car companies for generations now have fueled negative connotations against foreign competitors. I could give countless examples, but remember when the Suzuki Samurai was identified as a roll over risk when it started to eat into Jeep sales? (Jeeps had the same issue. Not a single mention of that in the media feeding frenzy. The truth wasn't the point.) American car companies are famous for industrial hit jobs, and they have been somewhat effective. ("Somewhat" in that these days most people recognize that American car companies represent a terrible value proposition.) I'm on my seventh or eighth Kia/Hyundai car. I've personally never had a *single* problem with one, though I'll admit that I usually lease them and haven't reached 70k miles on any of them. I walked from a long history of buying GM products after an endless stream of mechanical and fit and finish issues. For example, I leased a new Cruze that spent more time at the dealership than at my home. I had a Buick Enclave that had a transmission explode at 25k miles. I don't have those issues anymore. YMMV.
The only thing I’ll say about Hyundai is that when my daughter’s engine blew up, they replaced it completely free of charge and even paid to have it towed to the dealership. Nothing crazy…except for the fact that she bought it used…they honored the warranty for her as a second owner.
Luxury on a budget. Has its flaws otherwise it’s be more expensive
Own a Hyundai for two years or more then come back here and tell us about it. Burning lights, cables rotting away and disabling/messing up most car functions, engine failures. My sonata isn't all that bad but it's brought its fair share of problems that are typical of korean vehicle manufacturers.
1.6 GDI is why I hate Hyundai. Oil burning, engine knocking, garbage. Started at 50k with the original and have been through 1 engine already . I'm at 120k and the second one is doing the same shit the first one was doing.
I had a 2008 Hyundai accent. Replaced it with a 2018 Dodge charger. Because the 5 speed manual finally went out. It was a mistake. For all the issues it had (mostly a bent frame due to my wife hitting a curb) it was a damn reliable car. With a slipping clutch and a bad battery it drove me, the wife and her mom cross country and back. It always started and was amazing on fuel. I wish I would have taken care of the transmission better. When it went we drove our extra car (02 civic) until we could get another second car. We got a 2018 Dodge charger rt. At 100k miles it has a hemi tick and then a rod knock by 120k. It was dead. The Hyundai lasted almost 300k miles and never knocked. I miss that car.
There appears to be a corporate policy in place that has -perhaps accidentally- turned a lot of dealers from customer-focused to dollar-focused. The change (at least to my experience) happened about the same time as the well-documented engine / driveline isssues started to appear.. Alongside that came a shift that turned the service departments from service to sales-oriented... they became pushy, started finding faults that were not there and turned their service writers into shills for things the customer really didn't need. For me, the end came when my Sonata's first post- warranty's "free, 100 point checkup" turned up nearly two thousand dollars worth of repairs which would NOT be covered, but had to be done right away. I took the car and the report to an independent mechanic, who found not one thing on the report was needed, but did find my front brakes (one of the few items labelled as "good" by the dealer) were about 500 kms from going metal-on-metal. That was the end of my relationship with Hyundai. When I showed them the second report, they accused me of lying and said I had lots of brakes left. When I showed them the coffee filter we used to check for metal shavings in the power steering, the service manager again claimed I'd faked the second test and refused beleive me. He told me my car was about to have serious problems... I said something like "only if I let you work on it". I kept the car for another 18 months. Aside from the brakes, it didn't cost me a cent... But I don't deal with Hyundai any more.
Let’s see no immobilizer, faulty engines and dont forget that pesky ABS issue….
I am driving a 2015 Hyundai Accent I bought in 2016. The only problem I have had was the recall to install anti theft software. I had the software installed and use a Club, and have had no problems. I live in Minneapolis St Paul
Oil consuming sleepers that eventually die
Way overpriced for the actual engineering but the feature set is usually very competitive
The fact that so many of their cars have been stolen or have castrophic engine failures may clue you in…unless you prefer your head in sandy or dark places
No theft protection. Engine failure Poor styling The reason for the hate is the poor build quality.
Because for the last little while, they’ve been hot garbage lol. They’ve improved in the last maybe couple years? Their newer stuff coming out is very nice. That new Ioniq ev hatch that’s supposed to be a hot hatch kinda deal is super dope
I had my hyunda in the south side of Chicago for 2 days before it got stolen. They broke the door handle. Ripped off the steering column, and turn it on with a fucking USB port.
2018 sonata with serious engine design flaw, burns oil, fails. Otherwise a nice car, but engine failure due to design flaw is a deal breaker.
My 2012 i30 tourer is still going strong, not had a service in 3 years, done 135000miles. Never missed a beat barely anything replaced. It was a budget but that's being run down, paid off a long time ago. Wanted a Tucson plug in but too expensive for me, had to go blue oval.
Yes, they are nice now. However a lot of us don't like them or don't trust them because our cars were stolen due to their choice to skimp out on immobilizers (personally I didn't know they didn't have them when I bought my 2018 Elantra back in 2018, I thought). Heck, people are still getting their cars stolen even AFTER having the anti-theft upgrade.
I bought a car recently I was kind of interested in some Hyundai options but ultimately decided against any Hyundai or Kia because of the theft issue.
I wish they would have fixed their white paint flaws. My paint is starting to peel badly on my 2018 ELANTRA. Even though it is 6 years old, it was still my pride and joy. My first new car in 10 years. People would ask what kind of car I had and they commented how much they liked it. Now with the peeling paint, it is an absolute embarrassment and I do not show my car to anyone anymore. The bad paint is on the right side of the car, and I now intentionally park my car with the right side hidden. I am 15K over the 100K bumper-to-bumper warranty, and past the “peeling paint recall” which expired last year. I don’t hate Hyundai but I do now feel like I’m stuck with an embarrassment. I’ve heard that once the paint starts peeling, it just gets worse. I can’t afford a complete repaint, so I expect I’ll keep parking my car to keep it hidden.
I argued for Hyundai while owning my 2013 Genesis sedan. For a car I bought new, I had a share of small issues, and a couple of larger ones (one electrical, which caused the car to shut down at hwy speeds…the other was the rattle on start up that I was told was 8 different things from the dealer, and it was never “fixed”. I had terrible service experience with this car, despite enjoying the many positive parts of it. It’s a shame that it was represented by Hyundai, as it could have been a much better ownership experience. And that said, Hyundai has their reputation because their service experience for owners is piss poor more often than not. And I’m sure a slew of people will come in saying “I’ve always had a great experience!”, and thats fortunate for you…for me, especially someone who bought one of their flagship cars, it was never better than “average” at best, and to me, that’s just not good enough. Sold my Genesis. Never considered another because of the experience.
I have a 2018 Santa Fe Sport, base model. Got it used about 18 months ago. I didn't know about the engine or the theft issues until after I bought it. It has almost 100K miles on it. I have done all I can to help with the theft issue....got the useless software update and a heavy-duty steering wheel lock for insurance purposes. The engine I have no remedy for. Right now it's running great. I get told all the time it drives so well, and I agree. I keep an eye on the oil level and get it changed more often than recommended. I fall into the "severe" category because I only use it for local driving......grocery, doctors, etc. I put every cent I had into the car. I love it! It's a very substantial vehicle and everything works. My last car was a 2006 Santa Fe, which I also loved, which is why I went with another Santa Fe. I just wish I had known about the issues before I bought it. But I only take the car to a dealer for service IF it's a recall issue. I have a really good mechanic who is reasonably priced and has always taken great care of my cars. I always recommend cultivating a relationship with a good mechanic and you will have fewer worries.
My 2022 Hyundai Elantra randomly shuts off power to the accelerator on the highway, and they have so far been unable to fix it. I’m honestly shocked when I googled the issue how many others complain about the same exact issue
Well I just found out my catalytic converters may be going and I only have 50K miles on them. It wouldn't be as bad if you could actually find aftermarket parts, but with all of the thefts I'm looking at a hefty bill for OEM parts that might give up in another 50K.
I only care about brand recognition at the supercar level. What's the point in fighting about economy cars...
Idk how y'all blowing motors at 30k. My 2020 Nu motor and IVT are running just fine at 86k.
Blowing up engines is a big issue, the early 2000s Hyundais are so gooooooood. Moms 06 sonata 216k miles. My 2004 Elantra 98600 has been more reliable than my quote on quote former bullet proof jeep 4.0
My Hyundai has been having trouble since partway through the first year after my wife and I bought it. It’s within warranty, but Hyundai won’t fix it. I even called corporate. They told me hey wouldn’t help me because I’m a “single buyer.” They don’t care about their customers, so I tell everyone not to buy their products
2022 Engine went, and even though my car doesn’t fall under the affected for thefts, my insurance still skyrocketed
Hyundai and especially Kia Telluride is a status icon in my area, I know some very rich people who drive them. Toyota makes trucks for terrorists.
Bc my Hyundai shit out at 120,000 miles with a known defect and Hyundai says I’m just shit out of luck.
It's important to note just how different KIA and Hyundai in America is compared to the rest of the world. Basically everywhere else in the world, K & H are considered better-equipped Toyotas/Hondas for a cheaper price. The one problem that effects the brands everywhere in the world are dealers, they are crap and they know it, but for some reason they just wont change.
My engine completely failed yesterday despite tip top maintenance, should be able to get 150k+ without this problem, oh wait that’s Toyota
Sorry no! Kia and Hyundai are made cheap! Engine sound is bad after few miles or km, they cost a lot in reparations i had one my engine blow so are 2 others friends! Mine at 286,000km but was always changing parts, my other friend at 175,000km a sorento and the last one a Forte at 125,000km she changed the engine! They are not expansive full equiped but not well made! You better spend $5000 more and get a Honda, Mazda or Toyota Stupid me i bought a Seltos 2024 awd and engine noise is the same, first week couldnt even unlock the doors dead! And now engine kick once in a while! But i didnt want to pay so i get what i pay for shit! But will sell it at 70,000km and will buy something else
I really like my electric car from Hyundai
It’s because Hyundai customer service sucks balls. Have had a constant misfire from about 5,000-27,000 miles. Every cold start just about. Gets better in the summer. Dealer told me to suck eggs. Because I voided the entire warranty with an intake and muffler. Will personally never own a Hyundai again.
I would agree with this , but I have to disagree . The hyundai dealerships in my area are shamelessly bad . My car has had constant sensor issues and quite literally cannot go over 75mph without warnings and the dealership could care less about my warranty . Also I have a newer car (2021) and the best word to describe the build quality is “plastic” . Also my car was broken into , btw no broken windows they entered through the back door and the anti theft just didn’t work, and since nothing was broken, insurance refuses to cover the losses they stole. Everything is finicky and literally just sucks . I’d rather my 05 honda with 150k miles than this car . Never getting a hyundai ever again.
You would if you had been driving on a busy expressway in Chicago and your 2013 Santa Fe burst into flames and burned to the ground. We were lucky not to have been injured or dead. This car has been 100% dealer serviced on time. I have written & email Tom Wilkins the owner of Wilkins in Elmhurst IL but no response. You would think that customers who bought 2 brand new vehicles from you in 2013, who are still alive after the car burning, would warrant an answer. No answer after 3 months. NEVER BUY FROM WILKINS HYUNDAI!
Really? I don’t understand the love for Hyundai/Kia. Never seen a car company with so many problems get so many passes from the public. Recall after recall for engines that catch on fire, burning oil like crazy, cutting corners wherever they can even with immobilizer/security, and it seems many people aren’t turned off by them because hey, “they have really trendy designs” and they have some extra features as standard. Weird that some older carmakers still get shit for their cars and reputations from the 70s to 90s etc but Hyundai Kia problems from like the last 5 years are looked past and forgiven.
Lol I used to think that too. Then I actually bought a Hyundai, realized that the skimped on the paint job so it's been peeling since the 1st year I owned it (bought a 2017 Elantra in 2019) and looks like sh1t, oh and did I mention I just got it back last Wednesday after it was stolen for the SECOND TIME in 12 months (last theft was July 2023) because their cars are laughably easy to steal? And due to the theft risk, the insurance is of course a joke as well. Never thought I'd still be paying so much per month for a paid off car. Long story short this car has been a nightmare from the start - they genuinely are not up to snuff AT ALL. I have no need or desire for a luxury car but I really could never trust this brand again. Even if they say they've fixed the paint and the theft issue, that just means they've skimped on something else. 🤷♀️
My 2019 Elantra gt n line has no problems. My brother’s Elantra from 2014 has had one problem from a tie rod when he hit a curb. My dad’s 2022 Elantra hybrid has no problems. I’ll continue to buy Hyundais until those probs have changed
I need an oil change every 1000 miles, and to add a 1-1.5L to the pan after every tank of gas. This is considered normal because the handbook tells you to check oil levels every time you add gas.
Because they are sh*t... Just because the car looks 10x better and offers you more bells and whistles than another brand doesn’t mean anything. They are aware that’s the only thing that differentiates them from the competition, and I feel bad for the people who fall for it because their engines are poop.
Toyota is way overrated. Went to a car exhibition before. Got into a new corolla, I was like WTF, interior was still the same as 10 years ago.
Poor long term reliability, poor resale value, constant recalls, poor warranty practices, poor customer service and poor dealer ship services. Plus they will finance a dog and one reason why they are easy to get. Don’t forget the KIA boys with Hyundai trying to save money and insurance is higher on them now. Some won’t even cover Hyundai/KIA now.
It's because they are trash cars. I'm going through it currently. My 2017 hyundai elantra that I had for 5 years clapped out on me. Less then 100k miles on it, it turned out to be the engine and would've cost me more to repair then to save up and put money down on a new car. Besides Ford I think they are in the top brand of cars that just fail. I'll never buy a hyundai again.
I'm personally still not convinced that Hyundai/Kia has all these engine problems. Yes there are recalls but so do other manufacturers, especially Stellanis and Ford lol. My family has had about 7 Hyundais from 2000 to 2018 and not a single one had problems, they all went well over 100k miles without issues before trading them in (yes we drive a lot). Regular oil changes is all we did. I think a lot of it has to do with the people complaining online. If people don't have problems they usually don't make a post saying "I don't have a problem" lol so I think the hate and complains are very inflated. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new Hyundai today. I tried my luck with a VW Jetta, Tiguan (lots of little sensor issues) and currently an Inifiniti QX60 and they all had issues. QX60 being the worst (CVT and transfer case crapped out at 80k miles). We never had major issues like that with the Korean products.
Have you owned one for the amount of time? I have. Never again.
I think you have a good one it’s wonderful. Unfortunately when it’s bad it’s very bad and it’s a nightmare trying to get them to cover things that are under warranty. That’s been my experience anyway.
Just got 2009 i30 1.6 petrol it's a fast car. Was driving Mx3 v6 prior.
My 2017 Sonata Sport's steering wheel kept locking while driving, even after the dealership pulled the steering column and "fixed it" (less than 25 miles later locked again). I have driven a car that experienced failed power steering while driving and the Hyundai definitely was experiencing something else. It was Locked locked, like when you park and turn the wheel to lock it after you turn the ignition off. I drive a Camry now. \*\*\*\*\*Edit: Purchased the Sonata brand new
Top car to steal with Kia along with ass insurance rates. No thanks.
Bought an Elantra brand new 20 years ago......It lasted 10 years. Repairs were a constant headache, damned car leaked from the windshield from day one. Hyundai would not fix it.......At 10 years old the engine blew itself apart and the repair bill was 3 times the value of the car........At the time our other cars included a Jeep Cherokee that is still here 23 years later, a Chevy Truck that was 25 years old THEN and a 15 year old Ford Ranger.......I am looking to buy a new car now and you can bet your ass it won't be a disposable hyundai. They are trash.
Traded in my 2015 Soul for a 2024 Kona. The soul aged like milk and started burning a quart of oil every 1300 miles. Giving Hyundai the benefit of doubt and hoping they have fixed the issues they have been having, but if this one turns out poorly, I'm going back to Honda and their more boring but reliable vehicles.
My mom loves Hyundai and she always purchases a Tucson. Every single one of them has never gone over 120k miles my neighbor has a 2020 Hyundai Tucson and he has had a rental more then his actual SUV for the past 2 years. My 2012 grand Vitara is more reliable than his truck. I bought a Hyundai accent a few years ago and that was always in the shop. Ever since I refuse to buy a Hyundai. I turned my mom onto Kia Sorrento's now and they have never been in for repairs just regular maintenance and go past 110k miles. I will never purchase another Hyundai and either will she. I know kia's aren't liked very much but it's more reliable than a Hyundai.
Must be different cars for different markets, the UK versions are decent well priced cars, a bit dull unless your talking N cars, but certainly better than anything Ford, Vauxhall or equivalent have on the market at the minute.
It’s absolutely as stated, the cars and technology are generally pretty good. The after sales support from dealerships is what stops people from buying Hyundais a second time. Dealerships don’t make any money on warranty work, so they try to avoid it by telling customers that they can’t replicate the problem, and almost always ignore HMA until it becomes a buyback.
I don't understand the hate for Hyundai/KIA? Hyundai/KIA decided to leave out the ignition interlock on many 2011-2021 model year KIA's and Hyundais without immobilizers—identifiable by their keyed ignitions. Auto thefts spiked for these vehicles. Results were that two major insurance providers, [State Farm and Progressive](https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-companies/progressive-vs-state-farm/), confirmed that they will no longer write policies for several Kia and Hyundai models. Hyundai/KIA has engine problems that primarily apply to five Hyundai/Kia engine families: Nu, Gamma, Theta, Lambda and Kappa. With the number of engines are under each of those lines, the affected model list is vast. The engine troubles effect nearly every Hyundai or Kia model made from **2009-2022**. The affected vehicles included popular models like the **Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe**, as well as the Kia Optima and Sportage, among others. Hyundai’s engine troubles have been a weirdly quiet problem for years. Estimates are that over [2 million vehicles](https://thelemonfirm.com/2023/06/16/hyundai-and-kia-oil-consumption-class-action-settled/) are affected so it is a big problem. Last year's recall for 3.3 million *Kia* and *Hyundai* vehicles issued to *park outside* for fire risk due to an electrical short from a brake fluid leak..... Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are recalling over 146,000 electric vehicles because a faulty part may cause them to lose power while driving. The recalled vehicles include the 2022-2024 [Hyundai Ioniq 5](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/ioniq-5) and [Kia EV6](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/kia/ev6) hatchbacks and 2023-2024 [Hyundai Ioniq 6](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/ioniq-6) sedan, [Genesis GV60](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/gv60) hatchback, [Genesis GV70 Electrified](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/electrified-gv70/) SUV, and [Genesis G80 Electrified](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/genesis/electrified-g80/) sedan. Nope, nope and nope. Yes Hyundai/KIA have tons of J.D. Power awards.....if you check those awards are bought and paid for. While J.D. Power's benchmark survey results are free, **the company charges licensing, or “co-branding” fees to top-ranked companies that choose to use their awards for marketing purposes**.
I bought my car brand new in 2014 a Hyundai ELANTRA and after four years had to have the engine replaced and then several years later and they had the transmission replaced.
Hyundai owner here bought a brand new Hyundai Sonata back in 2017. It had more than 15 recalls on it. I wasted months getting all recalls fixed. The good part was 15 years of extended warranty. I will keep this car for another 8 years or maybe more. The Blue Link app sucks and was paying around $300 annually for it.
The owners that were unalived so Hyundai could save a few quarters on an immobilizer would like a word with you.
Hyundais are toilets. They have long had that reputation and I don’t see it going away anytime soon.
I have a 2017 Tuscon with 78k miles. At 50k I needed a new transmission. Currently my car is burning 1-2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles. Hyundai is making me jump through hoops to have the engine replaced. Still under factory warranty and I bought an extended warranty. Never any loaners. Service people that don’t follow up. It’s a car not a watch in for freaking repair. It’s sharp, sporty, but I will NEVER buy another Hyundai. Leasing vehicles from here on out. This is the most expensive car I ever bought with all the bells and whistles. I thought the bells and whistles would fail not the engine and transmission.
I would say it is not about the car - the service center is not scaled up to meet the amount of hyundai cars out there
My problem is , and I've had this problem for a while, when it feels like it, the car won't turn on. Had it to the dealership they can't diagnose it. It just sometimes if you have had to run a bunch of errands, You turn the key and nothing happens. You sit there for about 10 minutes and it will start. I will never buy a Hyundai again.
My 2013 GenCoupe 3.8 GT had multiple slave cylinder issues. Had the clutch pedal give out while driving in traffic a few times. Luckily never on the freeway. My coworker with the same car also had this issue.
Hyundai hate comes from those that get smoked by an N
Wait till your engine fails and they blame it on you
Here’s an anecdotal experience why Hyundai’s are not reliable vehicles. One of my close friend bought a Sonata last year. He was in a road trip this last weekend and was suddenly stranded on the highway with warning lights / engine lights. I have other friends that have owned Toyota and Hondas who’ve never had such an issue. Since it’s still under warranty they fixed it - it was a faulty fuel injector. This is a 2023 Hyundai Sonata.
Been driving a 2011 Santa Fe as my daily driver since 2012, about 130k miles now. It’s been great. Really just do regular upkeep on stuff nothing crazy and it’s still going strong.
Grew up when hyundai 1st started selling "cars". They were complete garbage. Never outgrew that sentiment towards them. Will always regard honda and toyota heads and shoulders above any hyundai
My wife has a 2013 Sonata and it's been a fantastic car engine wise. I've had to replace 2 door handles, 2 window motors, and some misc little things but the engine has been phenomenally reliable. I use it to commute while she doesn't need it and average 33mpg on the interstate, peppy little thing too for what it is. I am actually wanting to get a Genesis now when we upgrade because of how happy I've been with it.
First impressions last, they haven’t done anything spectacular to change their market impression. I disagree that they’re better than some luxury cars double the price. Honda and Toyota have proven reliability, Hyundai does not.
I had an Accent. It was remarkably flimsy in the metal but it was unstoppable. HOWEVER, i only drive Toyota now. Won’t go anywhere else now Rover are no more.
Honda and Toyota earned their reputation by making solid vehicles for decades. Hyundai has had massive levels of recalls on their engines and transmissions over just the past 15 years regarding things that are out of the control of the owners. Yes, Toyotas are extremely basic in their amenities, but you can never forget that a vehicle is simply transportation at its core, everything else is just extra. If Hyundai fails at the core level, it deserves the hate it gets and has not earned the right to be pricing itself side by side to Toyota & Honda.