2007 Hyundai Tiburon

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

72/100

Worth a look

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

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 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	16	38%
Air bags	11	26%
Unknown or other	2	5%
Tires	2	5%
Suspension	1	2%
Air bags	1	2%
Power train	1	2%
Steering	1	2%
Structure	1	2%
Fuel/propulsion system	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

While driving over speed bump, rear subframe broke due to rust and corrosion causing unstable steering and control.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension

This vehicle was in a hit-and-run accident on the highway. It hit the wall going 65mph and the airbags did not deploy causing me to have a spinal injury, bruised ribs, a cracked sternum, a concussion, and a fractured met
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

CLUTCH WENT OUT, I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND THE CLUTCH WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR THEN JUST WENT OUT. THIS IS NOT DUE TO DRIVER . I WAS DRIVING LUCKILY AT 30MPH WHEN IT WAS LIKE IT HAD NO GEAR SHIFT AT ALL HAD TO PUSH
NHTSA complaint: Power train

HARMONIC BALANCER SHEDDED CAUSING THE CAMSHAFT TO BREAK STALLING OUT WHILE TRYING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY RAMP.THE CAR JUST STOPPED WHILE PARTIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAMP TO ENTER CAUSING A CLOSE CALL FROM BEHIND.A CAR WAS S
NHTSA complaint: Power train

I'VE A 2007 HYUNDAU TIBURON SE,6SPEED MANUAL WITH 43,XXX MILES ON IT. I PURCHASED 12/2014 WITH 5,500 MILES ON IT ,WAS TOLD BY BOB KING MECHANICS, THAT THE CLUCH SYSTEM WAS REPLACED BEFORE I PAID 14,000 FOR (MAJOR FACTOR
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2007 HYUNDIA TIBURON, ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR LOST ALL IT'S STEARING CAPABILITY, HE HIT A SPEED LIMIT SIGN VERED OFF THE ROAD AND WENT ABOUT 50 FEET INTO THE WOODS, THE AIRBAGS
NHTSA complaint: Steering

I WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FROM THE BACK WHEEL TO THE FRONT BUMPER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY....
NHTSA complaint: Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI TIBURON. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT INTO A PARKING LOT, ANOTHER VEHICLE SIDESWIPED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS F
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2007 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	82	excellent
Longevity est.	80	excellent
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 38% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 63% 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 82: 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 80: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2007 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 2007 Hyundai Tiburon?

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 16 of them (38%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2007 Hyundai Tiburon reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (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 2007 Hyundai Tiburon last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2007 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2007 Hyundai Tiburon?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. 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.