Hyundai Lambda

The Hyundai Motor Group's V6, in 3.0, 3.3 and 3.8 litre forms — the engine of the larger Sonatas, the Santa Fe, Sorento, Palisade, Carnival and the Genesis models, and latterly in twin-turbocharged 3.3 T-GDI form for the performance range.

It is a chain-driven, all-aluminium 60° V6 with variable timing, and it has a good durability record: unlike the Theta four it never carried a bearing-failure campaign, which is the first thing to establish when an owner arrives having read about Hyundai engine recalls.

The practical faults are ordinary for the type. Direct-injected members accumulate intake-valve carbon; the timing chain and its guides wear at high mileage and announce themselves as a start-up rattle; and on the twin-turbocharged 3.3, heat management and oil condition matter far more than they do on the naturally aspirated versions. Access on the transverse installations is tight enough that rear-bank work is a substantially bigger job than front-bank work.