Hyundai is one of the best-regarded car brands, but that wasn’t always the case. Not long ago, the South Korean automaker had a reputation for making low-quality, unreliable cars. The company has since turned that reputation around and become a popular automaker. And one of its oldest vehicles is now the most reliable Hyundai model.
Of the 10 Hyundai models receiving reliability scores, the worst performer is the Ioniq Hybrid. It has a 5.9 out of 10, which still ranks it in the middle of the pack of hybrids. Then there’s the Elantra GT, with a 7.1. That ranks it 21st among 51 small cars.
After that is the Ioniq PHEV, with a 7.2, making it the most reliable plug-in hybrid sedan. Meanwhile, the Veloster sports car has a 7.5 out of 10, and the Accent and Elantra have a 7.7. Similarly, the Ioniq EV and the Sonata Hybrid earned a 7.9. That makes the Ioniq EV the most reliable small EV and the Sonata Hybrid the third-most reliable hybrid sedan. The regular Sonata sits in second place with a reliability score of 8.1. It’s the eighth-most reliable midsize sedan.
Finally, there’s the Santa Fe. The midsize SUV received an 8.5. That score is in the top three of its segment, making the Santa Fe the most reliable Hyundai model.
Why is the Santa Fe the most reliable
Hyundai model?
The Hyundai Santa Fe’s high reliability isn’t too surprising. The South Korean automaker has been producing this midsize crossover since the 2001 Santa Fe rolled off the assembly line. Since then, the company has redesigned the SUV four times, and it’s currently in its fourth generation.
That lengthy history has allowed the automaker’s engineers and designers to refine the vehicle and fix its issues. That’s a significant reason why the Santa Fe rates well in reliability.
On the other end of the spectrum, Hyundai has several new models. Though many didn’t receive reliability ratings from iSeeCars, the Ioniq’s poor reliability score isn’t a shock.