Hyundai/Kia Reliable?

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I would not go ahead and state better reliability however competitive with the other brands and similar with unique flaws on occasion.
 
My Elantra is still new to me, so I won't speak for long-term reliability, but it's been one of the best cars I've owned so far, and I'm an anti-4 banger, pro-reliability domestic V8 guy (4.6L Vic/Mustangs, Chevy LS motors, etc.).

Consistently 30+ mpg with quite a bit of idling. Highest short trip mpg was 51, no long trips yet. What really makes me love it is the simplicity under the hood. New models will be different, but mine's the most old school tech you can find in a 2016 model (in a good way). It's the 1.8L... No CVT. No DI. No forced induction/turbo. No cylinder deactivation (looking at you GM
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). No special fluids (it literally tells you to use ANY coolant). I couldn't avoid VVT or electric steering for 2016, but that's literally all of the 'new tech' I don't like. I'm the guy that says "That thing? That's one more thing that can break and will cost me money!" The only extra "things" are a backup camera and a small touchscreen radio.

Filling the tank from empty using , which isn't super often either.
 
Well 11% of you may have a new engine at some point, I did with a 2013 Elantra GT at 14,000 miles. That was not even in the motor class they are talking about, and it has many that Hyundai just fixed to keep of the USA government watch list. Many motors after the one mentioned have "fallen" too. I own a 2018 Hyundai and bought it following and knowing Hyindai's issue with badly designed motors as a whole. Once you dig deep there is a whole world of dead Hyundai motor issues that are out there. They have a mysterious boundary layer oil issue that they have not figured out yet. If you buy a Honda or a Toyota car you could almost stake your life on never needing a rebuild, A Hyundai is adding a game of Russian Roulette to your life.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...in-recall-probe-chosun-biz-idUSKCN1Q9071
 
Go with the 3.3L V6 for the Sorento. Parents have a '16 Sorento with that motor and it has good power and is really good on gas. We get 32 MPG on long road trips and around 18-20 MPG on really short city trips. That motor has also been proven reliable as well with no issues that I've heard from other owners. I would avoid any of their 4 cyinder engines until they come out with a new series engine as they're too problematic in my opinion.
 
Thanks for all of the comments and links. I will be looking closer at the 2019 Santa Fe 2.4, don't want or need a 2.0 Turbo. I actually test drove both engines in an Ultimate package and was very impressed with almost everything, including the price.

Was a bit surprised by the information linked by macarose to the dashboard-light charts. Everywhere else Hyundai ranked much higher, including on True Delta
 
I got 300K miles out of my Santa Fe. I was quite happy with it. All original transmission and engine. Just replaced wearable parts like alternator, battery, brakes, 02 sensors, tires etc.

My mom had a Kia spectra and she put a pile of miles on it and then sold it and the teenager that bought it (family friend) put 100K on it before rolling it. Super reliable.

My cousin has a first generation type Veloster TGDI and although it had valve gunking issues in that early design with regular maintenance it has been fine since and it has lots of miles on the clock now.

They had some 4 cylinder engine failures but that was due to defects in manufacturing not poor design or anything like that and they are getting replaced.
 
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Don't look to anecdotal evidence. Find the actual reliability data online. Plus , It's just dumb luck for YOUR car given all the parts and sub systems on cars that can fail.

Case in point: My sister in law is having the engine replaced (under warranty) on her relatively new Kia Sportage. They gave her a loaner - which she's had for over a month - but no engine yet.
 
Originally Posted by ls973800
Thanks for all of the comments and links. I will be looking closer at the 2019 Santa Fe 2.4, don't want or need a 2.0 Turbo. I actually test drove both engines in an Ultimate package and was very impressed with almost everything, including the price.

Was a bit surprised by the information linked by macarose to the dashboard-light charts. Everywhere else Hyundai ranked much higher, including on True Delta



My wife's aunt lives next door and she traded in her 2002 Honda Odyssey for a 2019 Santa Fe 2.4. I wholeheartedly agree, the 2.4 is plenty. Beautiful vehicle.
 
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Originally Posted by Char Baby
Yes, Hyundai/KIA are very reliable. And these brands have evolved extremely fast even compared to the Japanese brands when they too were in their hayday. It isn't that you can't have an issue with vehicles but, Hyun/KIA are among the better brands today often surpassing Honda & Toyota in some categories.


Originally Posted by Vuflanovsky

My 2013 Accent commuter is the exact opposite of that car with no problems of any kind. I would view that as pretty representative of the transformation of Hyundai ( especially in the last 10 years ). The vast majority of owners seem to have a good experience.


My 2017 Kia Rio (61k miles) reflects the above.
 
But what about the direct-injection issues that are sure to crop up sooner or later — low-speed pre-ignition, engine-oil dilution, intake-valve horror stories and whatever else that might crop up.

Honda uses port injection in its larger engine and Toyota uses both.

If the next car you buy will be your last, I'd think twice about Hyundai/Kia.

And there's this:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hyundai-motor-raid-idUSKCN1Q9071
 
Originally Posted by Uphill_Both_Ways
But what about the direct-injection issues that are sure to crop up sooner or later — low-speed pre-ignition, engine-oil dilution, intake-valve horror stories and whatever else that might crop up.

Honda uses port injection in its larger engine and Toyota uses both.

If the next car you buy will be your last, I'd think twice about Hyundai/Kia.

And there's this:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hyundai-motor-raid-idUSKCN1Q9071



Perhaps some have forgotten about GM and their ignition switch fiasco which resulted in deaths, not just inconvenience of engine failure.

What about Honda and the growing oil dilution problems with the new generation 1.5 turbo CR-V (and now reports of it in other models) They just released a TSB last week regarding cam wear, yet for the past year or more they had denied anything was wrong, that the car was operating as normal. We were set on a CR-V two years ago when I had leased a different brand because Honda lease options were very expensive. Now the CR-V is completely off the table because of this defect and the way Honda has handled the situation.

Kia/Hyundai have a 10 year 100000 mile powertrain warranty so I'm not too concerned about that.
 
Originally Posted by ls973800
Perhaps some have forgotten about GM and their ignition switch fiasco which resulted in deaths, not just inconvenience of engine failure.
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? The OP's considering a DI Hyundai, not an orphaned rolling crematorium and dollar-black-hole Cruze. (Anyway, It took 10 minutes to get plugs in my fob.)
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What about Honda and the growing oil dilution problems with the new generation 1.5 turbo CR-V (And now reports of it in other models) . . . .
Read my post again.
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Kia/Hyundai have a 10 year 100000 mile powertrain warranty so I'm not too concerned about that.
From what I've read, carbon-layered intake valves are not covered, it being declared from on high as "normal." But maybe that's in Canada.

In either case, I'd have a lawyer read over any long-term car warranty, especially one by a manufacturer touting 100,000-mile coverage.
 
Honda's V6 is DI, not PI.


Originally Posted by Uphill_Both_Ways
Honda uses port injection in its larger engine...


I've heard of no IVD/LSPI issues with their V6... nor have i read of any with the Hyundai/Kia V6.
 
I owned a 2007 Hyundai Elantra over the course of 5 years and 117,000 miles. The car was pretty boring but fantastic in terms of reliability. I only had one warranty claim for a clunking from the front right of the vehicle over bumps early in it's life. It was a worn out sway bar link.

Other than that, I just followed the maintenance in the manual to a T and it treated me great. I used the dealer for all maintenance besides oil changes (DIY) as their rates were really reasonable. No unscheduled repairs.

All in all a great ownership experience, it never skipped a beat and I'd definitely buy a Hyundai again. I only got rid of it after purchasing a house and needing a bigger vehicle to haul stuff.
 
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