The Hyundai Tiburon is a compact car built from 1997 to 2008 over 2 generations. Most were assembled in South Korea — 100% of those on record. Between 1997 and 2009 it grew 6 cm longer and gained 151 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Tiburon is
The Hyundai Tiburon is a compact car that Hyundai built from 1997 to 2008 — 12 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 2003. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Hyundai range: Genesis, Genesis Coupe, Excel.
Where the Tiburon is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 551 Tiburons on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | KMH | 1997-2008 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Hyundai VIN decide which of these 2 lines your Tiburon belongs to. What every character in a Tiburon VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Hyundai Tiburon adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Tiburon generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Tiburon's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Tiburon that gives 2 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-2002 | 434 cm | 246 cm | 1156 kg | - | - |
| 2003-2009 | 440 cm | 253 cm | 1307 kg | +6 cm | +151 kg |
Between 1997 and 2009 the Tiburon gained 6 cm in length (+1.4%) and 151 kg in weight (+13.1%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Tiburon that is 151 kg against 6 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Hyundai Tiburon tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Tiburon owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Hyundai Tiburon have? Power & range
The Hyundai Tiburon is offered with 2 powertrains — 2.7L 6-cyl, 2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Hyundai Tiburon, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 2.7L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Tiburon by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Hyundai Tiburon. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Tiburon | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 28 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 791 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $2,292/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 47 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Hyundai Tiburon?
The Tiburon is a compact car, built from 1997 to 2008 across 2 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6.
Where is the Hyundai Tiburon made?
Across 551 cars in our records the split is: South Korea (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Tiburon have?
2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2003. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Tiburon grew 6 cm longer and gained 151 kg.
What is the Hyundai Tiburon warranty?
New models carry 5 years / 60,000 miles basic cover and 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Tiburon reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Tiburon?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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