Hyundai Problems

Korean cars still have the stigma of being cheap, poorly built throwaway cars, and while that might have once been the case it would be wrong to dismiss Seoul-sourced cars today. It’s important to look at each brand individually as each is quite different in terms of build quality and reliability in service, so consider each brand carefully and ask your own mechanic for their experience with them.Hyundai was the first Korean brand to land here and the early cars were pretty poorly built. They were clearly in the throw away category, but to pigeon hole them that way today would be doing them, and yourself, a disservice.The model that changed the perception of Hyundai was the X3 Excel that was launched here in 1994. The model that preceded the X3 was a car that warranted caution when buying, but In one fell swoop Hyundai threw off the disposable tag and become a serious auto offering.The X3 Excel was an all-new small car that offered a roomy interior with commendable performance and handling, at a very affordable price. In no time at all it became one of the top selling cars in the country, giving the Koreans in general, and Hyundai in particular, an image boost.The Excel’s swoopy lines and endless curves quickly attracted a following with young drivers. The interior, while praised for its roominess and comfort, was canned for being bland and boring with a sea of dark and sombre trim colours.The power initially was from a single overhead camshaft, 12-valve, fuel-injected 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine punching out 65 kW. There was a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto transmission.With the standard five-speed manual gearbox, the three-door hatch was quite zippy, boasting a respectable time of 12.2 seconds to reach 100km/h from a standstill.Excel buyers had the choice of three body styles, a three-door hatch, five-door hatch and four-door sedan.The Sprint three-door hatch was the entry level, price leading model, boasting body coloured bumpers, intermittent wipers and a radio-cassette sound system with two speakers as standard.The GX three-door, along with the LX five-door hatch and four-door sedan, added power steering, rear spoiler and a tachometer.The top model in the range was the GLX which came in five-door hatch and four-door body styles, and boasted an impressive list of features, including body coloured bumpers, central locking, power mirrors, power antenna, power front windows, power steering, radio cassette with four speakers, and a tachometer. Air-conditioning and a driver’s airbag were extra cost options.Performance was boosted with a facelifted model in 1998 and the introduction of a 16-valve engine, identified by the “Twin Cam” badge on the tail. With the new engine under the bonnet the Excel’s 0-100km/h time was cut to 9.8 seconds.The Excel’s service history is dominated by a recall in 1997 when it was found that a number of cars had problems with the welds attaching the chassis rails to the floor pan. Problem cars could be identified by a creaking noise in the body as the car went over bumps. Hyundai checked all cars and riveted the rails to the floor pan to fix the problem.While the recall cast a shadow over the Excel’s reputation for a while, mechanics report that it is generally a robust and reliable car.They say that the power train is quite durable, with few reports of anything untoward with the engine or gearbox.The cam-timing belt requires replacement every 90,000km but it’s not a big, or expensive, job. Even if it is neglected and the belt eventually breaks the consequences are not catastrophic as the engine is a free-spinning design so there’s no chance of valves tangling with pistons and other internal components. The worst that can happen is that you’ll be stranded on the roadside waiting for assistance.As for all cars check for a verifiable service record, looking for regular oil and fluid changes, and check the oil by removing the oil filler cap and checking for an accumulation of sludge which would indicate the oil hasn’t been regularly replaced.Check the body for dents and scrapes, and faded paint on bumpers and exterior rear view mirrors on cars delivered before the 1998 facelift.The interior, criticised for its bland colours and plain trim when new, stands up well in service. Few problems are reported with warped or cracked plastic trim components after nine years under the hot sun.The most frustrating problem is with the electrics, which can be unreliable. It seems the Koreans have discovered the secret to the British electrical dramas and taken them back to Seoul. The problems are usually traced back to bad connections.Because the car was cheap and cheerful young and inexperienced drivers often bought them, and owners who couldn’t always afford to keep them properly maintained, so look for signs of abuse and lack of attention.• swoopy styling• roomy and comfortable interior• reliable power train• dodgy electrics

When Hyundai launched its sporty Coupe in 1996 the brand was flying high. Its small cars were dominating the cheap end of the market with drive-away deals that were hard to resist if your motoring needs could be met with a simple set of wheels, but the Coupe took the Korean car maker into another realm. It was one where fashion was just as important than function.It was a test of Hyundai’s ability to lure buyers through showroom doors with promises other than a cheap no frills deal. That said the Coupe was still cheaper than its rivals in the sports coupe market.MODEL WATCH Hyundai had obviously seen the success enjoyed by Toyota’s Celica in the trendy suburbs of Sydney or Melbourne and were determined to follow the Japanese carmaker’s lead when it launched the Coupe.The Korean carmaker wasn’t new to the coupe segment, it had built a rather bland model called the SCoupe before, but the front-wheel drive two-plus-two Coupe tackled the style-driven sports coupe segment head on.The Coupe’s generous curves were penned in California instead of Seoul, none the less its slightly exaggerated shape is an acquired taste. It’s elegant and sporty from some angles, but at the same time it’s dumpy from others. Fussy highlight lines down the front and rear guards emphasises the swoopy profile, and add to a visual clutter that confuses and challenges the eye. At the end of day, however, styling is a personal thing and some may find the Coupe attractive.Hyundai offered three models in the Coupe range, the base SX, mid-range FX and the SFX that had all the bells and whistles you could wish for.The SX came with a 1.8-litre twin cam fuel-injected four cylinder engine, which boasted a modest 94 kW and 161 Nm. There was a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed auto, which drove the front wheels.Even though it was the entry level model the SX was reasonably well equipped with an adjustable steering column, power steering, power windows, fog lamps and body coloured bumpers.Power for the mid-range FX model was a bigger 2.0-litre fuel-injected twin cam which pumped out a more respectable 102 kW and 180 Nm, and there was the same choice of five-speed manual and four-speed auto ’boxes.Equipment level was quite impressive with smart alloy wheels. remote central locking, alarm, CD player and a rear spoiler over and above the features offered with the SX.The range topper was the SFX, which had the same power train as the FX, but had standard ABS, cruise control, electric sunroof, leather trim and a driver’s airbag as well as all those goodies that came with the lesser models. Air-con was an option.On the road the Coupe’s engines were reasonably willing performers and happy to rev out through the range, although their enthusiasm to rev didn’t translate into thrilling on-road performance when they needed 11 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standing start.The thrill of driving was also somewhat dampened by the rubbery feel of the manual gearshift, which wasn’t sporty in the slightest sense, and the auto was clearly aimed at the hairdresser set.Handling was predicable and secure up to a point, but if you were too enthusiastic it was easy to have the rear jump out on you. That’s in spite of some tuning work done by Porsche.IN THE SHOP With Coupes now having covered around 100,000 km on average it is important to check service records and make sure those that have passed the 100,000 km mark have had the major service scheduled for 100,000 km in which the cam timing belt is changed. If you choose to buy a car that hasn’t had the change as recommended by Hyundai as part of the regular service schedule then get it done. It’s better to be safe now than sorry later on.Hyundai’s engines and gearboxes are generally rugged and reliable, same with the drive lines and suspension. If they have a problem it is in the ancillaries, which seem to suffer from a lack of refinement that may be due to inadequate development at the engineering stage.Electrics are a particular problem with poor connections, troublesome wiring, and overall poor quality giving the Koreans a reputation once reserved for British cars with their dodgy electrical systems.Hyundai trim and plastics are generally hard wearing and stand up quite well to the tough Aussie conditions, but fit and finish is a problem and it’s not unusual to have squeaks and rattles as a result.Owners report that seats tend to be uncomfortable on long journeys, and there is little room in the rear to carry passengers in comfort or much in the way of luggage. They also complain that the rear hatch is heavy to lift, and the rear compartment lip is quite high which means you have quite a high lift to put luggage or shopping away.OWNER’S SAY Angelo Stamboulakis is generally happy with his 1997 Coupe FX, which has done 105,000 km. His only complaint is a problem with the automatic transmission, which is reluctant to upshift when cold.LOOK FOR • affordable sports coupe• reliable engines and gearboxes• major service at 100,000 km• cramped interior• uncomfortable seats

When you’ve built your reputation on cheap and cheerful cars, like Hyundai did, it’s always going to be difficult to entice people to pay a premium for your cars on the basis of quality and reliability. Once Hyundai had established itself in the market it was always going to move up the market ladder, away from the cars that gave it its start. For a time dealers bemoaned the company’s shift from its drive-away-no-more-to pay roots.The move started in the mid-1990s and one of the transition models was the 1995 J2 Lantra.MODEL WATCHThe Excel was the model Hyundai used to establish its credentials in a doubting world, and the company didn’t do itself any favours by trying to deny there was a problem with the welding of the front end on a number of Excels. The goodwill it was building vanished overnight and the brand took some time to recover.It was a production glitch that clouded the Excel’s reputation, which was really quite a good little car, and it also affected other models like the Lantra.The Lantra was a compact model, the next step up the model ladder from the Excel, but it employed the same value-for-money proposition as the Excel.Its looks were distinctly Asian, a mass of soft curves that appealed to some, appalled others, but at the end of the day it was a matter of individual taste.Inside there was reasonable room for front seat passengers, but those in the rear were more squeezed, particularly in the sedan. There was more room in the rear of the wagon, which was slightly longer with a longer rear overhang.The interior fittings were plastic and really looked it, the overriding colour grey. It got the job done, but looked like it was built down to a price.Lantra power came from a 1.8-litre fuel injected double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that was quite responsive when you put your foot down even from low speeds in higher gears. It put out 94 kW at 6100 revs and 165 Nm at 5000 revs and was at its best when spinning briskly.There was a choice of manual and auto ’boxes, the four-speed auto being the more popular choice. While the auto was smooth, the five-speed manual had a rather clunky shift that felt notchy and there was a tendency to crunch gears unless the clutch was fully depressed.The Lantra’s chassis was well balanced without having the precision of a sports car and the road holding was reassuring. The rack and pinion power steering was light, the brakes were powerful and the ride comfortable.Opening the model range was the GL sedan and wagon, which boasted vinyl cloth trim, tilt adjustable steering column, four-speaker radio/cassette sound, split-fold rear seat and anti-skid brakes.Next up was the GLS, which added central locking, full cloth trim, power windows and mirrors to the package.There was also the SE, which came in 1996 as a lower priced entry level model.Air-conditioning was made standard across the range in 1997.IN THE SHOPThe Lantra’s basic mechanical package is quite sound, it’s the ancillaries that can let you down.Early Hyundais had problems with their electrical systems, the result of building down to a price. Often it was the connections that caused the problem, the wiring tended to be too tight causing the occasional bad connection.Paint was a problem with most Korean cars of the time and faded paint is a regular problem.The engine uses a belt to drive the camshaft and this needs to be changed around the 100,000 km mark, and many Lantras will be approaching the change point for the second time.Check for a service record to ensure your potential purchase has seen the inside of a service shop. The cheap and cheerful sales pitch meant they often ended up in the hands of owners who didn’t care about servicing or simply couldn’t afford it. A well serviced car will stand the test of time much better than one that hasn’t been serviced.IN A CRASHHas ABS anti-skid brakes, which is a plus, but don’t look for airbags.In recent surveys of real life crashes the Lantra is rated at average so it gets a pass mark.OWNERS SAYMarian Emblin has done more than 200,000 km in the Hyundai Lantra SE she bought new in 1997. Its good points, she says, are its spacious interior with plenty of leg/headroom, interior layout, comfortable front seats, attractive design, and its reliability. Not so good is its paint finish, which marks easily, its trim that degraded very quickly, and the boot lip and parcel shelf, which restricts what you can get in the boot. Repairs have been minimal, it's had three batteries, one alternator, one muffler, a throttle switch, and now the auto transmission is showing signs of wear.LOOK FOR• Swoopy styling a matter of taste• Basically sound engineering• Good ride and handling• Standard anti-skid brakes• No airbags• Faded paintTHE BOTTOM LINENothing flash, but has stood the test of time quite well.RATING55/100

The name is a give-away to Hyundai’s grand aim for the Grandeur. It was to be an upmarket car packed with heaps of standard features, but at a Korean price. The question was whether a Korean company, best known for its low cost cars could actually build a prestige model that would compete against established models from long established and highly respected carmakers.MODEL WATCHWhile Hyundai has been selling cars on the local market for some time the company had a reputation for building cheap and cheerful small cars at a price that cash-strapped buyers couldn’t resist.They were so cheap, comparatively speaking, that you could afford to take a gamble on things like build quality and reliability.But when the company inevitably changed direction and began to look further upmarket where there were greater profits in the offing they began to appeal to a more demanding and discerning buyer.Someone who pays $40,000-plus for a car has much higher expectations than someone who forks out $13,000.The challenge for Hyundai was to meet those demands; the challenge for the buyer was to take the plunge and gamble the company would deliver.The Grandeur was Hyundai’s deepest plunge into the local market. It was a medium-sized sedan with pretensions of grandeur; a car that would compete with both locally produced and imported prestige models.Styling was very Asian, a little contrived, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder as the saying goes.Splashes of chrome on the grille, rear garnish mould and door handles provided some sparkle to the exterior, while wood grain touches gave the interior an air of opulence.A spring loaded bonnet badge, ala Mercedes-Benz, was added in 2002 in a further boost to prestige.Power was provided by a competent 3.0-litre fuel-injected double overhead camshaft V6 engine that produced a useable 141 kW at 6000 revs and gave the 1554 kg Grandeur quite zippy performance.The V6 worked in tandem with a five-speed electronically controlled auto trans driving the front wheels.Power steering was standard, along with four-wheel disc brakes, ABS and alloy wheels.As it should be when competing in the prestige market segment the Grandeur was packed with features. It had just about everything you could imagine, which underpinned its value-for-money appeal.The base sedan came standard with air-conditioning, full instrumentation, power windows and mirrors, dual vanity mirrors, remote boot lid and fuel cap releases, six-speaker sound, power antenna, central locking and cloth seats.Step up to the XG and you also received leather trim, keyless entry and alarm, climate control air-con, cruise, traction control, and memory settings on the driver’s seat.It was the Korean formula applied to the prestige segment of the market; that is to deliver plenty of value at a competitive price.IN THE SHOPThe basics of the Grandeur are reliable enough, but mechanics shudder when they arrive at the shop door, as they’re likely to have problems that can be hard to trace and sort out.Korean-built cars in general have a poor reputation for electrics and the Grandeur is packed with systems that rely on good connections and wiring.It’s quite common for owners to report warning lights coming on at random, which makes it difficult for mechanics to trace the cause of the problem. Often it’s found to be a poor connection in the wiring loom and that can take quite some time to locate.Sensors, such as the speed and timing sensors on the engine, can also be a problem.Spark plug leads are also troublesome, and changing them means removing the inlet manifold to get to the rear ones.Signs of trouble are rough running of the engine, and sometimes random stalling while driving along, while problems with the transmission input and output speed sensors are signalled by erratic shifting, sometimes shifting up or down for no apparent reason, or simply refusing to shift.Major service is at 90,000 km and that includes changing the cam timing belt. It also means changing spark plugs, and with long life platinum-tipped plugs that can be a costly exercise.The keyless entry on the XG can be frustrating when it quits and leaves you stranded on the roadside. There’s no roadside solution, the car needs to be towed back to a dealer for correction.IN A CRASHWith ABS standard on both models, and traction control standard on the XG, the Grandeur has the primary systems to get you out of trouble, and dual front airbags and seat belt pretensioners to protect you if you do get into trouble.OWNERS SAYRay Clausen has driven his 2001 Grandeur XG in all conditions, urban and rural and has found it gives him with a sense of safety and ease of comfort. The interior is very well appointed and comfortably seats four adults, while boot space is ample. The battery had to be changed after 18 months, and the ‘Speed Sensor’ and ‘Check Engine’ sensor have also been replaced.Merv Cramer says he has owned many cars over the years, including Holdens and Fords, and rates the Grandeur superior in all aspects, including build quality, attention to detail, and safety. His only gripe is poor resale value.Don Russell loves his 2001 Grandeur. It is luxurious and comfortable, a lot of car for the money. He says it does everything very well and is economical, returning fuel consumption of 8.8 L/100 km. The only trouble has been with the remote locking.The Grandeur’s price was enough to tempt Maurizio to buy one four years ago, but it hasn’t worked out such a good buy. It has been in the workshop more than it has been on the road, he says, with one problem after another. He now wishes he never bought this car; it’s a luxurious lemon with plenty of hidden costs.Jeffrey Gillard has driven Statesmans, Volvos, LTDs, Saabs, and Jaguars, but now drives a 2000 Grandeur XG, which he says is the most reliable and best appointed car he’s have ever owned, and represents great value for money.LOOK FOR• Long list of standard features• Economical on fuel• Very comfortable for four adults• Dual airbags for crash protection• ABS standard• Prone to minor faults, particularly electrics• Poor resale valueTHE BOTTOM LINEGreat value for money, but be aware that electrics are troublesome, and likely to be more so as age and kilometres catch up with the Grandeur.RATING50/100

The race for your small car dollar is intense, with a plethora of makes and models to choose from, ranging from cheap and cheerful to, would you believe, prestige models. The latter are mostly recent arrivals from Europe as carmakers from that part of the world try to convince buyers to part with more cash for the prestige of driving a European brand.There are also plenty of offerings from the Japanese carmakers, all decent cars, while the Koreans have tried to move away from the cheap and cheerful end of the small car market that was once their own exclusive domain.Chief among them is Hyundai who successfully established its place in the market on a policy of drive-away-no-more-to-pay. It worked a treat, but it also entrenched them in the bottom end of the market with a clientele who were only prepared to buy their cars if they were cheap-and-cheerful.They have been working hard to move beyond the cheap-and-cheerful image and have been relatively successful with a string of better and well-built cars that deserve more respect, the small Getz hatchback among them.MODEL WATCHWhen you think of a Korean carmaker the first badge that comes to mind is Hyundai’s. It was the first Korean carmaker to hit our shores, in the 1980s, and is the most aggressive in world terms.Hyundai makes no bones about being a world carmaker, one that takes on the world with its own products, and they are becoming better and better with each new model.The Getz is Hyundai’s own in-house product, conceived to stand up against the best that Europe can produce and it does it pretty well.The styling is clean and attractive in a European sense. There is nothing glaringly absent in the design that sends you reeling out of the showroom; the Getz hatch presents a well balanced profile with lines that flow cleanly from neat front to functional rear.Inside, it has the space to make it competitive against the class leading small cars, and the layout to make it a pleasant place to be when stuck in city traffic.The great thing about the best small cars is the driving experience. The best compacts are nimble with well-balanced nippy handling, and are powered by engines that provide sufficient zip to make negotiating traffic easy and fun.By comparison the Getz was a little dull. The engines were willing, but the tallish gearing tended to suck the potential out of them.At the entry level there was a 1.3-litre single overhead camshaft engine putting out 60 kW at 5500 revs and 117 Nm at 3200 revs, but there was also a 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft engine that boosted that to 74 kW at 5800 revs and 133 Nm at 3200 revs.Behind that there was the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto.On the road the handling was acceptable. It wouldn’t bite you, but it was vague with rather dull steering. It was certainly not for anyone who enjoyed the thrill of driving, it was more for those who wanted simple transport and only cared about getting from A to B without really caring about the journey itself.Likewise its ride was also acceptable, but lacked damping. It tended to float over larger dips, but was hard and harsh on big bumps.The range was made up of three-door and five-door hatch models. The GL opened the bidding and was fairly basic. It came with power steering, engine immobilizer and four-speaker CD sound. Air became standard in 2003 and central locking were much needed additions to the features list in 2003.The FX five-door was better equipped with air, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors and alloy wheels.There was also the XL three-door that had the 1.3-litre engine and a little more fruit than the three-door GL.IN THE SHOPHyundai has had to endure some scathing criticism over the years as it has attempted to build credibility with buyers.Who could forget the Excel fiasco when management attempted to deny the existence of a serious problem with the welding of the front-end? They were eventually forced to own up and they came good with a fix, but the episode hurt the company and damaged the reputation of Korean cars in general.It’s a pity because the Excel was generally a reliable and robust little car and didn’t deserve the reputation it got.But in recent times Hyundai cars have got better and better, to the point they are now quite well built.Hyundai at least is confident it has got it right in offering a five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres.The Getz is a member of the new generation of Hyundais and is worthy of a look by anyone thinking of buying a small car and not wanting to spend lots of money.Check for a service record to confirm regular oil changes.Also check the body for dings and dents, looking for signs of panel repair, such as mismatching paint.IN A CRASHThe Getz was in the general mix for safety, but wasn’t considered one of the better performers in a crunch.A driver’s airbag was standard across the range, and a passenger’s airbag was added in 2003 making the post 2003 update model the better buy.AT THE PUMPWith average fuel consumption around 10 L/100 km the Getz isn’t the most fuel-efficient small car going around. Tall gearing holds the little Hyundai back and drivers tend to make up for the apparent lack of performance by pushing down on the gas pedal. That, of course, results in more, and more expensive visits to the gas pump.LOOK FOR• modest performance• tall gearing affects fuel economy• class average interior space• clean attractive styling• vague handling• underdamped rideTHE BOTTOM LINEA worthy try, but lacks the refinement of the best in the small car class.THE RATING60/100

Hyundai paved the way for the Korean carmakers to enter the local market and in many ways paid the price for it. When Alan Bond first brought them in back in the 1980s they were cheap and cheerful cars that were written off as inferior with poor build quality, hand-me-down technology and uncertain durability.In many ways they’re still carrying that tag even though the cars they’ve been selling in recent times are vastly improved.Hyundai is also regarded by some as the ‘Excel’ car company; it was the model they used to gain a toehold in the local market, even though they’ve worked hard to grow beyond the small car segment.The Sonata is a far cry from the Excel, but it is still thought of as cheap-and-cheerful.MODEL WATCHHyundai had been so successful with its marketing of the Excel to cash-strapped buyers with its innovative drive-away pricing policy it became a victim of its own success when everyone came to expect the same deal with all of its models.It became a problem when the company wanted to move beyond the small car segment and sell larger and more sophisticated models like the Sonata. For a time they simply didn’t sell, buyers perceived them as being of an inferior quality than the cars they were being sold against in the medium segment.While car companies often promote minor upgrades as being “all-new” Hyundai had every right to label the 1998 Sonata new for just about everything was renewed in one way or another.Most of the significant changes took place under the very Korean skin where it featured a new platform, new wishbone front suspension and a whole new family of V6 engines.The combination of wishbone front suspension and multilink independent rear was right up to the minute in technology terms, it was the perfect package for good ride and handling, which for the most part it turned out to be.Unfortunately much of the good work on the suspension was brought undone by the steering which had more kickback than had been seen for many years.Hyundai offered a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, the latter a responsive double overhead camshaft 2.5-litre unit which gave 127 kW at 6000 revs and 230 Nm at 3750 revs and ensured it had plenty of zip.The V6 was all new and got good reviews for its performance and fuel economy, while the double overhead camshaft four was carried over from the previous model and was also rated quite highly for its performance with 103 kW at 6000 revs and 180 Nm at 4600 revs.All of that power was channelled to the front wheels through either a five-speed manual gearbox or, in most cases, a four-speed auto.If the mechanical specification was praised there wasn’t the same ready praise for the Sonata’s styling, which tended to polarise opinion. Some loved it, others loathed it, as is the often the way with styling.While still very Korean the Sonata was a little less challenging to western eyes than earlier models. Its lines were cleaner which made it more appealing.The 2.0 GLE opened the range with plenty of standard features, including air-conditioning, keyless central locking, cloth trim, power windows and mirrors, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, and six-speaker sound.When you ticked the Classique box you also got alloys, six-stacker CD sound and a rear spoiler.The 2.5 GLS opened the V6 range and got everything the GLE got plus the V6 and a CD player.At the top of the range sat the 2.5 Levant, which came with dual airbags, ABS, leather, power driver’s seat and cruise.IN THE SHOPHyundais are generally quite reliable; they suffer few problems with the major mechanical components. If there is a consistent problem area it’s the electrics, which seem to be of a slightly inferior quality to their Japanese rivals.Owners often report misfiring, sometimes even a complete flameout to mechanics, and it’s usually traced back to the ignition leads. Replace them and the problem goes away, but it can be a costly business to replace the rear leads, which are tucked away at the back of the east-west mounted V6.Look for oil leaks around the engine, which can be costly to repair.Also ask for a service record as some owners tended to by Hyundais because of their low price and ignored their need to be serviced.IN A CRASHHyundai beefed up the body structure, doors and roof rails to better absorb the energy in a crash.It also fitted a lap/sash seat belt to the centre rear, which is often just a lap belt in other cars, and driver and passenger airbags were standard on the top range Levant.Other models missed out, which puts a dampener on the Sonata’s safety picture.OWNERS SAYRichard Kenny’s 2000 Sonata GLS V6 manual has done 69,000 km with few faults apart from the ignition leads, which required replacement at the 65,000 km service. He says he consistently gets a little over eight L/100 km around town, and it’s even more economical on long trips.Lindsay Morgan’s 2000 V6 Sonata has done 98,000 mostly troublefree kilometres. So happy is he with it that he rates it the best car he’s owned. His only gripes are that the suspension needs to be beefed up for use in the bush and he’s not keen on the look of the grille.LOOK FOR• Challenging looks• Good performance from four and V6• Sound engineering overall• Annoying kickback in steering• Good ride and handling• Electrical woes• Airbags only on top modelTHE BOTTOM LINEGenerally reliable, feature-laden, mid-sized sedan with mostly good road manners and performance.RATING65/100

It was early days for Korean carmakers when Hyundai unveiled its SCoupe in 1990. Hyundai was the first Korean company to arrive here and was still finding its feet in a sceptical market in the years before the Excel X3 broke through in 1994.The SCoupe brought another dimension to the Hyundai brand with its cute two-door coupe shape and impressive array of standard features at an affordable price.It represented an important step away from the Korean image of cheap basic transport and introduced some much needed emotion to an otherwise bland brand.MODEL WATCHWhen first launched there was just a single model which came with standard power steering, power windows, alloy wheels, a sporty tachometer, colour coded bumpers, and an AM/FM radio cassette player.Power was delivered by a Mitsubishi-derived 1.5-litre fuel-injected single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, which put out 62 kW at 5500 revs and 120 Nm or torque.Although modest the coupe’s performance was surprisingly spirited, while at the same time it returned amazingly low fuel consumption.There was a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic transmission with a floor shift, with final drive going through the front wheels.The single model was replaced by a two-model line-up in July 1991. The base model was stripped of its power windows and alloy wheels, while the LS retained them and got tinted glass as well.A further realignment followed a couple of months later when the base model was rebadged the LS and the LS became the GLS. Both had steel wheels and wheel caps as standard, alloy wheels were then an option on both models, and both featured a rear spoiler.A facelift in 1992 brought a new narrow slot grille and slim line headlights, along with a small power increase, to 68 kW and 132 Nm, and a hot turbocharged engine which boasted 84 kW and 168 Nm.The LS base model then had power steering, rear spoiler, tachometer, split-fold rear seat, with cloth trim and carpet. On top of that the GLS had power windows, colour-coded bumpers, alloy wheels, and four-speaker sound.If you stepped up to the Turbo you also got central locking, fog lamps, sports seats, sports suspension, and a leather wrapped steering wheel.IN THE SHOPThe best advice for anyone contemplating buying an SCoupe is to hang back and think about what it is you’re buying. Park your emotion for a moment and remember that you’re buying an old car, one that was cheap and cheerful when new and is now nearing the end of the road.Have it checked carefully by a mechanic or a motoring organization before you purchase it. A few dollars spent on a pre-purchase inspection could save you the nightmare of a troublesome car later on.Hyundai build quality was questionable and certainly variable back when the SCoupe was launched so listen carefully for squeaks and rattles when driving your prospective purchase.Also listen carefully for knocks and clunks in the suspension and driveline when driving, the SCoupe’s drive shafts are a known problem.Same with the gearbox, which can be noisy in the intermediate gears, and weak synchros can make second gear difficult to select.The engine is a Mitsubishi unit similar to that used in the Lancer and Colt. It’s relatively trouble free although it has been known to crack cylinder blocks, so carefully check around the engine for water stains that might indicate a leak.The SCoupe was nicely equipped given its low price, and included full electrics as standard on some models. Unfortunately Korean electrics were troublesome back then which can mean trouble today.Early Korean paint quality wasn’t great and many are suffering from paint fade, particularly some of the bright colours that are prone to fading anyway. Lack of regular cleaning and the occasional wax and polish exacerbates the problem.IN A CRASHThe SCoupe was given an average rating in the recent used car survey, which means its crash performance, both in protecting its occupants and its likely impact on other drivers, was quite good.There were no airbags fitted to the S Coupe.OWNERS SAYCampbell Laidlaw bought his SCoupe in 2001 with 113,000 km on the speedo. It now reads 215,000, and he says it’s fun to drive, handles quite well and servicing has been limited to book services.Tina Lazaridis drives a 1996 SCoupe and loves the styling, the performance, and roominess. It’s a great car and very affordable.M. Hargreaves bought a 1990 SCoupe when it was seven years old and with 147,000 km on the clock. Although told not to buy it because of the high km she loved the look and feel of it, and the extras. It was red with a sporty look without the sports car price, just right for a young girl looking for her first car. She drove it for five years pushing the odo reading up to 250,000 km before selling it when it became too small for her growing family. At the time of sale it was still going strong.LOOK FOR• Sporty styling still appeals• Spirited performance with good economy• Holds value quite well• Affordable first car• Mitsubishi mechanicals quite reliable• Average build quality• Troublesome electricsTHE BOTTOM LINEStylish and affordable first car for beginner drivers, but rising kays mean increased risk of trouble.RATING50/100

Hyundai paved the way for the other Korean carmakers to enter the Australian market and it remains the leader of the Korean pack. It wasn’t without its problems in the early days, but has evolved into a respected make that has earned its stripes in the Australian motoring landscape.The Accent resides in the period in which Hyundai was moving from a maker of cheap and cheerful cars with questionable quality and reliability to a producer of refined, durable cars as it is today.MODEL WATCHThe Accent was the replacement for the Excel, the small Hyundai that is perhaps best remembered for the chassis problem it suffered when someone forgot to weld the front end, but is generally well regarded by those who bought them and drove them for many, many thousands of kilometres and found them to be most reliable.Compared to the Excel the Accent was longer, wider and heavier, and rode on a longer wheelbase, but the interior and boot space was little different. That said Hyundai claimed that the head, leg and hiproom were improved.The styling was freshened with the Excel’s soft rounded curves replaced by sharper lines that were more attractive for the time.Hyundai offered three body styles in the range, consisting of a three-door hatch, a five-door hatch and a four-door sedan. The model range included the base GL sedan and three and five-door hatches that opened the range, the GS three-door hatch and the GLS five-door hatch.The Accent’s engine was a 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine of its own making. Peak power was 76 kW at 5800 revs and torque was133 Nm at 3000 revs.The Accent was no fireball, but it had sufficient get up and go to satisfy most owners.Buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto, both of which got the job done without much fuss, and final drive was through the front wheels.There was little to complain about with the Accent, but equally there was little to inspire. It was adequate rather than exciting, doing everything acceptably well if your priority was A to B transport.The model range opened with the GL, which was available in sedan and three and five-door hatch body styles, and came with power steering, immobilizer, digital clock, four-speaker AM/FM radio cassette sound, intermittent wipers and 60/40 split-fold rear seat.If you stepped up to the GS three-door hatch you also got a power antenna and power windows, a rear spoiler with high-mount stoplight, central locking, and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob.Further up the chain was the GLS, which could be had in sedan or five-door hatch styles, and came with power mirrors, air, and front fog lamps.IN THE SHOPLike the Excel the Accent was fundamentally sound, with durable engines, gearboxes and drivelines, but was often plagued by little things that could sour the experience.The engine has a cam timing belt so make sure it has been replaced as per the service schedule and not ignored by an uncaring or cash-strapped owner as can happen. Other than that make sure it has had regular oil changes.Ensure the auto transmission shifts smoothly and doesn’t stick in gear. If it sticks in third the pulse generator probably needs replacing.If there’s an issue with early Hyundais it’s in the peripheral systems and components, like the electrical system and associated bits and pieces. Wiring harnesses tended to be too tight, the wires often too short, and there were lots of reports of poor connections. Corroded connections were often reported to dealers.IN A CRASHAll models had a driver’s airbag and seat belt pretensioners for basic safety protection.ABS anti-lock brakes were an option and are worth having.AT THE PUMPThe Accent is quite a fuel miser and you could expect to see 7.0-8.0 L/100 km around town and 6.0-6.5 L/100 km on the open road.OWNERS SAYMerle Stomps doesn’t want to update her 2000 Accent simply because she doesn’t think she can buy a car that will give her as good a run as her Hyundai. She says it does 7.0 L/100 km, has good performance, and has been a pleasure to drive in the 240,000 km she has done in the seven years she’s owned it. During the warranty she had the clock and both side mirrors replaced, and there was a wiring problem with the air-conditioning, while she spent $300 on an ignition problem after the warranty expired.LOOK FOR• Robust and reliable engines• Modest performance• Good fuel economy• Reasonably roomy• Troublesome electrical systemTHE BOTTOM LINESolid, generally reliable basic transport as long as you don’t want a thrilling drive.RATING60/100