Toyota vs Hyundai Which Comes Out Tops
If you are looking for a car with reliability as your top concern, Hyundai and Toyota are brands to consider. This Hyundai vs. Toyota comparison gives detailed information on both brands to help you make a more informed decision.
Hyundai and Toyota are two of the world’s most reputable car manufacturers. Both are considered dependable, pocket-friendly cars worth a second and third consideration when shopping for a new, affordable car.
Hyundai markets its vehicles under the slogan ‘New Thinking, New Possibilities.’ Toyota recently revised its tagline and now goes with the slogan ‘Let’s Go Places.’
We compare the two brands using recent results of customer surveys, warranties offered by both manufacturers, and reliability indexes. Toyota outshines Hyundai in all aspects except factory warranties, where Hyundai lives up to its name as America’s best warranty brand.
Customer Surveys
Who better to tell you about a vehicle but people who have been driving them for years? Consumer Reports and J.D Power are two popular vehicle survey companies which gather data from owners and compute it to come up with ratings. WhatCar? is a UK based company which collects similar information on vehicle dependability.
How Do Hyundai and Toyota Compare in Reliability-Based on Customer Surveys?
Hyundai Vs Toyota Reliability: Customer Survey Table
| Hyundai | Toyota | |
| Consumer Reports most reliable cars 2020 | 6 | 3 |
| J.D Power vehicle dependability study 2020 | 13
(132 pp100) | 5
(113 pp100) |
| WhatCar? Brand reliability survey 2019 | 7
(95.7%)
| 2
(97.7%) |
When it comes to customer surveys, Toyota is a clear leader. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai as the 6th most reliable car while Toyota takes 3rd place. However, this was 3 years ago. make sure you check the latest rankings if you are after a newer model.
JD Power, another reputable survey, places Hyundai in 13th place and records an average of 132 problems per 100 cars surveyed. Toyota is ranked as the 5th most reliable brand, recording 113 problems per 100 cars. The industry average here is 134 problems per 100 cars, placing Toyota well above average while Hyundai is barely above average.
UK-based WhatCar? places Hyundai as the 7th most reliable vehicle brand in its 2019 survey. This brand scored 95.7%. Toyota is ranked at an impressive 2nd place and scores 97.7%. WhatCar? Survey results are based only on vehicles that are no more than 5 years old.
Warranties
Warranties have become a big part of automobile sales. They are one of the reasons buyers would be swayed from one brand to another and greatly influence the vehicle's overall reliability. Manufacturers know this, so they have gone out of their way to give their customers the peace of mind they seek.
Hyundai and Toyota both have attractive warranties to consider. These generally cover new cars to give initial purchasers confidence in the products and peace of mind.
Every vehicle’s warranty comes with different terms, so it is important to be clear on what is covered, what is not, and how long.
Hyundai’s warranty coverage, also called Hyundai Assurance, is one of its main selling points in America. It is marketed as ‘America’s best warranty vehicle’ as it is said to have better terms than any other factory warranty in the industry.
Here is a comparison of what Hyundai and Toyota offer buyers of brand-new vehicles. Also included is a list of what is not included in these warranties, so you don’t get caught unaware when certain maintenance procedures need to be done.
How Do Hyundai and Toyota Compare in Reliability-Based on Initial Purchase Warranties?
Hyundai vs. Toyota Reliability: Warranty Comparison Table
Lengths of coverage are given in terms of months or mileage, whichever comes first
| Brand | Item | Duration /Mileage | What is not covered |
| Hyundai | – New vehicle limited warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | – Regular maintenance
– Normal wear and tear
– Negligence or accident damage |
| – Powertrain warranty | 10 years / 100,000 miles | ||
| – Anti-perforations warranty | 7 years / unlimited mileage | ||
| – 24/7 roadside assistance | 5 years / unlimited mileage | ||
| – Federal emissions defects and performance warranty | 8 years / 80,000 miles | ||
| Toyota | – Basic coverage | 36 months ( 3 years) / 36,000 miles | – Regular maintenance
– Normal wear and tear – Tires – Accessories – Damage or failure due to accidents, fire, theft, abuse, negligence or misuse |
| – Powertrain coverage | 60 months ( 5 years)/ 60,000 miles | ||
| – Restraint systems warranty | 60 months ( 5 years) / 60,000 miles | ||
| – Corrosion perforation | 60 months ( 5 years) regardless of mileage | ||
| – Emissions coverage | 24 months ( 2 years) / 24,000 miles (eligibility based on the area of residence) |
From this, we can see that Hyundai outshines Toyota when it comes to warranty coverage. Common coverage areas are basic coverage, powertrain coverage, anti-perforation, and emissions. Hyundai’s durations and mileages for all of these are longer than those given for Toyota.
Hyundai provides basic coverage for the first 5 years of the car’s life or the first 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. For the same basic coverage, Toyota gives 3 years or 36,000 miles. This includes adjustments and repairs due to defects in materials or workmanship.
Powertrain coverage is also common to the 2. It takes care of the engine and transmission components. Hyundai assures new owners of coverage for the first 10 years of the car’s life or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Toyota’s offer is half of that. It covers the powertrain for 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
One detail worth noting is that Hyundai’s powertrain cover only applies to the initial owner of the car. If it is sold to a second or third owner, provisions change. The powertrain is covered under the new Vehicle Limited Warranty for subsequent owners, which lasts 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Anti-perforation coverage is common in both brands. It covers sheet metal on the vehicle’s body which develops perforations (holes from rust) due to poor material or factory workmanship. Hyundai’s coverage lasts 7 years regardless of mileage, while Toyota’s coverage lasts 5 years, also regardless of mileage.
In a bid to protect the environment, emissions coverage is included by both companies. This involves repairing or replacing main emissions control components like the catalytic converter assembly, engine control module, and exhaust manifold. Hyundai provides this coverage for 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. Toyota’s similar coverage is provided for 2 years or 24,000 miles.
Emissions coverage doesn’t apply to all buyers but is based on where you live. If an EPA-approved emissions maintenance and inspection program is in force in your area, your vehicle is eligible for coverage.
Reliability Index
Reliability index is perhaps the most sought-after vehicle rating in the country. When you are looking to buy a new car, this is a good indicator of what to expect regarding dependability in the first few years of the car's life.
This index is calculated based on a few factors to create a final rating. These are the frequency of vehicle breakdowns, the average cost of repairs, and the average amount of time spent to complete these repairs.
These dynamics are important because some cars are known to have frequent breakdowns, but analyzing the amount of money spent on repairs is not significant. On the other hand, some vehicles rarely break down, but when they do, it costs you a small fortune to get it back on the road.
Time is a resource, so we cannot ignore it when your car is being repaired. How much time will you spend without access to your car? In the same breath, how much time will the technician spend on your car? The answer to this determines how much you pay him for his time.
Here we compare 3 of each brand’s most reliable models to get a feel of overall brand reliability.
How Hyundai and Toyota Compare in Reliability-Based on Reliability Index?
Hyundai Vs. Toyota Reliability: Reliability Index Table:
| Brand | Model | Reliability Index | Average off-road time (hrs.) |
| Hyundai | i10 | 12 | 1.32 |
| i30 | 31 | 3.08 | |
| Tuscon | 76 | 2.13 | |
| Toyota | iQ | 3 | 1 |
| Prius | 40 | 2.51 | |
| Yaris | 31 | 1.62 |
Reliability indexes place Hyundai’s models i10 and i30 at 12 and 31, respectively. The compact SUV Hyundai Tuscon has a reliability index of 76.
Toyota’s iQ takes an impressive 3rd place in the overall list making it one of the most reliable cars in the world. It also spends the least time being repaired, with an average off-road time of only 1 hour.
The Prius, one of Toyota’s best-selling models in America, is ranked at position 40 and is expected to spend about 2 and a half hours under repair. The Yaris takes position 31 and is expected to spend 1.62 hours at the shop.
Conclusion
If you want a dependable car, Hyundai and Toyota are worth looking at closely. There is no doubt that these are dependable models. Toyota stands out over Hyundai in terms of reliability indexes. Its iQ model takes an impressive 3rd place in the overall reliability index rating.
If warranties are important to you, you should look at Hyundai, which offers much more attractive warranty conditions than Toyota.
FAQs
Are Hyundai Warranties Transferrable?
Yes, Hyundai bumper-to-bumper warranties are transferable, except for powertrain coverage. This warranty is reduced from 10 to 5 years or 60,000 miles upon transfer.
What Happens When My Toyota Warranty Expires?
After the standard warranty period expires, purchasing an extender car warranty is best. These can be pricey though the best way to determine if it is worth it is to determine the car’s reliability rankings. Also, look at common repair issues for your specific model.