Hyundai Tucson reliability: what actually breaks

The Hyundai Tucson has earned its reputation, and there is data under it. Jalopnik reports that a 2023 Consumer Reports survey placed the compact SUV among the most reliable new SUVs priced under $30,000, and that the Tucson also made the magazine's list of reliable 3-year-old trucks and SUVs. J.D. Power has named it one of the most reliable certified pre-owned SUVs.

That reputation holds up over distance. Jalopnik reports that owners regularly take Tucsons to 200,000 miles on the original engine and transmission with proper maintenance, and that some have gone past 300,000.

Not every year is that car. Jalopnik's rundown of common Tucson problems lands on three areas: the transmission, the engine, and the air conditioning.

The transmission is the main event

Owners of 2010 to 2015 Tucsons have reported trouble with the six-speed automatic, including jerky or rough shifts, gear slipping, delayed shifts and a total loss of power while driving. Jalopnik reports that in some cases the transmission locks into one gear and will not shift into park.

The 2016 to 2018 cars are the ones Jalopnik calls far more serious, citing CarComplaints. Certain models with the 175-hp 1.6-liter turbo-four had problems with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and owners complained about hesitation under acceleration, lurching from a standstill, improper shifts and a gearbox that would not engage at all.

That splits the used market cleanly. A conventional automatic that shifts badly is a negotiation point on price. A dual-clutch that lurches from a stop and sometimes refuses to go into gear is a different proposition, and on the evidence Jalopnik lays out, the 2016 to 2018 turbo cars are the riskiest years in the lineup.

Engines: 2012, 2016 and 2017

Jalopnik names 2012, 2016 and 2017 as the worst years for engine complaints. The 2012 could be ordered with Hyundai's Theta II engine, known for connecting-rod bearing failures that stem from a manufacturing defect. Jalopnik reports that the failure raises the risk of a fire, a seized engine or complete engine failure.

The picture improves on the fourth generation. Gas models use Hyundai's Smartstream 2.5-liter dual-injected inline four, which Jalopnik reports has drawn praise as more reliable than the engine it replaced. It is not faultless: owners have reported oil consumption that runs high and fuel injectors that leak.

What it costs to keep

Running costs come in below the SUV industry average. CarEdge figures cited by Jalopnik put 10-year maintenance and repair at about $8,560, starting near $349 in the first year and rising to roughly $1,283 by year 10.

Hybrid buyers get different numbers. Edmunds data shows maintenance at $5,310 over five years, with no repair costs projected until year five, when they reach $700. Kelley Blue Book projects $6,624 in maintenance and $741 in repairs over the same period. KBB also puts total five-year ownership cost for a Tucson Hybrid at $59,203, of which repairs and maintenance are just over 12%.

For a used shopper, the question is not whether a Tucson lasts. It is which year you are standing next to.

The short version: the Tucson earned the awards, and the fourth-generation gas cars with the 2.5-liter engine are where the smart money sits. Anything from 2016 to 2018 with the dual-clutch is a used car that needs a specialist inspection before the price conversation even starts.

• Consumer Reports
• Hyundai
• Hyundai Tucson
• J.D. Power
• reliability
• used cars