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Hyundai Tucson Reliability by Year

Every gasoline Tucson model year from 2005 to 2025, scored on reported failures weighted against how many were sold — and ranked against every other Compact SUV of the same year.

Scored separately as its own vehicle: Tucson Hybrid (2022–2025), Tucson Plug-In Hybrid (2022–2025).

The short answer

Best model year
2009
#1 of 24 that year
Year to avoid
2016
#21 of 21 that year
Latest scored
2025
#37 of 42

Across 21 scored model years the Tucson needs fixing more often than its class, but when it does, repairs cost about what you would expect. The spread between years is what matters: 2009 is its strongest, 2016 its weakest.

Every model year, scored

Longer bar is better. Rank is against every Compact SUV sold that same model year.

YearRelative standingClass rankPctl
2005#8 /1756th
2006#4 /2084th
2007#1 /22100th
2008#3 /2290th
2009#1 /24100thBest year
2010#5 /2180th
2011#6 /1972th
2012#14 /1824th
2013#16 /1812th
2014#17 /2120th
2015#17 /2327th
2016#21 /210thAvoid
2017#24 /240th
2018#22 /2719th
2019#25 /3120th
2020#19 /3547th
2021#12 /3568th
2022#27 /3728th
2023#18 /4259th
2024#16 /4465th
2025#37 /4212th

The line has moved around across 21 model years, with its weakest stretch in 2012–2019. Recent years have been slipping. This 2025 car falls in a middling stretch.

What tends to break

All 12 systems, measured against the class average for each model year.

Every Tucson model year is scored across 12 separate systems — engine, transmission, brakes, electrical, steering and suspension, structure, interior, and five more. Each system is compared against how often that same system fails on the average Compact SUV of the same year, so a common failure is judged against how common it is everywhere else.

Across the last three model years (2023–2025), the trouble concentrates in one place: electrical & electronics. That system draws issue reports more often than the same system on the average Compact SUV of its year — which changes what you should be inspecting before you buy.

Full Dashboard Preview

Real charts, sample vehicle. Open the lookup to see these for your Tucson.

Reliability Matrix Sample Chart

2018 Mid-Size SUVs

Your Tucson is plotted against 42 rivals from 2025.

Look up your Tucson →
better than classtypicalworsebubble = units sold

System Breakdown Sample Chart

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Your Tucson is scored the same way, for every model year.

Look up your Tucson →
below class averageabove class average

Common questions

What is the best year for a used Hyundai Tucson?

2009 is the strongest Tucson model year on record, ranking #1 of 24 Compact SUVs that year.

Which Hyundai Tucson years should I avoid?

2016 is the weakest year in the model's history, ranking #21 of 21.

Is the latest Tucson reliable?

The 2025 Tucson ranks #37 of 42 Compact SUVs — the lower half of its class.

Where does this data come from?

Failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes so a high-volume model is not penalised for selling well, then benchmarked within segment and model year.

See the full picture for your Tucson

All 12 systems scored, the whole class plotted, and a downloadable Full Model Report for any year — 6,000+ vehicles in the dashboard.

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How this was built. Scores derive from failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes and benchmarked within segment and model year. We measure two separate things: Fix Frequency — how often a vehicle needs fixing — and Fix Severity — how costly those fixes are. These figures describe a model line, not the specific vehicle in front of you; trim, mileage and service history still decide an individual car.