Buick LaCrosse vs Hyundai Azera: which is more reliable?
The Buick LaCrosse is ahead of the Hyundai Azera on the federal record, 80/100 against 75/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Buick LaCrosse
- 9 model years scored
- 711 owner complaints on record
- about 4 complaints per year on the road
- 31 recall campaigns, 16 safety-critical
- best year 2019 (90/100) · worst 2012 (43/100)
Hyundai Azera
- 7 model years scored
- 291 owner complaints on record
- about 3 complaints per year on the road
- 11 recall campaigns, 8 safety-critical
- best year 2015 (91/100) · worst 2013 (46/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: LaCrosse against Azera
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Buick LaCrosse
- Electrical System — 188 complaints
- Engine — 118 complaints
- Suspension — 89 complaints
Hyundai Azera
- Steering — 95 complaints
- Service Brakes — 64 complaints
- Engine — 45 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the LaCrosse's complaints concentrate in Electrical System, the Azera's in Steering. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Buick LaCrosse — avoid: 2012.
Hyundai Azera — avoid: 2012, 2013.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Buick LaCrosse prices at about $20,900 and a Hyundai Azera at about $16,100 — the Hyundai Azera is roughly $4,800 less, and they return 24.0 against 23.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Buick LaCrosse or the Hyundai Azera more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Buick LaCrosse scores 80/100 against the Hyundai Azera's 75/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Buick LaCrosse and Hyundai Azera years should I avoid?
Buick LaCrosse: 2012. Hyundai Azera: 2012, 2013. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Buick LaCrosse and the Hyundai Azera?
The largest complaint group on the Buick LaCrosse is Electrical System (188 complaints); on the Hyundai Azera it is Steering (95).
Is the Buick LaCrosse or the Hyundai Azera cheaper to own?
A recent used Buick LaCrosse prices at about $20,900 and a Hyundai Azera at about $16,100, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.