Hyundai Tucson years to avoid— and the best years
8 Tucson model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
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Every Tucson model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 #1 | B | 8 | 1 · 0.1/yr | 397 · 50/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2019 #2 | B | 7 | 1 · 0.1/yr | 380 · 54/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2020 #3 | B | 6 | 1 · 0.2/yr | 178 · 30/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2021 #4 | B | 5 | 1 · 0.2/yr | 79 · 16/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2017 #5 | C | 9 | 3 · 0.3/yr | 1,088 · 121/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2016 #6 | D | 10 | 5 · 0.5/yr | 1,620 · 162/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2022 #7 | C | 4 | 3 · 0.8/yr | 502 · 126/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2023 #8 | C | 3 | 2 · 0.7/yr | 178 · 59/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
The Tucson years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2023 Hyundai Tucson
The 2023 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 2 recalls in 3 years on the road (0.7 a year, 2 critical: trailer hitches, power train); 178 owner complaints to NHTSA, 59 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (42) and electrical (37)); owners reported 15 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2022 Hyundai Tucson
The 2022 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 3 recalls in 4 years on the road (0.8 a year, 1 critical: trailer hitches) — also structure, exterior lighting; 502 owner complaints to NHTSA, 126 a year (most often engine (160) and fuel system (156)); owners reported 31 crashes, 5 fires, 56 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA investigation DP22003 (closed, engine); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
The Tucson years the record favours
first 2 of 82018 Hyundai Tucson
The 2018 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 1 recall in 8 years on the road (0.1 a year, 1 critical: service brakes); 397 owner complaints to NHTSA, 50 a year (most often engine (252) and transmission and drivetrain (101)); owners reported 13 crashes, 9 fires, 10 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22003 (closed, engine); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2019 Hyundai Tucson
The 2019 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 1 recall in 7 years on the road (0.1 a year, 1 critical: service brakes); 380 owner complaints to NHTSA, 54 a year (most often engine (201) and brake (118)); owners reported 15 crashes, 11 fires, 10 injured; NHTSA investigation AQ23002 (open, service brakes); NHTSA investigation DP22003 (closed, engine); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Tucson years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Hyundai Tucson years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2022, 2023 rank lowest of the 8 Tucson model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2023 — a standing advisory, 2 recalls in 3 years (0.7 a year), 2 critical, 178 complaints (59 a year); the 2022 — a standing advisory, 3 recalls in 4 years (0.8 a year), 1 critical, 502 complaints (126 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Hyundai Tucson year to buy used?
The 2018 Hyundai Tucson has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal B, 0.1 recalls a year on the road and 50 complaints a year. The 2018 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 1 recall in 8 years on the road (0.1 a year, 1 critical: service brakes); 397 owner complaints to NHTSA, 50 a year (most often engine (252) and transmission and drivetrain (101)); owners reported 13 crashes, 9 fires, 10 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22003 (closed, engine); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2023 Hyundai Tucson reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2023 Tucson: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory (every ranked year carries one, so it separates none of them); 2 recalls in 3 years on the road (0.7 a year, 2 critical: trailer hitches, power train); 178 owner complaints to NHTSA, 59 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (42) and electrical (37)); owners reported 15 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Tucson have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 17 recall campaigns against the Hyundai Tucson, and owners filed 4,422 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.