Hyundai Tucson Common Faults in the UK
NX4, 2020+ — compact crossover SUV. Updated 6 October 2026.
This guide covers the NX4, 2020+ only. Older Tucson generations have different engines and faults — for one of those, see how to check any car for known faults.
The NX4 Hyundai Tucson (2020+) is a fixture of the UK's top ten best-sellers and broadly reliable. Concerns: 1.6 T-GDI smart-stream engine had early oil-consumption claims (largely settled), PHEV battery cooling pump issues, and pre-2023 infotainment freezes. Long warranty mitigates most risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: no single year stands out on DVSA MOT results.
Largest DVSA recall for the Tucson: R/2024/489, 3,225 vehicles — The subject vehicles may experience a loss of brake assistance and brake performance may e reduced. The foot brake will still operate but in a manner of a vehicle without a functioning brake booster (less assistance).
90.7% of Hyundai Tucsons registered 2020–2022 pass the MOT on the day (cars fixed during the test included), level with all cars registered in those years (90.3%). These are the cars this guide covers that were 3 to 12 years old when DVSA tested them in 2025, counted from 5,982 DVSA tests; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Counting every registration year DVSA holds for the Hyundai Tucson (2015–2022), which includes generations this guide does not cover, 85.3% pass on the day (cars fixed during the test included), from 17,402 tests.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓The asking-price figures above are the middle 80% and the median of what sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026 — not what buyers pay — for Hyundai Tucson cars registered from 2020. They are worked out from the cars on sale when this page is generated, and none is shown when fewer than 10 cars qualify. The road tax line comes from GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables (2026/27 rates). The other quick-stats values are indicative editorial estimates aggregated from owner-forum sentiment, recall data and reliability surveys. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
Post-2023 software updates resolved most infotainment freezes. Some cars built up to September 2023 are covered by DVSA brake-assist recall R/2024/489, so check it has been done.
2023 and 2024 cars are too new for the DVSA table below, so there is no MOT record behind them yet.
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.
Known faults — Hyundai Tucson NX4, 2020+
How to read this list. Items marked Safety recall are DVSA safety recalls, shown with DVSA’s own reference. Whether a particular car is affected depends on when it was built: check it by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. Everything else in this list is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but we hold no count of how many cars have each one, other than any survey share a card itself quotes. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
Brake assistance (safety recall)
- Symptoms
- DVSA recall wording: loss of brake assistance, so braking performance may be reduced. The foot brake still works, but like a car without a working brake booster
- Years affected
- Certain Tucson NX4 built 12 September 2022 to 7 September 2023 (3,225 cars)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under the recall at a Hyundai dealer
- What to check before buying
- Check the registration on GOV.UK’s recall check and ask for the Hyundai dealer record showing R/2024/489 was done.
1.6 T-GDI smart-stream oil consumption
- Symptoms
- Oil level drops between services; rough idle; rare warning
- Years affected
- 2020–2022 1.6 T-GDI
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Often goodwill from Hyundai UK under 5-yr warranty; out-of-warranty engine rebuild £3,500+
- What to check before buying
- Dipstick at viewing. Service history: any oil top-ups recorded? Hyundai goodwill claim history.
PHEV battery cooling pump
- Symptoms
- "Hybrid system" warning; battery thermal management warning; reduced EV range
- Years affected
- 2021–2022 PHEV (Hyundai UK launched the Tucson plug-in hybrid in March 2021)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Under warranty within 5 years; out of warranty £1,200+
- What to check before buying
- PHEV battery health check at Hyundai dealer (£30–£50). Compare the EV-only range the car shows on a full charge with the official WLTP electric range for that model: a large shortfall on a mild day suggests the battery has degraded.
Infotainment freezes
- Symptoms
- Screen unresponsive; CarPlay drops; reboot needed
- Years affected
- 2020–2022
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under software update at Hyundai dealer
- What to check before buying
- Software version on test drive — should be post-2023 update.
Front suspension bushings (UK roads)
- Symptoms
- Knocking on rough surfaces; advisory on MOT
- Years affected
- All NX4 — 50,000+ miles
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £250–£400
- What to check before buying
- Rough-road portion of test drive.
Power liftgate motor (Premium / Executive trims)
- Symptoms
- Liftgate slow or stuck
- Years affected
- All NX4 with power tailgate
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £450–£700 motor unit
- What to check before buying
- Open/close power tailgate twice during inspection.
Hyundai Tucson MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the Tucson was higher in 1, lower in 1 and level in 6 of the 8 registration years from 2015 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap below is 2020 registrations: 85.6% against 88.7% for all cars registered that year. The widest gap above is 2021 registrations: 92.3% against 90.1%.
Pass rate here: passed on the day, cars fixed during the test included. Rows: every Hyundai Tucson DVSA tested in 2025, by registration year (2015–2022), all engines and fuels together. 2015–2019 registrations are older generations of the Tucson than this guide covers, shown for comparison; the guide’s own cars start in 2020. A registration year cannot separate two generations exactly when one replaced the other part-way through a year.
| Registered | Tucson | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20222,697 tests | 91.9% | 91.2% | +0.7 level |
| 20211,997 tests | 92.3% | 90.1% | +2.2 higher |
| 20201,288 tests | 85.6% | 88.7% | −3.1 lower |
| 20192,762 tests | 86.4% | 86.9% | −0.5 level |
| 20182,721 tests | 84.0% | 84.5% | −0.5 level |
| 20172,642 tests | 81.9% | 82.2% | −0.3 level |
| 20162,225 tests | 81.0% | 79.4% | +1.6 level |
| 2015541 tests | 77.1% | 76.7% | +0.4 level |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the Tucson was higher in 2 and level in 1 of the 3 mileage bands with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (3 bands)
| Mileage | Tucson | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20k–40k4,935 tests | 90.8% | 89.8% | +1.0 higher |
| 40k–60k5,033 tests | 86.0% | 84.8% | +1.2 higher |
| 60k–80k3,397 tests | 80.7% | 80.5% | +0.1 level |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Hyundai Tucson: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months) (3,459,000 tests). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 541 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Family buyers wanting low-stress modern SUV with Hyundai's 5-year unlimited-mileage warranty (within service-record terms).
Buyers needing premium badge feel; very high-mileage motorway commuters (diesel alternatives more efficient).
Alternatives to consider
If the Hyundai Tucson doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
Hyundai Tucson: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Hyundai Tucson in the UK?
The NX4 Hyundai Tucson (2020+) is a fixture of the UK's top ten best-sellers and broadly reliable. Concerns: 1.6 T-GDI smart-stream engine had early oil-consumption claims (largely settled), PHEV battery cooling pump issues, and pre-2023 infotainment freezes. Long warranty mitigates most risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: no single year stands out on DVSA MOT results.
What is the best year to buy a used Hyundai Tucson in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2023, 2024. Post-2023 software updates resolved most infotainment freezes. Some cars built up to September 2023 are covered by DVSA brake-assist recall R/2024/489, so check it has been done.
What years of Hyundai Tucson should I avoid in the UK?
No specific year of the NX4, 2020+ Hyundai Tucson is generally avoided. 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.
How much does a used Hyundai Tucson cost in the UK in 2026?
What sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026, for Hyundai Tucson cars registered from 2020: £10,290–£19,995, median £11,995 — the range is the middle 80% of asking prices. Those are asking prices, not what buyers paid, and not a UK price index. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Hyundai Tucson in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
What real-world fuel economy does a Hyundai Tucson achieve on UK roads?
Typical real-world consumption: 38–44 mpg for 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 42–49 mpg.
How does a Hyundai Tucson compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai J12, Toyota RAV4, Skoda Karoq. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Hyundai Tucson most suitable for?
Family buyers wanting low-stress modern SUV with Hyundai's 5-year unlimited-mileage warranty (within service-record terms).
Who should NOT buy a Hyundai Tucson?
Buyers needing premium badge feel; very high-mileage motorway commuters (diesel alternatives more efficient).
Are there safety recalls on the Hyundai Tucson?
DVSA lists 1 safety recall for the Hyundai Tucson that this guide shows or names, the largest first: R/2024/489 (3,225 vehicles, built between 12 September 2022 and 7 September 2023): The subject vehicles may experience a loss of brake assistance and brake performance may e reduced. The foot brake will still operate but in a manner of a vehicle without a functioning brake booster (less assistance). Whether a particular car is affected depends on its build date and VIN, so check its registration on GOV.UK (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy.
Is the PHEV battery cooling pump on the Hyundai Tucson a serious problem?
Owner-reported, frequency unknown: PHEV battery cooling pump comes up in owner forums and workshop reports for the Hyundai Tucson, but how often it happens is not known, so treat it as a question to ask rather than a fault every car has. Symptoms: "Hybrid system" warning; battery thermal management warning; reduced EV range. Years affected: 2021–2022 PHEV (Hyundai UK launched the Tucson plug-in hybrid in March 2021). Indicative repair cost in the UK: Under warranty within 5 years; out of warranty £1,200+. What to check before buying: PHEV battery health check at Hyundai dealer (£30–£50). Compare the EV-only range the car shows on a full charge with the official WLTP electric range for that model: a large shortfall on a mild day suggests the battery has degraded.
Check these next
The guide above is about the Hyundai Tucson as a model. These are about the car in front of you.
- Browse Hyundai Tucson listings on AutozaEvery one listed now.
- Check any car by its registrationFree: its MOT history, tax status and any open recall, from a number plate.
- Work out the road tax for the TucsonVehicle tax (VED) by registration date, CO2 and list price.
- Work out the monthly payment on a £11,995 TucsonThe median asking price on Autoza on 29 October 2026, not what buyers pay: change it to the car you are looking at.
- What is your Tucson worth?A price range from dealers' asking prices for comparable cars.
Looking to buy a Hyundai Tucson in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Every dealer page shows the business name, address and contact details, so you can check the business before you enquire.