2008 Hyundai Tucson

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

73/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Hyundai Tucson, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Engine	4	9%
Suspension	2	5%
Unknown or other	2	5%
Electronic stability control (esc)	2	5%
Air bags	2	5%
Service brakes	2	5%
Steering	2	5%
Engine and engine cooling	2	5%
Electrical system	2	5%
Visibility	2	5%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

#1. The airbag light comes on saying the passenger airbag is not connected (something like that). #2. Braking lights did stop working and stayed on while the car was turned off. I never received any recall notice of this
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I took the car to my mechanic to get brake pads because car was pulling to the left upon braking and he informed me the ABS module was bad and was not distributing brake fluid to the right front wheel. I called Customer
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that a section of the rear sub frame was extremely corroded. The contact believed that a welding failure might have caused the severe corrosion on the subframe.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension

The driver side door will not unlock. It will not unlock with the key fob. It will not unlock with the key. It will not unlock manually. The locking piece that should flip back and forth (from lock to unlock) is st
NHTSA complaint: Structure

In October of 2020 I was pulling into a parking space and my car accelerated and crashed into a light pole resulting in injury to both my husband and myself. He is 91 years old and shattered his upper arm. We had the v
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

MY ELDERLY MOTHER INLAW PURCHASED A CAR AT A BUY HERE PAY HERE PLACE. HER GRANDSON IMMEDIATELY NOTICED IT WAS SKIPPING WHEN IT GOT OVER 40. HIS GRANDMOTHER TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID IT WAS FINE THEN HIS GRANDMOTHER AND OTH
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT THE VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL WAS WOBBLING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE CONTACT STATED THA
NHTSA complaint: Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, OTHER DRIVERS ON THE HIGHWAY ALERTED HER TO AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AT
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2008 Hyundai Tucson. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch 13V113000

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburo

Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the trans

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall

The seven scores

Reliability raw	76	good
Longevity est.	77	good
Maintenance	84	excellent
Depreciation	79	good
Performance	55	average
Efficiency	40	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 51% of SUVs
Longevity: better than 67% of SUVs
Running costs: better than 89% of SUVs
Value retention: better than 88% of SUVs

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 76: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 77: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2008 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 84: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2008 Hyundai Tucson?

Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 4 of them (9%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2008 Hyundai Tucson reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2008 Hyundai Tucson last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2008 Hyundai Tucson?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.