Hyundai Tucson Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 · Best: 2008, 2009, 2010 — based on 5,688 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 4.27 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 5,688 NHTSA complaints, the Hyundai Tucson years to avoid are 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025 — the worst logged up to 6.3× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 43 | 25 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2009 | 18 | 5 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2010 | 57 | 40 | 4 | BEST | — |
| 2011 | 124 | 101 | 5 | SOLID | — |
| 2012 | 253 | 223 | 3 | CAUTION | — |
| 2013 | 265 | 225 | 3 | CAUTION | — |
| 2014 | 201 | 178 | 2 | SOLID | — |
| 2015 | 223 | 193 | 1 | SOLID | 2015 Tucson problems → |
| 2016 | 1,611 | 919 | 5 | AVOID | 2016 Tucson problems → |
| 2017 | 1,074 | 878 | 3 | AVOID | 2017 Tucson problems → |
| 2018 | 383 | 335 | 1 | AVOID | 2018 Tucson problems → |
| 2019 | 369 | 326 | 1 | AVOID | 2019 Tucson problems → |
| 2020 | 170 | 120 | 1 | CAUTION | 2020 Tucson problems → |
| 2021 | 72 | 60 | 1 | SOLID | 2021 Tucson problems → |
| 2022 | 361 | 266 | 3 | AVOID | 2022 Tucson problems → |
| 2023 | 123 | 67 | 2 | AVOID | 2023 Tucson problems → |
| 2024 | 84 | 38 | 4 | CAUTION | 2024 Tucson problems → |
| 2025 | 257 | 88 | 6 | AVOID | 2025 Tucson problems → |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Hyundai Tucson. Full methodology.
Tucson problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Hyundai Tucson problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Hyundai Tucson are engine, transmission, body. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Excessive oil consumption leading to engine failure
· Hyundai Tucson 2012–2021Corroborated by 34 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,958 engine complaints across 2012–2021, typically 30,000–110,000 miles.
Transmission judder / slipping / loss of power
· Hyundai Tucson 2016–2022Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 677 transmission complaints across 2016–2022, typically 92,520–119,479 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $10,955–$16,892.
Door latch failure / unable to open
· Hyundai Tucson 2013–2017Corroborated by 11 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 318 body complaints across 2013–2017, typically 52,000–105,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $649–$1,384.
Why these years stand out
2016 Hyundai Tucson: 1,611 owner complaints on federal record, 919 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2017 Hyundai Tucson: 1,074 owner complaints on federal record, 878 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2018 Hyundai Tucson: 383 owner complaints on federal record, 335 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2019 Hyundai Tucson: 369 owner complaints on federal record, 326 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2022 Hyundai Tucson: 361 owner complaints on federal record, 266 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2023 Hyundai Tucson: 123 owner complaints on federal record, 67 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
2025 Hyundai Tucson: 257 owner complaints on federal record, 88 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Tucson.
Know what to pay for the right Hyundai Tucson — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
Buying a used Hyundai Tucson? See what the seller isn't telling you.
The CarWhere Used Car Report checks salvage records, salvage-auction listings, stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail, and full market history for one VIN — $16.99, one time.
FAQ
What years of the Hyundai Tucson should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Hyundai Tucson years to avoid are 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Hyundai Tucson?
The 2008, 2009 and 2010 Hyundai Tucson show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Hyundai Tucson verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Hyundai Tucson's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Hyundai Tucson before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Hyundai Tucson reliable?
The Hyundai Tucson's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 5,688 NHTSA owner complaints, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025 rate "avoid", while 2008, 2009 and 2010 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Hyundai Tucson?
The most-reported problem area for the Hyundai Tucson is engine, followed by transmission and body. Confirmed failures include excessive oil consumption leading to engine failure, transmission judder / slipping / loss of power, door latch failure / unable to open. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Hyundai Tucson across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Hyundai Tucson, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.