therood wrote:In general, post-1998 (or so) Kias and Hyundais haven't been terrible in Lemons, but I've theorized that Hyundai hit a quality peak somewhere around like 1999-2005 and Kia maybe a year or two later (they weren't even in the US before 1996 or something)? Enough to convince people that Koreans could build cars that, while unexciting, would get the job done and last.
After they had established that, the 10/100K warranty really just became a numbers game. So you have to replace a few engines and pocket $15,000 of warranty work on a $20,000 car one time out of every 20? Well, in the end, an industrial giant like Hyundai who only makes a small percentage of its money in cars can eat that and still come out ahead. So they've made the Wal-Mart brand appliance of cars for, I don't know, 10-12 years? I still see 2000-2005 Hyundais and stuff around, but you just don't see like a 2008 Elantra anywhere.
ANYWAY, those turn-of-the-century Hyundais and Kias have done reasonably well in Lemons. They're unspectacular, but they kind of just run. They're uncomplicated and probably largely predicated on using existing technology from other brands? I know Kia borrowed the Mazda BP engine for a few years and maybe the brand's internal engine designs are also based on that engine? Nobody—myself included—really knows much about them technically because they are boring as hell, frankly.
For something newer like the Soul, there is no Lemons track record, so maybe it's the magic bullet all along!
From my understanding, they got really, really good about 2005-2010. That generation of Sonata/Optima (the Sonata that looks like an '03-'05 Accord) just keep going and going and going.
And, then, they redesigned the car, direct injected the engine, and it all went to shit. My roommate has a 2016 Sonata with 74k miles that just had its engine replaced because the rod bearings failed. And, the kicker is - they all do that. His even lasted longer than a lot do. He wasn't the original owner, so no warranty, but there was a huge class action lawsuit, and the settlement was that they're covered for life for any shortblock failures - new engine & loaner car while it's being replaced. When the engine locked up as he was driving home, I went to go tow the car, and, wouldn't you know - no tow hooks or tow points. Anywhere. Went online, common complaint. They just didn't bother with anything. Just had to hook to the suspension and hope for the best. Plus, the A/C quit working 2 years ago. I was under the impression that Hyundai/Kia got kinda decent around the turn of the millenium, but, apparently, at least for 'certain cars' (i.e. anything with the 2.4 GDI), it was rather short lived.
All that to say, if you do see a newer Hyundai/Kia at a race, it seems very unlikely to finish the race.
Semi-Sentient Centenarians
1996 Buick Century - we upgraded our crappy GM sedan with parts from a crappy GM minivan.
"It's got a van motor, a 220 cubic inch plant, it's got van tires, van suspension, van shocks. It's a model with the catalytic converters ripped out so
it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it a racecar or what?" - Blues Brothers, Probably
