- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 36
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Hyundai Accent
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 16
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V937000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Accent vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.
Consequence
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 213.
- 22V069000high
Safety restraint issue
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
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.
Consequence
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 22V311000high
Steering issue
STEERING:COLUMN
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Accent vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Consequence
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 226.
- 22V354000high
Safety restraint issue
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
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.
Consequence
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Hyundai Accent.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 11.3%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Hyundai Accent 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 9 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 11.3% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Hyundai Accent, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,700
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 248 g/mi
How this compares
At 36 MPG combined, the 2021 Hyundai Accent ranks 3rd of 15 compact cars EPA rated for 2021 — 3 MPG better than the 33 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,700, $150 less than the $1,850 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $8,500, a $750 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 248 grams per mile — about 3.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
16 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 16
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
Most reported components
- SEAT BELTS6
- ENGINE4
- WHEELS/TIRES4
- BRAKES1
- STEERING1
Notable Issues
16 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves injuries.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Hyundai Accent, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation RQ22003
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation RQ22003
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
- Recall
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
- Recall
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
- Recall
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.6L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S1)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,700
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation RQ22003
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation RQ22003
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
- Recall
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
- Recall
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.