Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4: which is the better used buy?

On the MOT measure, the Toyota RAV4: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 4.9 percentage points ahead of the Hyundai Tucson on first-time MOT passes, across 31,303 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. Its raw pass rate is the lower of the two (82.6% against 85.3%) because Toyota RAV4s on the road are older on average: cars of their age pass 77.7% of the time, against 85.2% for cars the age of the Hyundai Tucson fleet. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.

85.3% of Hyundai Tucsons pass their MOT first time (17,402 tests in DVSA's records) and 82.6% of Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT first time (13,901 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Hyundai Tucson's age average 85.2% and cars of the Toyota RAV4's age 77.7% — so the Hyundai Tucson runs level with its age group and the Toyota RAV4 runs 4.9 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Hyundai Tucson: The first UK plug-in hybrids arrived in spring 2021, and those early cars are the ones owners most often report battery cooling pump faults on. How often it happens is not known. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2021 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Judge a Tucson by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year. Toyota RAV4: The 2019 launch year carries the generation's DVSA safety recalls: R/2019/248 (the brake booster pump may stop working; built 26 April to 3 June 2019), R/2020/142 (the front lower suspension arms may have cracks; built 25 September to 25 October 2019) and R/2019/122 (the emergency calling system may not be enabled; early builds to April 2019). Owners of early cars also report phantom braking from the pre-collision system before its software update. A 2019 car should have evidence that any recall covering it was done. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Judge a RAV4 by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year.

On fuel it depends on the engine. Hyundai Tucson: 38–44 mpg for 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 42–49 mpg. Toyota RAV4: 48–50 mpg official WLTP combined for the 2.5 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet). WLTP figures are official lab results; your own driving can return a different figure. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4 registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.