The Most Reliable Brand Hyundai or Honda

Which Is The Most Reliable Brand Hyundai or Honda

When you are shopping for a new car, reliability is probably top on your list or priorities. Hyundai and Honda are two brands to consider. This Hyundai vs Honda reliability comparison looks at some key aspects to help you make a more informed decision.

Hyundai and Honda are two brands known for high-quality, reliable cars with models in just about every class you would be looking at. Hyundai is made by Hyundai Motor Company which is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Honda is made by Honda Motor Company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Hyundai, a more recent entrant into the industry has not always been a reputable name.

In the early 2000s and before, Hyundai was poorly ranked in terms of reliability but has steadily improved their products over the years to give other much older and respected names like Honda and Toyota a run for their money. After careful comparison, Hyundai appears to outshine Honda on most aspects though Honda does outweigh its rival on others.

The outstanding difference between the two is that Hyundai targets a broad range of buyers while Honda chooses maintain an edge targeting buyers looking specifically for sporty style and above average performance. Here we compare Hyundai and Honda in terms of customer opinions gathered through surveys, reliability index and warranties.

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Customer Surveys

If you are considering buying a car brand you have never had before, you will probably be more inclined to believe what current owners of the brand say about it than what the manufacturer says in their marketing campaigns. Not that we should not listen to marketing campaigns but firsthand information of experiences from owners is invaluable.

This is why surveys done by reputable companies are highly sought after. Here we compare results of surveys done by 3 reputable companies to find out what their different audiences have to say about Hyundai and Honda.

How do Hyundai Vs Honda compare in Reliability according to Customer Surveys?

Hyundai vs Honda Reliability: Brand Comparison Table

  Hyundai Honda
Consumer Reports Survey 2020 6/30 12/30
J.D Power vehicle dependability study 2020 13/32

(132 PP100)

 18/32

(139 PP100)
What Car? 2019 reliability survey

 

 7/31

(95.7%)

 10/31

(94.9)

 

All three list about 30 car brands in total. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai as the 6th most reliable brand out of a list of 32. Honda takes 12th place in the same list. J.D Power, another popular survey company places Hyundai at position 13 out of a list of 32 brands.

Also included is the average number of problems in every 100 cars. Hyundai is reported to have about 132 problems per 100 cars.  Honda is the 18th most reliable car in the same list of 32. For this one there are 139 problems per 100 cars.

According to J.D Power, both brands fall roughly in the middle of the entire list. With an industry average of 134 problems per 100 cars, Hyundai is just slightly above industry average and Honda is below average.

WhatCar? a UK based auto magazine ranks Hyundai as the 7th most reliable car out of a list of 31 brands and scores 95.7%. Honda is ranked 10th place in the same list and scores 94.9%. According to customer opinions, Hyundai is more reliable than Honda.

Reliability Index

Reliability index is a rating used to rank different vehicle brands and models based on how dependable they are. Vehicles are ranked and assigned an index which is used by potential buyers to gauge a specific brand’s reliability in comparison to other brands.

Reading reliability indexes is different from how we would usually read rankings. In the case of rankings, the higher the number the better the vehicle is. In the case of reliability indexes, the lower the number the more reliable the car is. The higher the number the less reliable the car is.

We take 100 to be the average reliability index. A car with an index of 100 or less is of above average reliability and one with an index higher than 100 is considered to be less reliable than average in the industry.

How Do Hyundai and Honda Compare In Reliability According To Reliability Index?

Hyundai vs Honda Reliability: Reliability Index Table

  Reliability Index Average repair costs
  Ranking Reliability index Ranking Av. Repair cost
Hyundai 13/40 93 13/40 £338
Honda 2/40 41 19/40 £370

 

What stands out most here is Honda’s impressively high ranking in reliability indexes. It is named as the 2nd most reliable brand in the world coming second to Daihatsu, another Japanese brand. In the same listing, Hyundai takes 13th place with a reliability index of 93.

Considering the industry average of 100, Honda is far above average while Hyundai is also above average but barely keeping under the 100 mark.

When it comes to average cost of repairs, tables are turned. Hyundai is better ranked at 13th place while Hyundai is at position 19.  The former costs about £338 in repairs and you can expect Honda to cost you about £370 in repairs.

Although Hyundai performs better than Honda in regards to costs of repairs the ranking and cost difference is not much. The cost difference is £32 and the ranking difference is 6 places.

As far as reliability index goes, Honda is by far more reliable than Hyundai.  Where costs are concerned, Hyundai is cheaper to repair but not by a wide margin.

Warranty

Despite being newer to the market, Hyundai has made great strides to build a reputable name in America and around the world. One of its greatest selling points is the long lasting warranties which every new Hyundai vehicle comes with.

Honda does have notable warranty offerings but nothing out of the ordinary compared to other industry players. Hyundai offers what are arguably the longest warranties in the industry.

How Do Hyundai And Honda Compare In Reliability Based On Warranties?

Hyundai vs Honda Reliability: Warranties Table

Hyundai Warranty Honda
5yrs / 60,000 miles New vehicle warranty 3 yrs / 36,000 miles
10 yrs / 100,000 miles Powertrain warranty 5 yrs / 60,000 miles
7 yrs / no mileage limit Corrosion warranty 5 yrs / unlimited mileage
5 yrs / no mileage limit Roadside Assistance 3 yrs / 36,000 miles
Lifetime Hybrid battery warranty 8 yrs / 100,000 miles

New vehicle warranty. This warranty, commonly referred to as bumper-bumper warranty covers (as the name suggests) just about everything between your front and back bumper. If you have engine trouble, unexplained oil leaks or anything of the sort, you can take it in for repair at no cost.

Both brands come with a bumper-to-bumper cover. Honda’s lasts 3 years or 36,000 miles whichever comes first while Hyundai’s lasts 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Powertrain warranty: A car’s powertrain is its powerhouse. It includes the engine, transmission and transaxle and the drivetrain. For Honda it lasts 5 years or 60,000 miles. For Hyundai you can rely on powertrain coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Corrosion warranty: This coverage takes care of corrosion or rust which occurs on the surface of the vehicle when paint or any other protective layer is compromised. It usually happens as a result of natural exposure especially in coastal or desert areas.

Corrosion and rust cannot be ignored because if left unchecked it can work its way into mechanical components of the car and cause a lot of damage. Honda’s corrosion warranty lasts 5 years with no limit on mileage while Hyundai’s lasts 7 years, also with no limit on mileage.

Roadside Assistance:  it may seem unnecessary until the day you find yourself stuck on the side of the road with no idea what’s going on under the hood. Honda offers 24/7 roadside assistance for 3 years or 36,000 miles. Hyundai offers it for 5 years with no limit on mileage. See more roadside assistance companies on 4 Auto Insurance Quote.

Hybrid battery warranty: Both these brands have hybrid models which use batteries. The warranty on these lasts 8 years or 100,000 miles for Honda. If you have a Hyundai, the battery warranty is for life.

Common Repair Issues

Before you make a decision on the make and model for your next car, take a look at some of the most common repair issues you are likely to encounter. It is also useful information to have for your current car. It explains some of the problems you have had to deal with or shed light on what to expect. These are some common problems in Hyundai and Honda.

Common Hyundai repair issues

Knocking sound from engine: The Hyundai Elantra, one of this brand’s most popular models has been known to develop engine problems.  Owners report hearing a knocking noise coming from the engine. It is most noticeable when accelerating and when the brakes are applied. It is caused by breaking or broken engine mounts.

To fix this, the engine has to be removed using an engine hoist in order to gain access to the mounts. From there you can inspect the mounts, establish which ones are faulty and fix or replace them.

Misfiring: If yours is an older Hyundai Sonata you may have to deal with misfiring and lack of vehicle power especially when accelerating. It happens when the throttle body gets clogged with carbon build up and eventually gets blocked.

To fix it, remove the throttle body and clean it out thoroughly. Use throttle body cleaner and a small brush, like a toothbrush to make sure all the soot comes off.  Once clean, re-fit the part and it should be as good as new.

Common Honda repair issues

Vibration when breaking: Every Honda owner needs to know about this so they don’t panic when it happens. Owners report a strange, sometimes scary vibrating or rattling feeling when the brakes are applied.

It is caused by warping in the front brake rotors and can be fixed by machining the rotors. If they have been machined before and are too thin to take another smoothening, you have to replace them.

Transmission problems: This usually comes up after 70,000 miles or so. It causes poor shifting, transmission spillage or skipping. To fix it, you need a transmission overhaul or replacement.

Dark dashboard display: if you have a Honda Accord with more than 110,000 miles on it, don’t be surprised if this happens. The dashboard display goes completely dark, especially the climate control system and radio.  It is caused by a faulty circuit board. To fix the problem, replace the circuit board.

Conclusion

From this comparison we can conclude that Hyundai is a more reliable option. Although Honda by far outshines Hyundai in reliability indexes, Hyundai seems to the preferred option for current owners.

The warranty aspect is perhaps what tips the scale in favor of Hyundai. With its exceptionally long coverage, the longest in the industry, it is hard to ignore how much more reliable the car is. Even just knowing that you have a few years of cost-free repairs gives you peace of mind.

 FAQs

How serious are engine problems in Hyundai?

These are very serious issues.  They cause abnormal combustion which can damage pistons and connecting rods. Failed connecting rods can cause oil leaks which can then cause fires. Car fires are not something you want to be dealing with.

Where can I get detailed information on what is included and excluded in my Honda warranty?

There is a Honda Owners’ website which allows you to enter all details of your vehicle and get up to date information on warranties.