2006 Hyundai Tiburon

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

70/100

Worth a look

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

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Tiburon, 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	38	59%
Air bags	4	6%
Unknown or other	3	5%
Tires	3	5%
Electrical system	1	2%
Vehicle speed control	1	2%
Exterior lighting	1	2%
Engine	1	2%
Steering	1	2%
Exterior lighting	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

My clutch is slipping already. Ive owned the car for six months and the previous owner repaced the cluch, and he o ly owned the car for 10 months. My previous standard transmission car went through 1 clutvh in the 15 y
NHTSA complaint: Power train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-65 MPH, THE FOG LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT-OFF. ADDITIONALLY, THE SPEEDOMETER SUDDENLY CHANGED
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

CLUTCH FAILS TO DISENGAGE. THIS IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED IN GEAR(AS WHEN PARKED ON A HILL WITH THE REAR OF THE FRONT WHEELS TURNED TO CURB, AND AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO START VEHICLE BY PUSHING CLUTCH PED
NHTSA complaint: Power train

MY TIBURON WAS FINE A FEW DAYS AGO BUT RECENTLY STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A CO
NHTSA complaint: Power train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI TIBURON. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE MERGED INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE AND CAME TO A STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CON
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

GEARS BECAME HARD TO SHIFT THEN IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT REPLACED WIT NEW CLUTCH AND HAD TO REPLACE AGAIN AT 97000. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Power train

I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE REPAIR RECORDS AND THE CLUTCH HAD BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 12000 MILES AGO AND I CAN PUSH THE CLUTCH IN AND IT IS SLIPPING HORRIBLE, I CAN PUSH THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT WIL
NHTSA complaint: Power train

I'M FROM ARKANSAS CITY KANSAS. I WAS DRIVING IN WICHITA KS ON MY WAY BACK HOME. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 55MPH. WHEN I ENGAGED MY CLUTCHED TO GO INTO THE NEXT GEAR NOTHING HAPPENED. THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO GO INTO GEAR BUT
NHTSA complaint: Power train

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 Hyundai Tiburon. 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.

Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch 13V113000

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburo

Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the trans

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall

The seven scores

Reliability raw	76	good
Longevity est.	77	good
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	45	below average
Efficiency	41	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 24% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 41% 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 76: 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 77: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2006 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 2006 Hyundai Tiburon?

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 38 of them (59%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2006 Hyundai Tiburon reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) 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 2006 Hyundai Tiburon last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. 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.