Hyundai trims, problems, warranty and engines
By CarWhere Research · Updated
CarWhere’s Hyundai hub collects free research for Hyundai shoppers and owners: 142 trim levels with dated Hyundai MSRPs across 11 models, 107 known issues and NHTSA recalls, the Theta II engine settlement, the anti-theft software update, the 10-year/100,000-mile warranty and 10 model guides. Every page lists its sources.
Hyundai sells sedans, SUVs, a compact pickup and battery-electric Ioniq models, and the same nameplate can differ a lot by engine and trim. These pages explain what each trim and generation offers, what has been recalled, which engines were covered by the engine settlement, what buyers actually paid, and what to check on a specific vehicle before you buy it.
Hyundai trim levels
Current and previous-generation trims with dated MSRPs.
Buying a used Hyundai
What goes wrong, which years drew complaints, and how values hold up.
Hyundai warranty, engine settlement and theft fix
Facts from Hyundai, NHTSA and the official settlement documents.
Hyundai and Kia engines
Theta II, Nu, Gamma, Smartstream, 2.5T, Lambda V6 and the E-GMP EV platform.
Hyundai model guides
Price history, engines, generations and problems — including discontinued models bought used.
Hyundai prices: what buyers paid
Transaction prices, dealer invoice, incentives and lease rates.
Compare and tow
Head-to-head comparisons and towing capacity.
Decode a Hyundai
Start from the VIN or the factory build record.
Hyundai history
From the 1986 Excel to the N performance cars and the Ioniq EVs.
Hyundai research by model
Know exactly how your Hyundai was built at the factory.
See what a specific Hyundai VIN was factory-built with. The CarWhere Hyundai build sheet reconstructs factory colors, options and packages from licensed VIN-level build data — availability is checked free, and it is $9.99 only when detailed build data is found for that VIN.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Hyundai 10-year/100,000-mile warranty cover?
Every new Hyundai comes with a 5-year/60,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. The 10-year powertrain term applies only to the original owner. Second and later owners have powertrain coverage under the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. Hybrid and EV batteries are covered for 10 years/100,000 miles for all owners.
What was the Hyundai engine settlement?
Hyundai has two engine class settlements in federal court in California. The Theta II settlement gives eligible 2011–2019 Sonata, Santa Fe Sport and Tucson owners a lifetime short-block warranty once the free KSDS software is installed. The later Engine II settlement extends coverage to 15 years/150,000 miles for other Theta II MPI, Nu and Gamma engines.
Which Hyundai models need the anti-theft software update?
Hyundai offers a free anti-theft software upgrade for nearly 4 million 2011–2022 vehicles with turn-key ignitions and no engine immobilizer. Once installed, locking the doors with the key fob sets the factory alarm and turns on an ignition kill. Cars that cannot take the upgrade qualify for free steering-wheel locks or reimbursement for anti-theft devices.
Who makes Hyundai cars?
Hyundai cars are made by Hyundai Motor Company, founded in South Korea in 1967 and part of Hyundai Motor Group, which also includes Kia and Genesis. Hyundai Motor America was set up in 1985 and began selling the Excel in the US in 1986. Hyundai has built cars in Alabama since 2005 and EVs in Georgia since 2024.
Is Genesis part of Hyundai?
Yes. Genesis is the luxury brand of Hyundai Motor Group; the Genesis sedan and the Equus were sold as Hyundais in the US before Genesis became a separate brand. CarWhere covers current Genesis models in its own Genesis hub.
How do I check a Hyundai for recalls?
Enter the 17-character VIN on NHTSA’s recall lookup or ask a Hyundai dealer to run it. Recall repairs are free. CarWhere’s known-issues pages list recall campaign numbers by model and generation.
Sources
Each linked page lists its own detailed sources. The hub's figures come from these datasets and references.
- CarWhere Hyundai model guides (10 models) — CarWhere
- CarWhere Hyundai trim-levels dataset (142 trims) — CarWhere
- CarWhere Hyundai known-issues dataset (107 issues) — CarWhere
- Hyundai Motor America newsroom — pricing, specifications and model-year changes — Hyundai Motor America
- EPA fuel economy data — U.S. Department of Energy / EPA (fueleconomy.gov)
- Recalls Data (NHTSA recall campaigns) — U.S. Department of Transportation open data
Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Motor Company or Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai and the model names are trademarks of their owners.