Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2013 Hyundai Veloster has 426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most of them for the engine (172), followed by the electrical system (99). It gets 27 to 31 mpg combined and a 5-year fuel cost of $10,480 to $12,030 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA has 3 recall campaigns for the model year, covering brakes, electrical system and engine; these may apply to a given car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
27–31 mpgcombined; city 24–28, highway 31–37; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$10,750 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 2013 Veloster. 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 426 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Veloster. 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
Engine
172
0
23
1
Electrical system
99
0
10
1
Steering
59
1
0
0
Unknown or other
52
1
4
4
Power train
35
2
0
0
Visibility
24
0
1
4
Fuel/propulsion system
21
1
1
0
Structure
20
0
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
17
0
2
0
Vehicle speed control
14
1
1
0
Air bags
13
1
0
1
Service brakes
13
1
1
1
13 more parts
Visibility/wiper
12
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
8
0
0
0
Suspension
8
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
1
0
0
Seat belts
3
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
2
1
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Tires
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
1
0
Latches/locks/linkages
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 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Veloster 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally 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 replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Veloster vehicles. High conductive liquid may leak into the Reverse Park Aid Sensor (RPAS), which can result in an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the RPAS fuse and sensor, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 242.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013 Veloster vehicles that are equipped with 1.6 liter turbo engines. The engine management software may cause premature ignition (pre-ignition) of the air/fuel mixture in the engine. The resulting excessive cylinder pressure may damage the engine.
Risk: Engine damage can increase the risk of a fire or cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. The recall began May 14, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 182.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 171 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 Veloster, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (58), equipment (47), engine and engine cooling (28), power train (27), equipment adaptive/mobility (11).
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 2013 Veloster.
See used 2013 Hyundai Velosters for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
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: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 7–8 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Veloster Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 37 / 31
Veloster Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
27 / 37 / 31
Veloster Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 35 / 28
Veloster Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 31 / 27
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