2011 Hyundai Accent

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

75/100

Worth a look

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

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Hyundai Accent, 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
Air bags	4	11%
Vehicle speed control	4	11%
Electrical system	4	11%
Unknown or other	3	8%
Engine	3	8%
Electrical system	3	8%
Steering	2	5%
Exterior lighting	2	5%
Electrical system	1	3%
Air bags	1	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

The vehicle is subject to Safety Recall 13V-113 (Campaign 131) for problems relating to the brake light switch. The recall repair was attempted in 2016 but the defect has recurred (current symptoms include but is not li
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Upon opening my driver side door the handle came off in my hand. I went to open the rear driver passenger side door and that handle came off in my hand. A repair shop went to open the rear passenger side door that handle
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

My car is experiencing the same issue as the recall on the engines for sonatas and Elantra in my year. My vehicle experienced a stall while in a drive thru the oil light illuminated and ever since then I have a ticking s
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Key ignition locked, key would not turn and steering wheel locked while driving. Previously checked by Auto nation hyundai in Savannah, GA. They could not get it to lock up. Drove a few weeks and it locked up again whi
NHTSA complaint: Steering

The recall issue showed at the inspection center and this vehicle has not been in an incident
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER GETTING HIT IN THE FRONT END. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

MY 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT HAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH IGNITION COIL FAILURE LIKE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE EVERY IGNITION COIL. THE FIRST WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, ALL O
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

AS WITH MANY OTHERS, HAVE ENGINE COILS GOING BAD, WHICH CAN LEAD TO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS IF NOT ADDRESSED QUICKLY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR 18 MONTHS AGO @ 33000 MILES. IT NOW HAS JUST TURNED OVER TO 40000 MILES. FIRST TIME I
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2011 Hyundai Accent. 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 15V566000

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Hyundai Accent vehicles manufactured March 1, 2009, to February 11, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the brake light switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning brake light switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate whe

Risk: Failure to illuminate the brake lights during braking or the inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 1-855-671-3059 or by vis

The seven scores

Reliability raw	73	good
Longevity est.	75	good
Maintenance	87	excellent
Depreciation	100	excellent
Performance	41	below average
Efficiency	53	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 20% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 30% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 73% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 100% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 73: 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 75: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2011 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 87: 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 2011 Hyundai Accent?

Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 4 of them (11%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2011 Hyundai Accent reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 73/100 (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 2011 Hyundai Accent last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2011 Hyundai Accent?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. 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.