Hyundai Accent Best and Worst Years (2010–2022)
Avoid the 2012-2015 Hyundai Accent, which carry Complaint Indexes of 92, 100, 83 and 75 with elevated engine, brake and airbag complaints. The 2018, 2020 and 2021 model years score lowest (0, 17 and 8) and are the best picks.
Avoid 2012Avoid 2013Avoid 2014Avoid 2015Best 2018Best 2020Best 2021
- Model years
- 13
- 2010–2022
- NHTSA complaints
- 829
- Recall campaigns
- 10
- Crashes reported
- 77
- Fires reported
- 51
- Top problem area
- Engine
Accent Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Hyundai Accent problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Caution | 50 | 86 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Brakes | 30 | — |
| 2011 | Good | 33 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Engine | 30 | — |
| 2012 | Avoid | 92 | 153 | 13 | 8 | 2 | Engine | 31.5 | 4★ |
| 2013 | Avoid | 100 | 141 | 16 | 9 | 1 | Brakes | 31.5 | 4★ |
| 2014 | Avoid | 83 | 79 | 12 | 9 | 1 | Brakes | 30.5 | 4★ |
| 2015 | Avoid | 75 | 70 | 7 | 11 | 2 | Airbags | 30.5 | 4★ |
| 2016 | Caution | 67 | 100 | 7 | 3 | 0 | Engine | 30.5 | 4★ |
| 2017 | Caution | 58 | 68 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Engine | 30.5 | 4★ |
| 2018 | Best | 0 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | Engine | 31.5 | — |
| 2019 | Good | 25 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Engine | 31.5 | — |
| 2020 | Best | 17 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Engine | 34.5 | 4★ |
| 2021 | Best | 8 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 4 | Seat Belts | 34.5 | 4★ |
| 2022 | Good | 42 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Electrical System | 36 | 4★ |
Accent years to avoid: what went wrong
2013 Hyundai Accent Index 100 · 141 complaints · 1 recalls
The 2013 Accent has the highest Complaint Index of any year, 100, built on 141 complaints. Brakes account for 32% of complaints at a median 47,500 miles, with engine problems close behind at 29%. NHTSA recorded 16 crashes, 9 fires and 23 injuries for this year. Owners report airbags failing to deploy in head-on and rollover crashes, and one case of the gas pedal sticking to the floor while parking. A brake-related recall covering 2011-2015 Accents applies to this year.
2013 brakes problems →2013 engine problems →2013 electrical system problems →
2012 Hyundai Accent Index 92 · 153 complaints · 2 recalls
The 2012 Accent has a Complaint Index of 92, second-highest of any year, with 153 complaints. Engine problems make up 35% of that year's complaints at a median 82,300 miles, and brakes follow at 27% with median failure around 68,265 miles. NHTSA logged 13 crashes, 8 fires and 1 death tied to this year. Owners describe engine fires occurring with no prior warning and cases where airbags failed to deploy in moderate-speed crashes. Two recalls apply, including a brake-related campaign advising owners to park outside.
2012 engine problems →2012 brakes problems →2012 electrical system problems →
2014 Hyundai Accent Index 83 · 79 complaints · 1 recalls
The 2014 Accent has a Complaint Index of 83 from 79 complaints. Brakes lead the problem areas at 34% with a median failure mileage of 47,501, while engine issues follow at 24% with a much higher median of 88,900 miles. NHTSA logged 12 crashes and 9 fires for this year. Owners describe airbags not deploying during icy-road crashes and rollovers, plus a tire blowout that led to loss of control. The same brake-related recall spanning 2011-2015 Accents applies here.
2015 Hyundai Accent Index 75 · 70 complaints · 2 recalls
The 2015 Accent carries a Complaint Index of 75 from 70 complaints, with airbags as the top problem area at 37% and a median failure mileage of 66,794.5. Engine complaints follow at 30%, median 78,000 miles. NHTSA recorded 7 crashes and 11 fires for this year. Owners report airbags not deploying in crashes at highway speed and electrical malfunctions in door windows leading to fires. This year has two recalls, including an airbag occupant-detection software fix specific to 2015 models.
2015 airbags problems →2015 engine problems →2015 brakes problems →
Most common Hyundai Accent problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group. A complaint naming two components counts once in each.
- Engine268 (32%)
- Brakes179 (22%)
- Electrical System149 (18%)
- Airbags144 (17%)
- Other104 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires74 (9%)
- Structure & Body53 (6%)
- Steering52 (6%)
- Fuel System38 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain28 (3%)
Frequently asked questions
- What years of the Hyundai Accent should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Accent are the years to avoid, with Complaint Indexes of 92, 100, 83 and 75 respectively, the highest of all 13 model years covered.
- Which Hyundai Accent model years are the best?
- The 2018, 2020 and 2021 Accent score lowest on the Complaint Index (0, 17 and 8) and carry the Best verdict, relative to other Accent years.
- What is the most common problem with the Hyundai Accent?
- Across all years, Engine complaints are the largest category at 268 complaints (32% of the total), followed by Brakes at 179 complaints (22%) and Electrical System at 149 complaints (18%).
- Does the Hyundai Accent have any recalls related to fire risk?
- Yes. A brake-related recall (campaign 23V651000) covering 2011-2015 Accents advises owners to park outside and away from structures until repaired, reflecting fire-risk concerns during those years.
- Is the 2013 Hyundai Accent reliable?
- The 2013 Accent has the highest Complaint Index of any year in this dataset, 100, with 141 complaints including 16 crashes and 9 fires, making it one of the years to avoid relative to other Accent years.