Showing the 2016 Genesis R-Spec. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
18–22 mpgcombined; city 15–18, highway 23–28; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,760–$22,360U.S. average; Ohio $13,190–$21,070 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's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 Genesis. 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 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Genesis. 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
Electrical system
31
0
3
1
Engine
27
0
2
0
Unknown or other
13
0
0
1
Exterior lighting
12
0
0
0
Power train
11
0
0
0
Steering
8
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
6
0
0
0
Structure
6
0
1
1
Service brakes
5
1
0
0
Air bags
4
2
0
5
Service brakes, hydraulic
4
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
2
0
0
11 more parts
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
1
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
Seats
2
0
1
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
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 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 Genesis 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 (Genesis) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Hyundai Genesis, and 2017-2020 Genesis G80 vehicles. The front power seat motors may overheat due to a stuck power seat control switch, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until the repair has been performed. The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 7, 2026. Owners of Hyundai vehicles may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Genesis owners may contact Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai recall number for this recall is 308 and Genesis' recall number is 035G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 13, 2026.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Genesis, 2017-2019 Genesis G80, Genesis G90, and 2019 Genesis G70 vehicles. Water may enter the starter solenoid and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a remedy relay kit in the engine junction box, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 15, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 254(H) and 018G(G).
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Genesis and 2017-2020 Genesis G80 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short circuit inside the ABS module could cause an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS module fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 6, 2021. Owners can contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 201 and 006G.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016 Genesis Coupe vehicles. The mounting bolts securing the driver-side frontal air bag may have been insufficiently tightened, potentially causing the air bag to detach from the steering wheel.
Risk: A detached driver's air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the mounting bolts and retighten them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 192.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Sonata and Genesis vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the warning light to indicate that the parking brake is applied may intermittently not illuminate in the dash due to corrosion in the switch.
Risk: If the parking brake indicator is not illuminated when the parking brake is applied, the driver may operate the vehicle with the parking brake partially engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 164.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2016 Genesis Coupe vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, to June 11, 2016. The electrical harness connector for the front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) may dislodge when the seat is moved.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, the disconnected OCS would, by default, cause the first stage, and only the first stage, of the air bag to deploy, whether there is a child seat in the front seat and the bag should not deploy or if the crash is severe and both stages should deploy. Either scenario increases the risk of injury to the front seat occupant.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will secure the OCS connector to prevent it from disconnecting, free of charge. Parts are not currently available and a second letter will be sent to owners when parts are available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 151.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 87 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Genesis, the latest on Oct 7, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (25), power train (18), electrical system (15), equipment adaptive/mobility (11), seats (7).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Audit query AQ23002 Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
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 2016 Genesis.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: large cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Genesis Rear-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
18 / 28 / 22
Genesis Rear-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
16 / 25 / 19
Genesis All-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
16 / 25 / 19
Genesis Rear-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
17 / 24 / 19
Genesis Rear-Wheel Drive
5.0 L, 8 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
15 / 23 / 18
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
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