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2021 Hyundai Tucson

Gas Compact SUV

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratingsCompare
B
Safety Signal
85 / 100
BSafety Signal · 85 / 100
1Recalls · 1 critical
78Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
25 mpgFuel economy · best combined
⚠️
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tucson FWD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 78 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Tucson FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl232825$2,500
Tucson FWDGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl222825$2,500
Tucson AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl222523$2,700
Tucson AWDGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl212623$2,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (1)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

critical
Park outside652,024 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) recalled certain 2019-2021 Tucson vehicles on September 4, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Hyundai expanded the recall population, and added certain 2016-2018 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.

Risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HECU fuse. For 2019-2021 model years, the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software will also be updated. Recall repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 195.

NHTSA campaign 20V543000 · reported Sep 4, 2020 · Hyundai Motor America

NHTSA investigations

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (open)

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · action AQ23002

Owner complaints

78 complaints filed

2 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 7 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2021: 16 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 26

Most-cited components

  • Engine — 38
  • Electrical System — 11
  • Unknown Or Other — 10
  • Service Brakes — 9
  • Fuel/Propulsion System — 8
“Forward collision warning is set at "early", but I only get 1 out of dozen incidents where I feel the warning should be triggered. Often I had to hit the brake hard enough to cause chest pains for me & my passenger. So, the injury below is a minor one for now, but may easily become quite extensive.”May 17, 2021 · Forward Collision Avoidance · NHTSA owner report
“RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE THAT THE POSSIBILITY EXIST THAT A BATTERY COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD HAPPEN. RECALL NOTICE ALSO STATED THAT VEHICLE SHOULD 'NOT BE PARKED INDOORS.' THE RECALL NOTICE ALSO STATED 'AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ABS MODULE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.' SO WE DON'T DARE PARK THE CA…”Apr 26, 2021 · Service Brakes · NHTSA owner report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V543000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED CENTRAL AVENUE HYUNDAI (111 S CENTRAL AVE #1, HARTSDALE, NY 10530, (315) 816-3071) WHERE IT WAS CONF…”Mar 30, 2021 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.

Compare the 2021 Tucson with

2021 Toyota RAV42021 Tesla Model Y2021 Honda CR-V2021 Chevrolet Equinox2021 Nissan Rogue2021 Toyota Highlander

Other Tucson model years

F

2026 Tucson

5 recalls · 82 complaints

F

2025 Tucson

7 recalls · 416 complaints

F

2024 Tucson

4 recalls · 143 complaints

C

2023 Tucson

2 recalls · 174 complaints

C

2022 Tucson

3 recalls · 499 complaints

B

2020 Tucson

1 recalls · 176 complaints

B

2019 Tucson

1 recalls · 377 complaints

B

2018 Tucson

1 recalls · 394 complaints

D

2017 Tucson

3 recalls · 1,084 complaints

F

2016 Tucson

5 recalls · 1,616 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 42663, 43646, 42666, 42667). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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