Hyundai Tucson Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Hyundai Tucson fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 197,514 MOT tests across 14 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
87%
Hyundai Tucson pass rate
83%
Hyundai average
82%
All-model average
The Hyundai Tucson has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 4 points above the Hyundai average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Hyundai Tucsons pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 18 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Hyundai Tucson Fails Its MOT On
Of the 22,384 MOT tests on the Hyundai Tucson that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Brakes
41%Cars and vans the same age: 20% (the Tucson fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
24%Cars and vans the same age: 28% · Typical repair £50-£300
Lights and electrics
18%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the Tucson fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
17%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
Suspension
12%Cars and vans the same age: 24% (the Tucson fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (19% of failed tests, brakes)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (12% of failed tests, tyres)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.5% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Hyundai Tucson Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Tucson year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Hyundai Tucson Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.6L | 90% | 9% | 93% (-3) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 1.6L | 90% | 10% | 92% (-2) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.6L | 90% | 10% | 91% (-1) |
| 2018 | Diesel | 1.7L | 89% | 11% | 89% (0) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 1.7L | 86% | 13% | 87% (-1) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 1.7L | 86% | 14% | 86% (0) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 1.7L | 83% | 16% | 84% (-1) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 78% | 21% | - |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 75% (-4) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 74% (-3) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 70% | 28% | 73% (-3) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.0L | 67% | 32% | 73% (-6) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.0L | 67% | 31% | 73% (-6) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.0L | 67% | 32% | - |
Hyundai Tucson Running Costs
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Hyundai Tucson FAQ
What are the most common Hyundai Tucson problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Hyundai Tucson that failed at the first attempt most often failed on brakes (41% of the 22,384 failed tests), tyres (24%) and lights and electrics (18%). The single most common fault was "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick" (19%). Across 197,514 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Hyundai Tucson reliable?
The Hyundai Tucson has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 197,514 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Hyundai Tucson years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2006 (67% of 2,303 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars), the 2005 (67% of 2,062 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2009 (71% of 1,185 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Hyundai Tucson faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Hyundai Tucson typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Hyundai Models
Common problems pages for other Hyundai models