Hyundai Veloster Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2013 draws 14.21 complaints per run and the 2014 3.82, a 3.7-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 69.6% land after the 5-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 518 complaints, typically at 6.7 years.

Hyundai Veloster years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Hyundai Veloster — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2021	1.57	11	7	too new
2020	1.5	24	16	yes
2019	2.21	42	19	yes
2017	3.43	48	14	yes
2016	8.15	212	26	yes
2015	5.96	137	23	yes
2014	3.82	84	22	yes
2013	14.21	398	28	yes
2012	13.8	276	20	yes

ROWS 9·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2013 Veloster asks a median $4,995, against $4,999 for a 2014, the next model year: about the same, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 4 Hyundai Veloster years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2013, 2016, 2015; the three worth hunting are 2014, 2015, 2016.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Hyundai Veloster — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	105	8.6%	covered
1 year	65	13.9%	covered
2 years	59	18.8%	covered
3 years	58	23.5%	covered
4 years	84	30.4%	covered
5 years	152	42.9%	you pay
6 years	171	56.9%	you pay
7 years	140	68.4%	you pay
8 years	105	77%	you pay
9 years	106	85.7%	you pay
10 years	79	92.1%	you pay
11 years	51	96.3%	you pay
12 years	28	98.6%	you pay
13 years	14	99.8%	you pay
14 years	3	100%	you pay

ROWS 15·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Only 30.4% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 69.6% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (10 years / 100,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 53% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Hyundai Veloster, the early trouble is Visibility and Structure — reported at around 2.7 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 6.7 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Hyundai Veloster — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	518	6.7 yrs	9	36
Electrical System	204	7 yrs	6	19
Unknown Or Other	172	5.7 yrs	6	11
Power Train	133	5 yrs	6	3
Steering	121	6.1 yrs	3	1
Visibility	84	2.7 yrs	—	1
Service Brakes	84	7.2 yrs	6	3
Structure	72	3.8 yrs	3	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Veloster's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Corolla draws 5.16, the Lexus IS 1.31 and the BMW M3 1.49, against 7.12 for the Veloster. That is the most complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Hyundai Veloster — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Veloster	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Corolla	12,389	219	1981–2026
Lexus IS	47	118	2001–2026
BMW M3	565	78	1988–2026
Acura TLX	893	41	2015–2026
Ford Focus	22,576	138	2000–2026
Subaru WRX	290	17	2015–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Hyundai Veloster

Recalls21 campaigns Fuel economy31 mpg best Common problems1,294 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space20 cu ft Used prices781 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2012–2021

Frequently asked questions

Is the Hyundai Veloster reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 7.12 against 3.73 for the average car, and more than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Veloster years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2013, 2016, 2015. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2014, 2015, 2016. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Veloster problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 6.7 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Veloster problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 5 years / 60,000 miles, and only 30.4% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 53% of the complaints here.

Is the Veloster more reliable than the Toyota Corolla?

No: 7.12 complaints per production run for the Veloster against 5.16 for the Toyota Corolla.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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