Why I Will Not Buy a Fourth Hyundai, or Any Hyundai for That Matter

Why I Will Not Buy a Fourth Hyundai, or Any Hyundai for That Matter

I never expected that my experience with a Hyundai Palisade would lead me to the conclusion that I would not buy another Hyundai. In fact, before purchasing the Palisade in 2023, I had already purchased two Hyundai i20 N Line vehicles for my sons. I considered myself a loyal customer who trusted the brand and was comfortable recommending it to others.

That trust has now been lost.

Many people assume that a customer becomes unhappy only when a vehicle experiences mechanical problems. That is not the case. Vehicles can and do develop faults, and manufacturers routinely repair them under warranty. What matters most is transparency, honesty, and how customers are treated when problems arise.

The greatest disappointment in my ownership experience was not the replacement of major components under warranty (first the engine and then the entire rear differential).

Rather, it was discovering that significant repairs, amounting to approximately R62,345, had been performed on the vehicle only two months before I purchased it, yet those repairs were never disclosed to me. I was only made aware of this when trying to sell the Palisade.

Had I been informed of those repairs before the sale, I would have been able to make a properly informed purchasing decision. I could have asked additional questions, sought further information, negotiated the purchase price, or even decided not to proceed with the transaction at all.

Instead, I purchased the vehicle without being given what I believe was material information that any reasonable purchaser would want to know.

The issue is not whether the repairs were ultimately successful. The issue is that consumers should be able to make informed decisions based on all relevant facts. When significant repairs have been carried out on a vehicle shortly before it is sold, transparency should not be optional.

My concerns deepened when the vehicle subsequently suffered MAJOR failures during my ownership. The rear differential had to be replaced, followed by the complete replacement of the engine under warranty. At the time that the rear differential was replaced, I was told by Hyundai that I had to replace all 4 tires (this cost me circa R27,000!)

Although the repairs were performed under warranty, the practical reality is that a vehicle with a replacement engine is viewed differently in the market. Whether justified or not, prospective purchasers often become cautious when they learn that a vehicle has undergone such a significant repair.

When I attempted to sell the vehicle during September 2026, I received 2 offers of R600,000 and R585,000 from a dealerships. However, the offers did not materialise SOLELY because the dealerships questioned the engine replacement and was not comfortable to proceed with the sale. I ultimately sold the vehicle to another dealer for R558,000, resulting in a shortfall of R42,000 compared to the value I reasonably would have realised.

The experience left me asking a simple question: would I have purchased this vehicle in the first place had I been told about the substantial repairs undertaken shortly before the sale?

The honest answer is that I do not know. What I do know is that I was never given the opportunity to make that decision with all the relevant information available to me.

Trust is built on transparency. Once that trust is lost, it is exceptionally difficult to regain.

For me, the issue extends beyond the Palisade itself. Buying a vehicle is one of the most significant purchases many consumers make. Customers should be entitled to expect full and honest disclosure regarding material repairs and matters that could influence their purchasing decisions.

My experience has left me questioning whether customer interests were given sufficient consideration throughout the process.

As a result, I have decided that I will not purchase a fourth Hyundai. More importantly, I will not purchase another Hyundai at all.

That decision is not based solely on mechanical issues. It is based on the belief that customers deserve transparency, informed choice, and confidence that material information will be disclosed before they commit to a purchase.

Unfortunately, my experience has left me with the opposite impression, and that is why Hyundai will no longer be my brand of choice.

PS - I have engaged Hyundai South Africa: Hyundai accepts that major warranty repairs were carried out to the vehicle and that I am dissatisfied with the resulting financial consequences. However, Hyundai's position is that its obligations were discharged when the engine and rear differential were replaced under warranty. Hyundai denies liability for the reduction in resale value, tyre replacement costs and other financial losses claimed, and further contends that pre-sale warranty repairs did not require disclosure because they were not accident-related or structural repairs. Hyundai nevertheless offered a marginal goodwill discount on a replacement Hyundai Tucson vehicle, which I declined (I declined because the discount was so insignificant that I could buy a similar Tucson with only 25km on the clock at a MUCH better price than what Hyundai had offered as a discount)