2012 Hyundai Accent.

The 2012 Hyundai Accent is better than average by owner complaints: 40 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 60, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 2 recalls, and it gets 31 to 32 mpg combined. The best Hyundai Accent year is 2014.

60Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.7× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2014 · Worst year 2002

Photo shows a 2019 Hyundai Accent. Elise240SX, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemBrakes22% of owner complaints Recalls2Free fix at any dealer Better year to buy20147.1× fewer complaints than average Government investigation1 openOwners reported enough to trigger one

Owner complaints40first 3 years

Fuel economy31–32 mpgcombined, EPA

Crash test★★★★☆NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 153 owner complaints, owners reported:

13crashes

10injuries

8fires

10tows

Under government investigation 105 repair notes from Hyundai

Every Hyundai Accent year. 2012 is highlighted. Lower is better.

2002106about average 2003462.2× fewer complaints 2004–few complaints 2005–few complaints 2006–few complaints 2007621.6× fewer complaints 2008482.1× fewer complaints 2009–few complaints 2010412.4× fewer complaints 2011234.3× fewer complaints 2012601.7× fewer complaints 2013531.9× fewer complaints 2014147.1× fewer complaints 2015313.2× fewer complaints 2016531.9× fewer complaints 2017402.5× fewer complaints 2018185.6× fewer complaints 2019224.5× fewer complaints

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

brakes22%

airbags20%

tires18%

steering12%

electrical12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Hyundai Accent year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 60K

0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 24K to 91K miles on the car (89 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

engine complaints mostly came at 63K–114K miles
speed control complaints mostly came at 54K–91K miles

Recalls 2

brakes 2023
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
equipment 2020
The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air com…

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Hyundai told dealers about

Hyundai sent dealers 105 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

Operation of the transmission solenoid may lead to check engine light, transaxle held in 4th gear

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

OpenHyundai and kia abs module fires2023

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard

Collision warningNot offered

Lane departure warningNot offered

NHTSA front crash test of the 2012 Hyundai Accent — Front crash test · NHTSA

Crash test details

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
Hyundai Accent 5 HB FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆
Hyundai Accent 4 DR FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆

Fuel cost and engines

About $2000–2050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

Air bags failed to deploy. This is the second car and the second time this has happened.
2012 Hyundai Accent owner · NHTSA complaint 10512143

More owner reports

Cracks in both rear brake rotors discovered during routine tier rotation.
NHTSA complaint 10632057

Quick answers

Is the 2012 Hyundai Accent reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.7× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 60; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Hyundai Accent year by this measure is 2014.

What are the most common 2012 Hyundai Accent problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (22%), airbags (20%) and tires (18%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2012 Hyundai Accent have?

2 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Hyundai Accent get?

31 to 32 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2012 Hyundai Accent safe?

NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2012 Hyundai Accent problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 24,200 and 91,000 miles. The middle report was at 60,000 miles, from 89 complaints.

Does the 2012 Hyundai Accent have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2012 Hyundai Accent cost in fuel a year?

About $2000 to $2050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2012 Hyundai Accent have?

1.6L 4-cyl.

What Hyundai Accent year is better than the 2012?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2018 and 2019.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works