2008 Hyundai Accent

No photo available — body style shown for reference.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Airbags & Restraints

Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 35 of 101 complaints (35%) mention it.

Complaints filed rose from 88 in 2007 to 101 in 2008.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.
Category20062007200820092010vs. 2008 Compact Cars
Annual fuel cost ($)2,150–2,2502,150–2,2502,150–2,2502,1502,000–2,100
Combined MPG28–2928–2928–292930–31
City / Highway MPG25–27 / 32–3324–27 / 32–3324–27 / 32–3326–27 / 33–3527–28 / 34–36
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)306–317306–317306–317306287–296
Complaints filed438810110187Not compared
Recalls issued33121Not compared
Crash-involved complaints2111194Not compared
Fire-involved complaints01110Not compared
Injuries reported119944Not compared
Deaths reported10000Not compared
Configurations compared22223

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2008 Hyundai Accent have?

1 NHTSA recall campaign as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2008 Hyundai Accent?

Airbags & Restraints: 35 of 101 NHTSA complaints (35%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Hyundai Accent get?

EPA rates it 28–29 MPG combined across 2 configurations.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2008 Hyundai Accent?

EPA estimates $2,150–$2,250 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

EPA-Rated Configurations (2)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic 4-spd41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars24 mpg (low)33 mpg (high)28 mpg (low)$2,250 (high)317 g/mi (high)
Configuration 2Manual 5-spd41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars27 mpg (high)32 mpg (low)29 mpg (high)$2,150 (low)306 g/mi (low)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine90100
Transmission & Drivetrain20000
Fuel System20000
Electrical80100
Brakes121000
Steering20000
Suspension, Wheels & Tires40000
Airbags & Restraints357050
Driver Assistance & Speed Control21010
Body, Seats & Latches92020
Visibility & Lighting342020
Other90000

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (1)

  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH · Campaign 13V113000 · Apr 1, 2013

    Defect: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.