Hyundai Years to Avoid by Model
Hyundai years to avoid: the 2011 Sonata (3,368 complaints), 2016 Tucson (1,611 complaints), 2013 Elantra (1,324 complaints) and 2017 Santa Fe (937 complaints) lead the list. All 9 Hyundai models we track have at least one avoid-rated year; the cleanest records include the 2019 Sonata and 2009 Tucson. Based on 31,939 NHTSA owner complaints, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
Hyundai years to avoid, model by model
| Model | Years to avoid | Best years | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Sonata | 2011201220132014201520162017 | 2019 | 12,410 (2008–2025) |
| Hyundai Tucson | 2016201720182019202220232025 | 200820092010 | 5,688 (2008–2025) |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 2008201320142017202220232024 | — | 5,497 (2008–2025) |
| Hyundai Elantra | 201020112012201320172020 | — | 6,323 (2008–2025) |
| Hyundai Sonata Hybrid | 20122016 | 2022 | 734 (2011–2025) |
| Hyundai Veloster | 2012201320152016 | 20172020 | 1,287 (2012–2025) |
| Hyundai Palisade | 202020212022 | 20242025 | 0 (2020–2026) |
| Hyundai Kona | 201820192020 | 20242025 | 0 (2018–2026) |
| Hyundai Venue | 202020212022 | 20242025 | 0 (2020–2026) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history (see the methodology); counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The worst year for each Hyundai model
2011 Hyundai Sonata: 3,368 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 · Full Sonata breakdown →
2016 Hyundai Tucson: 1,611 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025 · Full Tucson breakdown →
2013 Hyundai Elantra: 1,324 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020 · Full Elantra breakdown →
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe: 937 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023 and 2024 · Full Santa Fe breakdown →
2013 Hyundai Veloster: 419 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 · Full Veloster breakdown →
2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: 153 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012 and 2016 · Full Sonata Hybrid breakdown →
2020 Hyundai Palisade: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2020, 2021 and 2022 · Full Palisade breakdown →
2018 Hyundai Kona: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2018, 2019 and 2020 · Full Kona breakdown →
2020 Hyundai Venue: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2020, 2021 and 2022 · Full Venue breakdown →
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Frequently asked questions
What Hyundai years should you avoid?
By model: Sonata 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; Tucson 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025; Santa Fe 2008, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023 and 2024; Elantra 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020; Sonata Hybrid 2012 and 2016; Veloster 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016; Palisade 2020, 2021 and 2022; Kona 2018, 2019 and 2020; Venue 2020, 2021 and 2022. Each verdict matches that model's own years-to-avoid page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
What are the best Hyundai years to buy?
The cleanest federal records by model: Sonata 2019; Tucson 2008, 2009 and 2010; Sonata Hybrid 2022; Veloster 2017 and 2020; Palisade 2024 and 2025; Kona 2024 and 2025; Venue 2024 and 2025.
Which Hyundai model has the most years to avoid?
The Hyundai Sonata, with 7 avoid-rated model years (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) across 18 years on record (2008–2025).
How are Hyundai years to avoid rated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road, compared with the rest of that model's own history and adjusted for recalls. Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
Where does the Hyundai data come from?
Federal records: 31,939 NHTSA owner complaints across 9 Hyundai models, plus NHTSA recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.