Reliable Auto DB

2018 Hyundai Accent reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Accent has 19 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Accent years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

2012 Hyundai Accent
Photo by Elise240SX, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

19

Per year

2

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (8 of 19), then Electrical system (3) and Service brakes (2). Those filings include 4 that report a fire and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Accent has 68 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2019 has 31 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Hyundai Accent. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, trunk lid, latch 2021-08-06 · NHTSA campaign 21V619000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Remedy Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Complaints by component (19 total)

Engine
8
Electrical system
3
Service brakes
2
Structure
2
Air bags
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Suspension
1
Show 1 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

4201822020120213202222023120243202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "This car burns through gas at an unbelievable rate. I have read that this is a common problem and Hyundai needs to address the problem - and REPAIR it - for all affected owners. I have about 75,000 miles and the problem…"
    Engine · filed 2026-05-06
  • "The break light came on. The local garage says I need a new master cylinder, and the dealer I purchesed the car from will not verify an extended warantee item or silent recall. This master cylinder part is all over the…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-05-06
  • "EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION = ENGINE FAILURE + NO WARRANTY HONORER"
    Engine · filed 2026-01-23
  • "I have to check my oil every other day. For some reason my car is sucking up all the oil and I don’t believe I should be putting oil in it every other day."
    Engine · filed 2025-10-27
  • "Oil consumption is bad and I keep getting an oil change every month and a half"
    Unknown or other · filed 2025-08-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Hyundai Accent 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Accent 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 37 31 MPG $2100
Accent 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2050

Specs and fitment

5th generation (HC), 2018–present
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 (1.6L Smartstream) , 4 qt capacity
Tire size 185/65R15 to 195/55R16 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 21V619000. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release." A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury. Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Hyundai Accent Next year 2019 Hyundai Accent See every Hyundai Accent model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Hyundai Accent reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Accent has 19 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Accent years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

What are common problems with a 2018 Hyundai Accent?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (8 of 19), then Electrical system (3) and Service brakes (2). Those filings include 4 that report a fire and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2018 Hyundai Accent more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Accent has 68 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2019 has 31 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Hyundai Accent been recalled?

The 2018 Hyundai Accent has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Hyundai Accent?

Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Accent with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Hyundai Accent get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Hyundai Accent is 31.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Hyundai Accent take?

RB (2012-2017) 1.6L Gamma: 5W-20 or 5W-30. HC (2018-on) 1.6L Smartstream: 0W-20. Confirm the manual for your year.

What does NHTSA campaign 21V619000 cover on later Accents?

Certain 2018-2020 Accent vehicles (with other Hyundai models): the trunk latch may become damaged, preventing opening the trunk from the inside.

When did the HC-generation Accent start?

Model year 2018 on this site (after RB 2012-2017).