Reliable Auto DB

2020 Hyundai Accent reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2020 Hyundai Accent holds 12 complaints after 7 years, a rate of 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 4 recalls on file, including Front and Latch.

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

12

Per year

2

Recalls

4

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (4 of 12), then Air bags (2) and Fuel and propulsion system (2). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Accent has 31 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2021 has 16 complaints, 4 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

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 2020 Hyundai Accent. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall seat belts, front 2022-05-19 · NHTSA campaign 22V354000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Remedy Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
Recall seat belts, front 2022-04-01 · NHTSA campaign 22V218000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Remedy Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Recall seat belts, front 2022-02-09 · NHTSA campaign 22V069000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Remedy Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-796. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
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 (12 total)

Engine
4
Air bags
2
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Speed control
2
Structure
2
Electrical system
1
Seat belts
1
Seats
1
Steering
1
Show 1 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120203202122022120232202432025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Airbag light turned on my dashboard and when I took it to the dealership -regional Hyundai in broken arrow in Oklahoma I was told by the rep that helped me that there is a defect in the passenger airbag and that it…"
    Air bags, Seats · filed 2025-08-17
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the exterior passenger's front and rear door handles detached while attempting to open the doors. The contact was able to…"
    Structure · filed 2025-08-12
  • "The contact owned a 2020 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, smoke was emitting from the vehicle. The contact was inside her residence and noticed the smoke from her window. Unknown if…"
    Engine · filed 2025-05-30
  • "I purchased my 2020 Hyundai Accent from Shirlie Slack Mitsubishi, in Fredericksburg, Virginia on [XXX]. It wasn't long after purchasing that I began experiencing difficulties with it. The car will shut off when it comes…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-11-13
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that the cruise control button had fractured. While driving with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. There were no warning lights…"
    Speed control · filed 2024-04-22

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Hyundai Accent 4 DR FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

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 Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 33 41 36 MPG $1800
Accent 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 29 39 33 MPG $1950

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 2019 Hyundai Accent Next year 2021 Hyundai Accent See every Hyundai Accent model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Hyundai Accent reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2020 Hyundai Accent holds 12 complaints after 7 years, a rate of 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 4 recalls on file, including Front and Latch.

What are common problems with a 2020 Hyundai Accent?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (4 of 12), then Air bags (2) and Fuel and propulsion system (2). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2020 Hyundai Accent more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Accent has 31 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2021 has 16 complaints, 4 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Hyundai Accent been recalled?

The 2020 Hyundai Accent has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Hyundai Accent?

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Accent with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Hyundai Accent get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Hyundai Accent is 34.5 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).