Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
30–31 mpgcombined; city 27–28, highway 34–36; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$10,830U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$9,680 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2010 Accent. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Accent. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Service brakes
17
3
0
1
Exterior lighting
16
0
0
0
Electrical system
12
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
11
0
0
1
Air bags
10
3
0
3
Visibility
8
0
0
0
Engine
7
0
0
0
Steering
7
1
0
1
Unknown or other
6
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
5
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
4
0
0
0
Suspension
4
1
0
1
7 more parts
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Tires
3
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
0
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Power train
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, electric
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
1
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2010 Accent over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Hyundai Accent vehicles manufactured March 1, 2009, to February 11, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the brake light switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning brake light 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 brake light switch may also prevent the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the brake lights during braking or the inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 1-855-671-3059 or by visiting www.HyundaiUSA.com/Campaign131. Hyundai's number for this recall is 131. This recall is an expansion of 13V-113.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 38 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2010 Accent, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (8), electrical system (6), equipment adaptive/mobility (6), power train (6), engine and engine cooling (5).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2010 Accent.
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data