Hyundai Problems

Normally the glass isn’t covered by the warranty; it comes under the wear-and-tear category and so is excluded. But a shattered rear glass would appear to be different to the regular run of glass failures. I would first attempt to negotiate with Hyundai and mount a case for compensation that they couldn’t possibly refuse. You could go to the Ombudsman, but that will take time and I would doubt if it would ultimately help.

Hyundai spokesman Bill Thomas says there is definitely a fix for your problem and apologises that you were not advised. Your dealership will be in touch to get the vehicle sorted.

Kia and Hyundai are both good, with the Tucson currently ahead, but before he commits he should also drive a Mazda CX-5 as it's best in class today and gets The Tick.

If you need space, go for the Camry, if you want something more nimble and sporty the Hyundai will be better. Both get The Tick from me.

We test all cars in the real world, on the toughest corners and worst surfaces we can find, and I've been doing the job for nearly 40 years. Hyundai has focussed its suspension work on European-style handling, not a cushy American-style ride, but that's no different from many other brands. For your needs I would probably have steered you to a Nissan Pulsar, but also advised not to buy anything without a proper test drive on road you know.

The warranty would cover it if the engine failure was due to a manufacturing or design fault, but won't cover it if it was caused by operator error. In other words if you let the engine run out of oil or overheat the warranty won't cover it, but if it was caused by a mechanical fault caused by a design or build problem then you have a good chance of getting Hyundai to cover it.

Rattles of all sorts are commonly reported in the Santa Fe. For the dealer to dismiss it as common is laziness. Call Hyundai's customer service on 1800 186 306 and report it to them.

Mazda2, from a classy brand and great against its size and price rivals; Hyundai i20, great value and probably still with some of the factory warranty; Volkswagen Polo, not necessarily to buy but to provide a quality benchmark for the others.

A Hyundai i20 for the daughter, because it's cheap and reliable; a Mazda3 for the mother, because its a great secondhand buy and ideal for her needs; and Holden Commodore for the father, because it's a great drive and the V6 is surprisingly economical.