Hyundai Veloster Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,287 NHTSA complaints, the Hyundai Veloster years to avoid are 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No year rated caution
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 295 | 169 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 419 | 287 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 84 | 57 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 136 | 103 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 220 | 184 | 1 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 49 | 36 | 0 | BEST |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2019 | 41 | 28 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2020 | 23 | 14 | 1 | BEST |
| 2021 | 11 | 4 | 1 | N/A |
| 2022 | 9 | 1 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Hyundai Veloster. Full methodology.
Common Hyundai Veloster problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Hyundai Veloster are engine, electrical, brakes. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Connecting rod bearing failure
· Hyundai Veloster 2013–2017Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 337 engine complaints across 2013–2017, typically 40,000–164,410 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $8,494–$10,000.
Airbag system malfunction, passenger airbag fault
· Hyundai Veloster 2013Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 97 electrical complaints across 2013, typically 172,000 miles.
ABS brake system malfunction, parts unavailable recall
· Hyundai Veloster 2012–2013Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 54 brakes complaints across 2012–2013, typically 87,700 miles.
Why these years stand out
2012 Hyundai Veloster: 295 owner complaints on federal record, 169 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Veloster.
2013 Hyundai Veloster: 419 owner complaints on federal record, 287 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Veloster.
2015 Hyundai Veloster: 136 owner complaints on federal record, 103 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Veloster.
2016 Hyundai Veloster: 220 owner complaints on federal record, 184 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Veloster.
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FAQ
What years of the Hyundai Veloster should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Hyundai Veloster years to avoid are 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Hyundai Veloster?
The 2017 and 2020 Hyundai Veloster show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Hyundai Veloster verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Hyundai Veloster's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Hyundai Veloster before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Hyundai Veloster reliable?
The Hyundai Veloster's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,287 NHTSA owner complaints, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2017 and 2020 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Hyundai Veloster?
The most-reported problem area for the Hyundai Veloster is engine, followed by electrical and brakes. Confirmed failures include connecting rod bearing failure, airbag system malfunction, passenger airbag fault, abs brake system malfunction, parts unavailable recall. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Hyundai Veloster across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Hyundai Veloster, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.