Engine code requests are one of the most common things we hear from B2B buyers, and it's easy to see why: the wrong code means the wrong engine, wrong mounts, and wrong wiring harness. Hyundai and Kia use a consistent 4-character code system across almost every model they've built, so once you understand how to read it, identifying the right used engine gets a lot easier. This is our full reference guide to that system and the engine families behind it.
How to Read a Hyundai/Kia Engine Code
Every code follows the same 4-character structure, for example G4KF, D4CB, or G3LD:
- Position 1 — Fuel type: G (gasoline), D (diesel), L (LPG/LPi), H (hybrid-only), F (hydrogen fuel cell)
- Position 2 — Cylinder count: 3 (inline-3), 4 (inline-4), 6 (V6), 8 (V8)
- Position 3 — Engine family: F (Gamma / Smartstream G1.6), C (Kappa), N (Nu), K (Theta), G (Lambda), E (Tau), A/B (R-engine / D-engine), and others
- Position 4 — Displacement/spec variant: a letter (A, B, C, D, E, F...) distinguishing displacement or spec within the same family
If you have an old engine's ID plate but the number is worn or partially readable, matching the first two characters (fuel + cylinder count) is usually enough for us to narrow down the family and confirm the rest from the vehicle model and year.
Gasoline & LPG Engines
Inline-3 / Inline-4, Compact to Mid-Size
| Family | Code | Displacement | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kappa | G3LA / G3LD | 1.0L | Morning, Ray, Casper |
| G3LB | 1.0L Turbo | Morning Turbo, Ray Turbo | |
| G4LA | 1.2L | Export i10, i20, Stonic | |
| G4LC | 1.4L | Accent RB, Pride YB, i30 | |
| Kappa | G4LD | 1.4L Turbo | i30 PD, Elantra/Avante |
| Gamma | G4FA | 1.4L | Pride UB, Accent, i20 |
| G4FC | 1.6L MPI | Avante/Elantra HD/MD, Forte, Accent | |
| G4FD | 1.6L GDi | Avante/Elantra MD/AD, K3, Tucson TL | |
| G4FJ | 1.6L T-GDi | Avante AD Sport, K3 GT, Soul, Veloster | |
| G4FG | 1.6L MPI | Export Accent / Solaris / Rio | |
| Smartstream G | G3LE / G3LF | 1.0L / 1.0T | Casper, Morning PE, Export Venue |
| G4FM | 1.6L MPI | Avante/Elantra CN7, Venue, K3 BD | |
| G4FP | 1.6L T-GDi | K5 DL3, Sonata DN8, Sorento MQ4, Sportage NQ5 | |
| G4FS | 1.5L T-GDi | China export models | |
| Nu | G4NA | 2.0L MPI | Tucson, Sportage, K5, Sonata |
| G4NC | 2.0L GDi | i40, Carens | |
| G4ND / G4NE | 2.0L CVVL | K5 JF, Sonata LF | |
| G4NH | 2.0L Atkinson | Kona, Elantra (NA market) | |
| L4NA / L4NB | 2.0L LPi | K5, Sonata LPi | |
| Theta / Theta II / III | G4KA / G4KB | 2.0L / 2.4L | Lotze, NF Sonata |
| G4KD / G4KE | 2.0L / 2.4L MPI | YF Sonata, K5, Sportage R, Santa Fe | |
| G4KF | 2.0L Turbo | Genesis Coupe 2.0T | |
| G4KG / G4KJ | 2.4L GDi | Grandeur HG/IG, K7, Sonata LF | |
| G4KH / G4KL | 2.0L T-GDi | Stinger 2.0T, G70 2.0T, Santa Fe TM | |
| G4KN | 2.5L T-GDi | Sorento MQ4, Santa Fe MX5, G80, GV70 | |
| G4KM / G4KR | 2.5L MPI/GDi | Sonata DN8 2.5, Grandeur GN7 2.5 | |
| G4KH (N-Spec) | 2.0L T-GDi | Veloster N, Avante N, Kona N |
V6 / V8, Large & Performance
| Family | Code | Displacement | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mu | G6EA / L6EA | 2.7L V6 | Tucson, Sportage, K7 LPi, Grandeur TG |
| Delta | G6BA | 2.7L V6 | Tuscani, Trajet, Santa Fe SM |
| Lambda I/II/III | G6DA / G6DB | 3.8L / 3.3L V6 | Equus, Genesis BH, Mohave |
| G6DG / G6DH | 3.0L / 3.3L GDi | Grandeur HG/IG, K7 | |
| G6DJ / G6DK | 3.8L GDi | Palisade, Genesis DH/G80 | |
| G6DP | 3.3L T-GDi | Stinger 3.3T, G70, EQ900, G90 | |
| G6DT / G6DU | 3.5L / 3.0L LPi | K8, Grandeur GN7, Carnival KA4 | |
| G6DS | 3.5L T-GDi | Genesis G80, GV80, G90 | |
| Tau | G8BA | 4.6L V8 | Genesis BH, Export Mohave |
| G8BE | 5.0L V8 GDi | Equus VI, K9/K900, G90 |
Diesel Engines (CRDi / TCI)
Passenger & SUV Diesel
| Family | Code | Displacement | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| U / U2 / Smartstream D | D3FA | 1.1L (3-cyl) | Export i10, i20 diesel |
| D4FC | 1.4L | Pride UB, Accent RB diesel | |
| D4FB | 1.6L VGT | Avante/Elantra HD/MD/AD, K3, i30 | |
| D4FD | 1.7L VGT | i40, Carens, Tucson TL 1.7 | |
| D4FE | 1.6L Smartstream | Tucson NX4, Sportage NQ5 diesel | |
| D-Engine (older) | D4EA | 2.0L VGT | Santa Fe SM/CM, Tucson JM, Sportage KM |
| D4EB | 2.2L VGT | Santa Fe CM 2.2 | |
| R-Engine / Smartstream D | D4HA | 2.0L CRDi | Santa Fe DM/TM, Sorento R/UM, Tucson, Sportage |
| D4HB | 2.2L CRDi | Santa Fe DM/TM, Sorento, Carnival YP | |
| D4HD | 2.0L Smartstream | Tucson NX4, Sportage NQ5 | |
| Smartstream D2.2 | D4HE | 2.2L (aluminum) | Sorento MQ4, Santa Fe TM PE, Carnival KA4 |
| S-Engine (V6 diesel) | D6EA / D6EB | 3.0L V6 CRDi | Veracruz, Mohave (S1/S2) |
| Genesis Inline-6 Diesel | D6JA | 3.0L L6 CRDi | Genesis GV80 |
Light Commercial Diesel (Porter, Bongo, Starex)
| Family | Code | Displacement / Type | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| A / A2 | D4CB | 2.5L CRDi | Porter II, Bongo III, Grand Starex/H-1, Solati |
| TCI / NA (older) | D4BH (4D56) | 2.5L TCI (mechanical) | Galloper, Porter I/II, Bongo Frontier, Santa Fe SM |
| J-Engine (older) | J2 / J3 (JT) | 2.7L / 2.9L | Bongo III 2.7, Carnival I/II, Terracan |
Classic Engines (1980s–2000s)
From Hyundai's Mitsubishi and Mazda technology-partnership era — still relevant for older fleet vehicles still running in some export markets.
| Family | Code | Displacement | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orion | G4AJ / G4AK | 1.3L / 1.5L | Pony, Stellar, Excel, Scoupe |
| Sirius | G4JS / G4CS | 2.0L / 2.4L | Sonata I/II/III, Santamo, Grandeur I/II, Sorento gen 1 gasoline |
| Alpha (first in-house design) | G4EH / G4EK | 1.3L / 1.5L (Turbo) | Scoupe Charlie, Avante (older), Verna |
| Beta | G4CP / G4GC | 1.8L / 2.0L VVT | Tiburon, Tuscani, Avante XD, Tucson JM |
| Sigma | G6CT / G6CU | 3.0L / 3.5L V6 | Equus LZ, Dynasty, Grandeur XG |
Heavy Commercial Diesel (Bus & Truck)
| Code | Displacement | Type | Common Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| D4GA | 3.9L | F-Engine CRDi | County, Mighty |
| D6GA | 5.9L | G-Engine CRDi | Mega Truck, Green City bus |
| D6AB / D6AC | 11.1L | Q-Engine (older) | Aero City, Power Truck |
| D6HA / D6HC | 10.0L / 12.0L | H-Engine CRDi | Universe, Trago, Xcient |
| D6CC / D6CE | 12.3L / 12.7L | Powertec / L-Engine | Universe, Xcient large truck |
Looking for a Specific Engine Code?
This list covers the engine families we most commonly source and export as used units, but coverage can change based on what's currently coming off retired vehicles in Korea. If you have a code, a chassis number, or just the vehicle model and year, send it to us and we'll confirm current availability, testing status, and pricing.
Need a specific Hyundai or Kia engine code sourced from Korea? Contact HNS KOREA with your code or vehicle details for a fast quote.
Related parts catalogs
Browse our catalogs by category and model: engine parts, transmission parts, chassis parts, body parts, trim parts, or find your vehicle in the Hyundai & Kia model list, KGM, Renault Korea and GM Korea catalogs.