Selling a junk or non-running Hyundai

Below is what the federal records say about Hyundai as a make: the 24 nameplates the EPA has listed since the 1986 Excel, which of them owners have complained about most, and a link to every model's own page.

From the Excel to the Ioniq 9

Hyundai's run in the EPA list starts with one small car, the Excel, in 1986. The Sonata follows in 1989 and is still there for 2027, which makes it the longest-running Hyundai name in the list. The Elantra arrives in 1992.

SUVs come later. The Santa Fe starts in 2001 and the Tucson in 2005. The Palisade joins for 2020, and the Santa Cruz for 2022.

The newest names carry the Ioniq badge. The Ioniq 5 starts with the 2022 model year, the Ioniq 6 with 2023 and the Ioniq 9 with 2026. Several older names have dropped out along the way: the Excel, Scoupe, XG, Tiburon, Entourage, Veracruz, Azera, Equus and the Genesis, which the list carries through 2016.

Where Hyundai owners' complaints pile up

Owners have lodged 55,873 complaints with NHTSA across the 24 Hyundai nameplates, by our October 10, 2026 tally. Four nameplates hold most of them:

The Sonata, Elantra, Santa Fe and Tucson add up to 42,047, roughly three of every four Hyundai complaints. They are also four of the oldest names still on sale, so they have had decades to gather reports. The Sonata, at 16,990, has nearly twice the Elantra's 9,196.

Read these as owner filings. Nobody has confirmed each one, and a tally like this says nothing official about reliability. The latest model years are behind too, because they haven't been driven for long. The Palisade reached 2,460 in a shorter run than any model above it, while the Ioniq 6 sits at 130 and the Nexo at 22.

What a Hyundai owner has in common

Every model on this page shares the same seller's question: is the repair worth more than the car? On an older Sonata or Elantra, a dead engine or transmission often tips that answer. Our guides walk through the choice when the engine has failed or the transmission is going.

If thieves broke the steering column or ignition trying to take it, that damage has its own guide: selling a Kia or Hyundai with theft damage.

Selling the whole Hyundai

There is no need to strip it first. The car leaves on a truck exactly as it is, from your curb, a parking garage or the lot where it broke down.

1. Note the year, model and mileage.
2. For a Hyundai, mention if it cranks, if it rolls, and what's broken or missing.
3. Say whether the title is in hand. Lost? Start with selling a junk car with no title.
4. Tell us where the car sits now.

Rather talk to someone? Call (877) 421-6008.

When it is gone, deal with the plates and paperwork.

All 24 Hyundai models

Each span runs from the first to the last model year the EPA has published. Recent data arrives late, which means a 2026 end date can belong to a Hyundai you can still buy new. Complaint counts are NHTSA complaints as of October 10, 2026.