Hyundai uses the Smartstream, which is also known as Theta III, engines in their hybrid lineup, not the cursed Theta II engines. However. This is not an inherently good thing.

The Smartstream (also known as Theta III) engine was only released in 2018 which means major longevity issues would only just now begin to crop up, before any recalls would take place. The worst Theta II problems only began to appear 5 to 6 years after release once they started to reach the 60,000mi point en masse.

And the reason the Theta II engine was such garbage was also not just engineering design related, but also manufacturing. They were made with wide, loose (aka, cheap) tolerances that made them noisy and wear excessively, and often were not processed correctly after casting and machining leading to sand and metal debris being scattered about the engine. Have they really improved anything since then? It clearly helps sell cars by making them cheap, fuck the longevity.

And depending on who you ask, the Theta III is coming with it’s own host of awful manufacturing problems.

The prius is higher priced because it is 100% a better car, hands down, end of story. My parents have owned a prius for almost 10 years and 165,000 miles and it has been the best car they’ve ever owned, has required zero maintenance other than engine oil, brake fluid flushes every 30k, one transmission and coolant flush at 110k, and a few sets of tires. Toyota’s purpose built hybrid system is not even in the same LEAGUE as every other manufacturer who scabs hybrid systems onto existing engines.