Finding an affordable, reliable car can be difficult, but finding one that also stands up to daily use and doesn’t break the bank to repair is even more difficult.
Recently, Austin-based auto shop Genuine Automotive and Diesel posted a short video asking mechanics which cars are their least favorite. One mechanic said Hyundais are “because they’re unreliable and we have to break customers’ hearts when they mess up.”
The video sparked a debate in the comment section on whether the 2025 models are reliable. As of Sunday, the post had been watched 100,000 times.
Are Hyundai’s problems old news?
Torque News reports that Hyundai models from 2014-2020 received an overall reliability score of 38/100. “This is due to its history of severe engine problems,” including fire risk-based recalls. According to the automotive news site, over 5 million models are “potentially hazardous.” The site recommends avoiding any model made between 2012-2020 with a 4-cylinder engine.
According to Kelley Blue Book, the automaker’s recalls include 41,000 2016 Hyundai Tucson crossovers due to acceleration issues and 161,074 2015-2016 Hyundai Sonata and Genesis sedans for faulty parking brake lights.
Though consumers are advised to avoid Hyundais in general, the Korean automaker has made huge strides in rehabilitating its reputation. According to Sanger Chevrolet and GMC, this includes a “10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty in the United States.” Additionally, the automaker has “invested heavily in research and development” to create more reliable vehicles.
How do 2025 Hyundais measure up?
A lot of issues that have plagued the automaker for years seem to be a thing of the past. For newer models, Repair Pal gives Hyundai 4 out of 5 reliability rating, or “4th out of 32 for all car brands.” Unscheduled repairs generally occur only 0.3 times a year with a 10% chance of being severe. However, they cost an average of $468 to repair, which is above average compared to other vehicles.
According to Consumer Reports 2025 ranking, Hyundai has risen by two places to 8th place, with an overall road test score of 82. Consumer Reports also notes that many of the new models benefitted from the hybrid drivetrain due to the added “power and smoothness in addition to improving fuel economy.”
Car review site the Drive reports that the upgrades in the 2025 Hyundai Tucson have made the model a standout in its field. The Drive notes that “thanks to Hyundai’s new interior design, snazzy tech and improved ride quality, it’s become the luxury car of the group.” The only issue noted in the review is a lack of power with a traditional 2.5-liter four cylinder engine. However, the review added that the instead of a choppy ride, the 2025 Tucson now delivers a “downright soft and cushiony” driving experience.
Redditors in an r/HyundaiTucson thread also gave the new 2025 model great reviews.
User Ok_Comfort1855 said, “Overall Tucson is great. Cannot beat it in interiors+features…Tucson is just luxurious, putting all Germans behind.”
User RockyToppers agreed, stating that “It’s an absolutely amazing vehicle and I love it.”
User Stock_Requirement564 added, “We bought the same and considered the Sorento as well. People that have them love them. The Sorento is a nice car, the Tucson HEV had more going for it for our use and we didn’t need the 3rd row, So bonus cargo room in the Tuc. Love it so far.”
What do the viewers think?
Some viewers agreed with the mechanic from Genuine Automotive, while others stated that the issue is a lack of care from the owner and not issues with the company.
“Hyundai is partly because people don’t maintain them and go 5-10k on oil changes or none at all. The other part was their theta ii? cranks were machined wrong for a while,” a viewer said. (Theta II is a type of engine.)
“Hyundais are great cars,” one added.
“They absolutely aren’t. They’ve had multiple class action lawsuits against them for their unreliability and one currently pending,” another user argued.
“Yeah the 2023 Sonata has current class actions against them too for defective oil pumps, fuel systems and oil consumption. Why don’t you own something other than a terrible vehicle?” a second added.
@genuineautomotiveatx We asked the mechanics again what their least favorite car is 🤔
♬ original sound – Genuine Automotive
Daily Dot reached out to Genuine Automotive via TikTok comments and Hyundai via email.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.