MODELYEARINDEX

Which Hyundai Tucson years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2016, 2017 and 2019 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Hyundai Tucson Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2016 vs model median 9.8×
Model median3× median
Drivetrain 396
Engine 116
Speed Control 85
Avoid

2016 · 2017

Best

2010 · 2014

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.41× 33 B
2011
0.49× 49 C
2012
0.91× 57 C
2013
0.64× 43 C
2014
0.53× 40 B
2015
1.09× 69 C
2016
9.80× 879 F
2017
6.86× 548 F
2018
2.53× 209 F
2019
3.47× 283 F
2020
1.51× 141 D
2021
0.91× 68 C
2022 P
10.06× 768 F
2023 P
3.52× 271 F
2024 P
2.85× 211 F
2025 P
8.38× 670 F

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2016 F 879 reports · median 10,012 mi

  1. Drivetrain 396

    The problem that I AM having is when I start to accelerate going through the gears 1,2,3 and 4 there is a huge, pause/delay in shifting through the gears. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 116

    For "all" cars, when the heater is turned "on", the whole car fumes inside the vehicle where you must either pull the car and stop or open the windows. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Speed Control 85

    The contact owns a 2016 hyundai tuscon. The contact stated that while attempting to merge into traffic, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The contact mentioned that the transmission fluid over heated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 14 fire · 4 injuries

2017 F 548 reports · median 15,100 mi

  1. Drivetrain 192

    Transmission does not consistently shift through gears. Under acceleration, it will sometimes shift from 1-2- neutral instead of going into 3rd gear. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 103

    We just purchased a 2017 hyundai tucson sport. The car has a serious issue of no acceleration after a stop, merging, passing on the highway and turning at an intersection. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Speed Control 51

    Vehicle hesitates when accelerating from a slowed or stopped pace (I.e. Stop and go traffic, making left hand turns). When the gas pedal is pressed to go again, nothing happens. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 13 fire · 15 injuries

The best year for the Tucson

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2014 is the best-scoring Tucson model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 73.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2010 at 0.41× this model’s median, against 0.53× for 2014.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.53× 40 B
2010 0.41× 33 B
2011 0.49× 49 C

Recalls

26 campaigns on record, 5 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
13V113000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 2010, 2011 1,712,336
23V651000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2010–2013 1,649,478
20V543000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2016–2021 652,024
26V316000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 2025 423,062
22V056000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2014, 2015 357,348
14V245000 AIR BAGS 2011–2014 137,500
19V063000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 2011–2013 120,000
26V400000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2025 96,310
21V727000 ENGINE 2017 95,515
16V348000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH 2016 81,000
23V526000 Park it POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP 2023, 2024 52,109
25V893000 Park it TRAILER HITCHES 2022–2024 51,587

+ 14 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2016 were reported at a median of 10,012 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Hyundai Tucson years should you avoid?
2016, 2017, 2019 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Hyundai Tucson model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Hyundai Tucson?
2014 is the best-scoring Hyundai Tucson model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 73.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Tucson have?
26 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Hyundai Tucson model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Tucson
Complaints in window
879
Severity-weighted
1,181.5
Model median (weighted)
120
vs model median
9.80×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
7
Open investigations
0
Score 10 F