For the most part, Hyundai’s midsize Tucson SUV had a good decade in the 2010s. But the 2016 model, with over a thousand registered complaints and a bunch of electrical issues, is a major outlier.
Key Points
- Regardless of model year, the key to getting a good used Hyundai Tucson is low mileage, given that they won’t always cross the 200,000-mile line.
- The 2016 Tucson’s biggest issues concern the powertrain, with over 400 complaints on file. Other issues like loose hood latches contribute to this being the Tucson’s worst year.
- 2017 Tucson owners have registered fewer powertrain complaints than 2016 Tucson owners, but the car is currently under investigation for engine stalls and fires.
- If you can find a clean unit with low miles, the 2012 Tucson brings in few registered complaints and boasts high crash test scores.
- The 2018 Tucson offers drivers the best experience, with most still being in good condition, and delivering some big tech upgrades over the 2017 edition.
Worst Years: Loose Latches and Powertrain Problems Rank the 2016 Hyundai Tucson as the Most Troubled Model Year
By and large, 2010s models of the Hyundai Tucson will average a pretty low number of recalls at one or two. Registered complaints are also limited, with most years having just a couple hundred complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at most. The 2016 Tucson is a clear outlier at five recalls and over a thousand complaints.
Complaint categories are all over the place, with 173 over structure, 135 for electrical systems, and 102 for latches and locks. But the largest category is the powertrain, with 435 complaints on file.
The biggest issue with the powertrain is difficulty accelerating from a stop. This was addressed in a recall for 41,000 units in August 2016, but complaints continue to roll in as late as early-2022, with a handful of drivers reporting that their VINs were not included in the recall.
Combine that with hoods flying open, windows getting stuck, and lights flashing all over the dashboard, and there’s not much reason to invest in a 2016 Tucson when you could be driving something with fewer issues.
Consider the 2015 model if you want to go a little older, or the 2018 version if you want to go a little newer.
Worst Years: 2017 Tucson’s Able Performance and Low Price Offset by Potential Engine Fires, Excess Oil Consumption
The 2017 Hyundai Tucson takes a distant second place for worst model years behind the 2016 version, with three recalls and 487 complaints, and one worrying investigation for potential engine fires.
The SUV was already recalled once before, in September 2021, covering 95,515 units, all 2017 Tucsons and 2017 Sonata Hybrids. Premature wear in these cars’ bearing rods created a risk for engine stalls and fires. The investigation was launched in December that year to track recalled units and make sure everything was working out.
The investigation covers just about every Hyundai or Kia equipped with a Theta II engine. In addition to tracking the results of prior recalls, the aim is to determine whether these recalls need to be expanded.
Since the recall was issued, the only engine complaints, as of the time of this writing, have to do with excess oil consumption and a recall parts shortage. Hopefully, that means 2017 Tucson drivers are in the clear, but we won’t know for sure until the investigation concludes.
Best Years: The 2018 Hyundai Tucson Reports Few Complaints, Boasts Some Major Tech Upgrades Over the 2017 Model
By the time Hyundai released the 2018 Tucson, they had pretty much ironed out all the major problems with the previous model years. There have been a handful of complaints about slow acceleration, but nothing approaching the problems faced by the 2016 model.
The car was included in a recall for potential engine fires, but this applies to every Tucson from the 2014 edition to the 2021 model. If you want to buy a Hyundai Tucson that wasn’t included in this recall, you’ll want to buy a brand new model, or go back to a 2013 or earlier.
The 2018 version is the best used Tucson available right now in part thanks to having far fewer safety concerns than the 2017 model, but also thanks to the upgraded multimedia system, which includes Bluetooth connectivity even at the entry-level trims.
In short: this is the cheapest Tucson you’re going to find on the used market that still feels brand new.
Best Years: 2012 Hyundai Tucson May Be the Best Value You Can Get On a Used SUV, but Only if You Can Find One With Low Miles
The newer the Hyundai, the better. Usually. It’s difficult to find one that’s more than five, six years old that’s still in good condition and with low miles. But, if you can find an early 2010s Tucson that doesn’t have too much wear and tear on it, the 2012 model is remarkably decent for its age and can be had for a steal.
The SUV holds a four-star rating with the NHTSA, but was awarded a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It tallies just two recalls and 196 complaints on the NHTSA website, and it averages less than $500 a year in maintenance costs.
When a car passes the 10-year mark, no matter how reliable it is, you’re going to have to expect some problems now and then. So this car is hard to recommend over a newer Tucson.
But, with a Kelley Blue Book value starting at under $10,000, it’s a solid A-to-B-mobile if you don’t want to shell out for new-car prices.
The 2013, 2014, and 2015 models report similar stats and sell within the same price range, give or take a couple grand. So if you’re shopping for an older vehicle, you might as well put all three on the list and buy whatever you can find with less than 100,000 miles on it.
Photos: Hyundai
