Years ago, their cars were laughable. Now their flagship SUVs are praised by diverse reviewers such as Car & Driver Magazine and the Motorweek Illustrated TV series. So, I'd like to hear your experiences with Hyundai and Kia vehicles and dealer service departments. I'm specifically interested in the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. Possibly even the one-size smaller models.
Hyundai and Kia
- Thread starter mbres2000
- Start date
tale of two different Hyundai dealers:
--My Hyundai dealer (McCarthy) has been good. Repairs done timely. No issues. Own the 2014 Santa Fe with three seats, similar to the Palisade. I will consider them when I need to purchase another vehicle of similar type.
--BIL outside Fort Worth metro has had less than good experiences with his dealer. He owns a 2015 Sonata Hybrid. Had issues with parts availability and timeliness in getting repairs done when needed. Doubtful he will purchase another Hyundai. He lived previously in Lake Jackson and experienced good dealership experiences with the Chrysler/Dodge brand.
As you can see, each individual experience at different dealers makes it difficult to predict how the dealerships will be.
--My Hyundai dealer (McCarthy) has been good. Repairs done timely. No issues. Own the 2014 Santa Fe with three seats, similar to the Palisade. I will consider them when I need to purchase another vehicle of similar type.
--BIL outside Fort Worth metro has had less than good experiences with his dealer. He owns a 2015 Sonata Hybrid. Had issues with parts availability and timeliness in getting repairs done when needed. Doubtful he will purchase another Hyundai. He lived previously in Lake Jackson and experienced good dealership experiences with the Chrysler/Dodge brand.
As you can see, each individual experience at different dealers makes it difficult to predict how the dealerships will be.
According to Consumers Reports, the 2022 model is less reliable than the 2020 and 2021 model years in terms of minor engine issues.
Minor engine issues are things like sensors.
Minor engine issues are things like sensors.
Like the typical CR subscriber knows the difference between major and minor engine repairs. Most would call a dead battery a major engine repair. Of course it's major, it wouldn't even start!
Our Santa Fe (2012) is doing really well except for a turn signal module that almost caught fire. (These cars have the strangest problems!) I also had a 2008 KIA Sportage that did okay until the ABS system locked-up the front brake caliper one day and refused to let go. Not even the dealer could understand the problem and suspected a faulty ABS module/system. SInce the car was worth maybe $2k, I didn't want to sink another grand (or more) into fixing it. If i have to do it all over again, I would avoid either brand. They end-up having the weirdest of problems and I really don't understand their latest models. Engine issues and theft problems.
IDK if H/K got their act together with their 4 cylinder engines. The 2.4 was a very good engine until the 2011 models (which may coincide with the addition of GDI...I'm not sure.)...It is alleged to be from manufacturing irregularities at the Alabama plant (failure to properly wash out sharf during assembly?). The 2.0 engines in the Elantra/Seltos/Kona etc.. have had some issues as well.
The 3.3 Hyundai 6 cylinder has been a very good engine as far as I know.
The 3.3 Hyundai 6 cylinder has been a very good engine as far as I know.
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All I am saying is I cannot believe how those two companies have clawed their way to high vehicle sales. I would not buy one but I would not be afraid to buy one either. It seems to me from what I have read their warranties and service are way better than GM, Ford, and the Mopar lines or the old big 3. The title will be in your name and buy what you like.
wemay
Site Donor 2023
Have had great success with our H/K products. We've owned quite a few since 2009. One, a turbo Santa Fe Sport reaching over 240k miles in 11 years with zero problems.
Currently my wife owns a Palisade and she absolutely loves the thing. We've taken it on road trips and it's her daily driver.
The Telluride is a great vehicle and it has no relation to the Thetta II engines that did have problems.
Currently my wife owns a Palisade and she absolutely loves the thing. We've taken it on road trips and it's her daily driver.
The Telluride is a great vehicle and it has no relation to the Thetta II engines that did have problems.
I have owned the following:
2001 Hyundai Accent
2004 Hyundai Elantra
2005 Kia Optima
2016 Hyundai Elantra
2021 Kia Forte
2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
All of them gave us great service and never had any serious issues. A couple of sets of struts, a bearing in the steering wheel assembly, one alternator, a valve cover gasket or two, a window motor, and a windshield wiper motor is all I ever had to repair across all of them with the highest mileage being about 150k on the 2001 Accent and 2004 Elantra.
Most of these occurred at over 100k miles but the couple of the repairs that I did have to go through warranty for were done quickly without question and the dealers were pleasant enough to deal with.
The Forte has been great and I'm quite likely to buy another product from either company in the future.
2001 Hyundai Accent
2004 Hyundai Elantra
2005 Kia Optima
2016 Hyundai Elantra
2021 Kia Forte
2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
All of them gave us great service and never had any serious issues. A couple of sets of struts, a bearing in the steering wheel assembly, one alternator, a valve cover gasket or two, a window motor, and a windshield wiper motor is all I ever had to repair across all of them with the highest mileage being about 150k on the 2001 Accent and 2004 Elantra.
Most of these occurred at over 100k miles but the couple of the repairs that I did have to go through warranty for were done quickly without question and the dealers were pleasant enough to deal with.
The Forte has been great and I'm quite likely to buy another product from either company in the future.
Had a Sonata for a year. Very nice and comfortable car. Texan Hyundai was an excellent dealer. No interaction since but no reason to think they changed. Truthfully though I will never have anything except Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Honda and Toyota from now on as that is what Classic Galveston sells and I will never buy anywhere else again. Good luck.
owning a car entails two transactions, the upfront transaction and the back end transaction; Hyundai/Kias are very appealing up front, its a new car, exclusive warranty, new tech etc etc, but that only half way of a car ownership; where they both fail is usually opening one over the long haul and at the back end transaction, while their competition beats them and offer more at that point, IMO
I'd stay away; just watch it closely, most beaten cars out there are most likely Hyundai/Kia cars
I'd stay away; just watch it closely, most beaten cars out there are most likely Hyundai/Kia cars
2007 SantaFe 180,000 miles. runs great, no oil use transmission shifting good. Installed struts on it a month ago. Was my car and sold it to daughter a couple years ago. Nothing major ever on it. Reliable daily driver. I should have kept it for a spare beater.
Currently driving a 2017 SantaFe Sport as a second car. 71,000 miles. It rides and drives quiet and smooth like a luxury suv.
I had to replace a cam positioning sensor. No other problems. I love this car and intend to drive it until it gives up the ghost.
It has the 2.4 engine which has some bearing problems. The engine is now warranted for life if it blows.
2016 Tucson. Recently traded at about 86K. No repairs needed. Ran like a top. Traded it because of the high trade value for a 2023.
2016 Kia Sorento. Flawless but was totaled around 40K. Very well engineered crumple zone.
Daughter had a smaller Kia suv. cant remember the model. Had to replace a wheel bearing. Otherwise nothing. Got smashed when a tree fell on it at about 110K
My son has had two Elantras. No repairs ever required. Both were totaled at around 70K or so. One he got hit by a drunk.
The other wound up rolled over at low speed and did rather well. He now has a Kia Kona low mileage and is a very solid product.
Good friend has a Palisade and she absolutely loves it. No problems. Has been take cross country a couple times. No flaws yet found.
At any rate, we have spent less money for repairs on all of the above cars than I have spent to keep my F-150 on the road. It is on its 3rd tranny
So we have found them to be a reliable product. I have to say that I recommend them over most other vehicles.
Wishing you good luck on your choices.
Currently driving a 2017 SantaFe Sport as a second car. 71,000 miles. It rides and drives quiet and smooth like a luxury suv.
I had to replace a cam positioning sensor. No other problems. I love this car and intend to drive it until it gives up the ghost.
It has the 2.4 engine which has some bearing problems. The engine is now warranted for life if it blows.
2016 Tucson. Recently traded at about 86K. No repairs needed. Ran like a top. Traded it because of the high trade value for a 2023.
2016 Kia Sorento. Flawless but was totaled around 40K. Very well engineered crumple zone.
Daughter had a smaller Kia suv. cant remember the model. Had to replace a wheel bearing. Otherwise nothing. Got smashed when a tree fell on it at about 110K
My son has had two Elantras. No repairs ever required. Both were totaled at around 70K or so. One he got hit by a drunk.
The other wound up rolled over at low speed and did rather well. He now has a Kia Kona low mileage and is a very solid product.
Good friend has a Palisade and she absolutely loves it. No problems. Has been take cross country a couple times. No flaws yet found.
At any rate, we have spent less money for repairs on all of the above cars than I have spent to keep my F-150 on the road. It is on its 3rd tranny
So we have found them to be a reliable product. I have to say that I recommend them over most other vehicles.
Wishing you good luck on your choices.
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I have an ev6 GT. My dealer experiences have ranged from "how does a company allow you to sell their product!?" to "Wow...this is how CS should be!".
The Telluride is smaller in person than on YouTube.
Kia's EVs are world class. Their gas engines...meh
They made it to where they are due to quality. Ive owned vehicles from pretty much everyone but the Italians and Germans, but have friends with both. Kia's fit and finish and manufacturing is just boring. They're all the same. All the gaps. All the panels. The cars are just very uniform.
Couple that with what you get for your dollar, and if you avoid the problem children (theta2), you have what Toyota used to be...except its fun hell and completley unencumbered by current American lawyerism. My EV will do 160+ and let me turn all the nannies off and slide it around like a Hellcat if I want to, for example. I love the Koreans for that. Mature enough to make world class product...but not stuffy yet.
Only one class of engine with GDI and only certain years. Do your research.
I’ve done plenty of research, thanks.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
I’m a bit of a Hyundai fan. My 2015 Sonata was awesome, wish I kept it. My 2007 Sonata which I currently own so far has been good. Has needed a couple window regulators and door handles but that’s mostly from our heat, plastic breaking. My 2018 Genesis G80 it’s too soon to know, I’ve only had it a couple months. My 2015 Hyundai Genesis, well, it was really needy. But it’s a low volume manufacture car and it’s best to have an extended warranty.
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