1991 Hyundai Excel

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

73/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA about the 1991 Hyundai Excel, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Power train	10	23%
Electrical system	8	18%
Visibility	5	11%
Service brakes	3	7%
Structure	3	7%
Seat belts	3	7%
Unknown or other	2	5%
Latches/locks/linkages	2	5%
Fuel system	2	5%
Engine and engine cooling	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

CAR BEGAN TO ONLY DO 20 MILES PER HOUR AFTER STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. DROVE FIN ON ROAD. THAN BEGAN TO DRIVE SLOWLY AFTER TWO WEEKS. HAD TRANSMISSION FLIUD CHANGE AND DROVE GREAT FOR A WEEK THEN FAILED.
NHTSA complaint: Power train

TRANSFER SHAFT BEARING BROKE, KNOCKING A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE, CAUSING FLUIDS TO LEAK FROM TRANSMISSION, CAUSING COMPLETE LOCK UP AND DESTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION AND CASE. MY CAR WAS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD 50,
NHTSA complaint: Power train

CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION CASE CRACKED, DUE TO DRIVING OVER A DIP IN THE DRIVEWAY, (CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS VEHICLE)*JB
NHTSA complaint: Power train

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE WINDOWS(PASSENGER AND DRIVER) IN THE REAR EXPLODED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 2 OTHER OCCASIONS. THE WINDOWS WERE REPLACED BY OWNER ALL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROLBEM. *
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS NEVER GONE OFF SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AND THE CAR CUTS OFF. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD/COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS NOTICED THE PROBLEM, THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED DUE TO A SLIPPED PIN. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

HATCH LIFT ASSIST BARS FAILED, CAUSING HATCH TO FALL ON PERSON'S HEAD.
NHTSA complaint: Structure

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60MPH AND THE HOOD RELEASED. PULLED OVER TO CLOSE HOOD, AND THEN NOTICED THE U-SHAPED METAL CLIP DETACHED FROM THE HOOD. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1991 Hyundai Excel. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Fuel system 93V192000

THE VEHICLES FAILED THE LATERAL MOVING BARRIER IMPACT TEST REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THE FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE GAS TANK EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AMOUNT OF SPILLAGE.

Risk: IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE FUEL SPILLAGE CAN RESULTIN A FIRE IF EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Fix: HYUNDAI HAS DEVELOPED AN APPROPRIATE COUNTERMEASURE THAT WILL COMPLY WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 301.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	86	excellent
Longevity est.	81	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	39	below average
Efficiency	47	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 50% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 69% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 31% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 86: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 81: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1991 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1991 Hyundai Excel?

Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 10 of them (23%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1991 Hyundai Excel reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1991 Hyundai Excel last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1991 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1991 Hyundai Excel?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.