How Long Do Hyundais Last? What To Know About Lifespan
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There are many reasons why someone asks, How long do Hyundais last? Perhaps you already own a Hyundai and are curious if you’ll need to go car shopping soon. Or, you’re looking at a Hyundai with higher mileage. Regardless of the motive, we’ve researched the answer to this question. We’ll check out what RepairPal, Consumer Reports, and carcomplaints.com say about popular Hyundai models.
What To Know About Vehicle Lifespan
There isn’t a precise formula for determining how long a vehicle will last. What’s better, a three-year-old car with 80,000 miles or a ten-year-old vehicle with 40,000 miles? There’s no correct answer. Can a Hyundai last 200,000 miles? What about 300,000 miles? It’s possible, but there’s more to consider than luck and randomness.
One way to look at things is to research a particular model’s reputation for reliability. The theory is that the less likely a car is to break down, the longer it should last on the road. This also assumes that the vehicle has been well maintained and is free of accident damage.
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How Long Do Hyundais Last? Model Review
RepairPal gives Hyundai an overall reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0; an above-average ranking that puts this brand in fourth place out of the 32 automakers reviewers. And the typical Hyundai makes 0.3 visits to a repair shop each year, and there’s a 10 percent likelihood that the service work will be significant. Let’s see how individual Hyundai models stack up. All references are about cars equipped with standard gas-powered engines; hybrids and electric vehicles are not part of this information.
Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai’s mid-sized Sonata is a popular alternative to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Its RepairPal dependability score (4.0/5.0 and 0.3 repair visits/year) matches almost identically to Hyundai’s overall brand rating. Repair severity is 11 percent.
But while the Sonata appears a good candidate for longevity, you’ll need to pull out the weeds. Specific Sonata model years (mainly 2011-2015) are notorious for seized engine problems. In particular, carcomplaints.com says 2011 is the absolute worst Sonata for this very reason. It’s backed up by Consumer Reports data showing a 1⁄5 or 2⁄5 reliability rating for these years.
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai’s take on the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla is the wallet-friendly Elantra. And it scores better than most other Hyundai models, with an impressive 4.5⁄5.0 reliability rating. Its eighth-place ranking (out of 36 compact cars) means a segment filled with many quality vehicles.
But, you’ll want to steer clear of the 2013 model year for numerous reports of braking issues among Elantra owners. 2012 wasn’t a good year for engine issues, either. For a more recent Elantra with a better chance at a longer life, look at 2016, which Consumer Reports grades a 4⁄5 for dependability. Going further back, 2007-2009 models get a 4⁄5 or 5⁄5 score. How long do Hyundais last? These Elantras may be the ones to focus on.
Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent is Hyundai’s least-expensive and most basic vehicle. Manufacturers tend to use the absolute cheapest components when building barebones economy cars. So keep in mind that this reduces the possibility of finding or keeping an Elantra with high mileage.
A review of multiple car search websites, including CoPilot, reveals less than ten high-mileage (200,000 miles or more) Accent examples per platform (based on a nationwide search). In comparison, a similar quest for high-mileage Sonatas and Elantras showed many more examples. Yes, Hyundai sold more Sonatas and Elantras, but few available, well-driven Accents are still a telling sign.
THE BEST USED SUVS UNDER $10,000
We looked into price, reliability, features, and more to create this list of the best used SUVs under $10k on the market today. Take a look - some of the best used SUVs have gone mostly overlooked or forgotten.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai’s compact/mid-sized (it’s gotten larger over the years) crossover targets the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, and similar vehicles in the highly competitive segment. Turning back to RepairPal, we see the Santa Fe get a 4.0/5.0 reliability rating. Even more impressive than this above-average score is that the Santa Fe ranks as the second-best vehicle (out of 26 mid-sized SUVs).
But no automaker is perfect, as a review of Santa Fe model years shows numerous complaints about 2010-2015 examples. Information from Consumer Reports validates this, too. So, pay attention to more recent model years (2016 gets good grades) or something before 2010.
Hyundai Tucson
The subcompact Tucson is Hyundai’s answer to Subaru Forester and Kia Sportage, among numerous choices in the market. And while it gets a Hyundai-typical 4.0/5.0 dependability score and a fifth out of 26 competing models, it’s essential to explore different model years.
Carcomplaints.com shows a startling number of transmission problems for the 2016 and 2017 model years. The same cars that Consumer Reports (CR) gives a 1⁄5 for reliability (plus the 2018 model year.). But not all is lost; 2019 and newer Tucsons get good grades from CR.
THE BEST USED LUXURY CARS ON THE MARKET
Buying a used or CPO luxury car is one of the smartest buys you can make - you can get a lot of car for not much money. You can pick up a three-year-old luxury car for about half of what you’d pay new. Check out this list of the best used luxury cars on the market to find the best deals.
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai’s “cute-ute” Kona has won high praises for packaging so much into a small form. But, this diminutive crossover has only been on the market since the 2018 model year. As a result, there’s not much information to review. RepairPal isn’t even tracking the car, and carcomplaints.com shows a few dozen reports for the first model year (and problems with the first year of an all-new vehicle are nothing new).
Consumer Reports rankings are all over the place, with the 2018, 2021, and 2022 models scoring the best. When talking about the Kona, it’s too early to ask the “How long do Hyundais last?” question.
Hyundai Veloster
The quirky Veloster appears to be just another compact hatchback coupe, but a close-up look reveals a rear-seat access door behind the front passenger door. So, it’s a three-door car (plus the liftgate in the back). Beginning in 2020, the Veloster became the high-performance Veloster N, which means we’re looking at the 2012-2019 model years.
But, the Veloster has never been a volume seller for Hyundai. Information is limited from Consumer Reports. RepairPal gives the car a 4.0/5.0 overall score but ranks it nineteenth among 36 compact cars. Most of the owner reports from carcomplaints.com center on issues from the Veloster’s first few years (2012-2013). So, hopes for longevity involve a 2014-2019 model.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
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