Hyundai Tucson TL Active X (2015-2026)

2020 Hyundai Tucson TL Series II Engine Failure – $12,000 Repair, Poor Reliability Bought: 2024 (second-hand) Location: Melbourne, VIC Model: 2020 Hyundai Tucson TL Series II (add variant if known) ❌ Hyundai Tucson Engine Failure (Major Issue) I purchased a 2020 Hyundai Tucson TL Series II expecting a reliable SUV, but after only 17 months… Read more

(and 120,000km), the vehicle developed serious issues.

The car started losing power and was assessed by Hyundai Service Centre Frankston, where it was diagnosed with: Internal engine failure Repair cost quoted: approximately $12,000

For a relatively modern vehicle, this level of engine failure and repair cost is unacceptable.

Hyundai Tucson Reliability Concerns

This vehicle had:

Full service history Regular servicing Oil changed and checked consistently (never low)

Despite proper maintenance, the engine still failed. Hyundai suggested lack of oil, despite no evidence to suggest this was the cause and additionally does not reflect how the vehicle was maintained.

This raises serious concerns about Hyundai Tucson reliability and engine durability, particularly for the 2020 model.

⚠️ Cost and Inconvenience Vehicle has been undriveable since October 2025 Still paying finance on a non-working car Ongoing transport costs and inconvenience

A $12,000 engine replacement on a vehicle like this is not something a reasonable consumer would expect.

Customer Service & Warranty Experience

My experience with Hyundai Customer Service has been extremely frustrating:

Multiple follow-ups with little to no response for 6 months No clear accountability by Hyundai No goodwill repair offered despite the Warranty ending approx 3 months prior to the issue arising. Dealer also declined responsibility I have been forced to submit a VCAT application under Australian Consumer Law to attempt to have my situation remedied.

For such a major failure, the lack of support is very disappointing.

⚖️ Known Hyundai Engine Problems

After researching, I found that Hyundai engine problems and failures have been widely reported, including complaints relating to engine reliability. I have found information that states that this model has now been discontinued.

This suggests my experience may not be an isolated case.

Final Verdict – Would I Recommend a Hyundai Tucson?

No! Based on my experience with engine failure, repair cost, and lack of support, I would not recommend the 2020 Hyundai Tucson.

A vehicle in this category should not experience catastrophic engine failure so early in its life.

Pros Comfortable SUV (before engine failure)

Cons Engine failure Expensive repair cost Poor reliability Lack of customer support

Has anyone else had Hyundai Tucson engine problems or failure? Would be interested to hear if this is common.

Hyundai Engine Failure (there are plenty of us who have been through it) – Engine blew up a month out of warranty. Exclusively serviced by Hyundai for 5 years. Ignored by Hyundai Customer Care for 8 months. Hyundai suddenly agreed to replace it for free (strangely just before there was an official government recall on blown up Tucson engines). Anyway, used to get good service from them, they clearly have a problem they… Read more

were trying to get out of. Anyone in the same horrible position have a look at the Hyundai and Kia Engine Failure Australia facebook page for some horror stories about how appalling their customer service is when something serious happens to your Hyundai and how they try to avoid their responsibility under Australian Consumer Law. Good luck.

Great car until it wasn’t. Hyundai very hostile – We purchased a Hyundai Tucson and were initially very happy. At 3 months past the warranty the engine failed. That was November 2023. It took 4 months for Hyndai to agree to have a look. 4 months later there is no response. That’s a long time to be paying insurance/registration not considering the write-off of vehicle value Turns out the engine… Read more

failure is a known fault with multiple class actions in progress

The customer service from Hyundai is very very poor. They don’t answer their telephone often, and whatever agreed action they offer doesn’t eventuate. At one point their dealership had the car for months without taking any action - they towed it to one of their dealers, who didn’t assess the car but let it sit there. For months

Up there with the best – Good finish, leather upholstery, interior fit-out user friendly, takes minimal time to get used to all the uses of the new driver aids. Very comfortable, easy to get in and out, good tailgate access. Good comfortable touring, one trip to Cairns, and handle all road conditions there and back. Has had the one recall for the brake circuit mods, no… Read more

cost. Going in for 15000klm service soon. so will get a good check over and tires rotated etc. Got a very good deal on the new price then got $1000 cash back after the purchase which made it all the sweeter, then got some upgraded seats at the Gabba stadium for a Lions home game as well. We are retired and ready to travel soon as covid allows, our neighbours 5 doors down the road have the diesel version, which they also love. Probably the best vehicle for money we have ever purchased so far.

Great Family Car – We purchased this car in 2017 and so far it has been fantastic. It is fuel economic and spacious without being too clunky. The Tuscon has great design, looks great and is perfect for both city and open road driving. Show details

Never again – At the start of 2022 we had our engine replaced because there was no oil and had burnt itself out. No warning lights came on Ebenezer after the car stopped working. We were a week out from service and have only ever been to Hyundai for servicing. We had to wait 3 months with no loan car and were out of pocket for the hire car we got as we only… Read more

have one car.

3 months after we got the car back the engine light came on again. We took out back to Hyundai cardiff and they run test and couldn't find the problem which ended up being an ignition problem. Once the "fixed" that problem a different code came up and ended up getting the catalytic converter has gone. Again they run test and found it has broken due to the past engine needing replacement. After waiting for the part to came in it was replaced.

Two weeks after we got the car back the same engine light and code came back. Ended up that the catalytic converter they had just replaced had a crack in it. Cardiff Hyundai has told us they would get a new part. After a month of not hearing anything we called them to find out if the part had arrived and were told they were still running test to see if the catalytic converter was a new problem or a new problem. That same afternoon while driving on the highway the car lost all power and stopped. The car was towed to Hyundai where they run more test. After over a week we were told they engine they replaced was faulty.

At this point, after my having a car for four months of the year i demanded a hire car which Hyundai cardiff couldn't provide and i had to call customer care. After a week calling customer and then liaising with cardiff Hyundai we finally got a loan car from hertz.

We have had to extend the hire car three times due to them pushing back the the parts arriving and finding the secondary catalytic converter needed replacing.

We are still waiting on getting our car back on 7/2/23 from when the car got towed 2/12/22

its not the worst but its not the best either – We have had our Hyundai Tucson since 2016 and for a couple of years it was fine but one day we were getting into it and it was raining and the rain got into the car and now the car key for the car doesn't work so we have to unlock it from the key hole that's on the door handle but its not to bad because we can unlock it manually and we just flick… Read more

the unlock and lock switch a couple of times and it unlocks the other doors, but the boot wont open so you have to do that manually too so we usually do not use the boot. Most of our windows don't wind down or wind up so we had to get them stuck up luckily the drivers window is fixed so we can use it but we are still waiting to get our other windows fixed.

Continual air conditioner faults that appear that they can’t be repaired – Roughly every 6 months the air conditioner fails and they try to repair it again works for a while and then fails. It is a well looked after car 65000km Show details

Lemon – My engine blew up at 90,000 KM - i left it into the dealers, the mechanic repeatedly assured me that the engine should not blow up at that millage regardless of the service history - it was fully serviced as per the log book with one missing at 30,000 km. I had to pay for my own hire car while they investigated - the cost of which was $3000. They… Read more

came back telling me it was denied, the mechanic dealer again saying there is no reason for it to be denied and i had to pay for a further diagnoses ($600) to be denied again. Throughout the experience the communication was terrible, i had to contact the garage and the customer care centre countlessly as they couldn't figure out how to talk to each other. My car, at 90,000km within warranty by 2 years is now without a motor. Every mechanic i've spoken to has laughed at the idea an engine would fail 60,000 km after missing a service and Hyundai are saying its my fault. Never ever ever ever deal with these guys, ill have to pay 7000 to get it prepared, awful company and customer service - avoid at all costs

Quite pleased – My wife has had an i30 since February this year, I was very impressed with it, and, seeing my 2008 Ford Territory was getting a bit old, and starting to cost lots, decided to have a look at a Tucson, well after driving it, I traded my car in on it. I am very pleased with the car, I had to get used to the smaller size than the Territory, and going… Read more

from an AWD to a FWD, but it was time to part with the big car as I don't need a 6 cylinder car anymore, having sold my boat, and also being 78, find the smaller one better to handle. Very smooth ride, starting to get used to the seating, but love the Tech, Satnav and display, also the USB sockets, instrumentation is also great, all in all a good car, 5 year warranty and roadside assist means no worries for me.

Amazing Car, Great build quality, Stunning Looks – Traded in the ageing Commodore(VE) on the Tuscon and couldnt be happier. The list of standard inclusions on the Active X prooved great value. Nicely finshed leather seats, dashboard layout functional and modern, very confortable and quite to drive. Plenty of room and a decent size rear cargo area. POwer on top when you need it and doesnt guzzle… Read more

fuel the way the old six cylinder bommodore did. Backed with a 5 year warranty you simply cant go wrong. Is it any wonder local car manufacturers hit the wall with offerings like this available from Hyundai. Would highly recommend the Hyundai Tuscon it wont dissapoint!

Great family car! Reliable, cheap to service – Have had this car since brand new (Jan 2016) ActiveX badge. Have travelled over 90K Kilometres. Never had ANY mechanical issue, or reliability issue. In fact zero issue. Have found replacing the original fitment tyres with Continental Cross-Contact UHP tyres, the car handles 100% better. Steering more direct, and also the car comes to a stop… Read more

in traffic a LOT quicker. But Continental tyres are expensive, but I think they are worth it.

We have always had our car servicing for our Tuscon completed at Hyundai Dealership, where we bought the car here in Rockingham WA. They try and sell you stuff you don't need. But we understand they have sales targets they have to meet too, so I take it like a pinch of salt.

Why pay $90K cash for a base model Jaguar F Pace with no options, when this ActiveX Tuscon comes with all the necessary fruit for a little over $30K driveaway brand new?!

I only put 95 RON unleaded in our Tuscon, we want 300K kilometres out of our engine.

Great on fuel! Normally when a car dealer says 7.9L/100Km combined for fuel usage, it means you add 1.5L / 100km to get real life figures, but with 95RON fuel we are consistantly receiving 7L/100km combined fuel usage.

Paint work is holding up, still looks brand new.

We have no issues with the transmission.

Connectivity is great with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Would not have any issues buying another Tuscon down the track!

Nice comfy car to drive – My Tucson Active X is now near it’s 3rd year and 41,000 km. So far so nice to drive, its a bit slow on acceleration but that’s what I expect from a 2wd. leather seats still looking newish and still no issues with the car overall. We have no regret buying this family wagon  Show details

Terrible – I purchased a 2017 awd diesel 2lt tuscon in april. It shuddered at different speeds which after several times taking it hack to the dealer finally did a software update. That fixed the shuddering but then we have a rumble at 70kmh in cruise which it did not do prior to the software update. Mechanic stated at the dealership it had a problem after… Read more

driving the demo which it didnt rumble. Hyundai after having the vehicle for over 20 days tell us now there is no problem as thats normal. We will never buy another hyundai again. We have had several hyundais but this truly shows the companies colours. We have only driven 5000km since april.

Smooth ride, plenty of power when needed, AWD plus very economic on fuel - the ideal car for me! – Tempted by the offer of a brand new 2017 Tucson Active Automatic Turbo charged Diesel AWD model in January 2018, I traded in my 2014 Hyundai IX35 Automatic 2WD Trophy - very reluctantly! My budget did not stretch to the top of the range model but I did move up to a Diesel engine this time. I have had this Tucson for 8 months now. Time to grow… Read more

accustomed to its road manners and performance. It feels very stable on the road and I really appreciate the AWD. I live on an unsealed road where the road surface is gravel and can be slippery. Moving from the smooth surface of a major road onto my often dusty, dry, loose surface road the car does not loose traction.

The ride is very smooth and the diesel engine makes a pleasant growl ready to move off with plenty of power under the bonnet.

This Tucson is white with black trim - stunning to look at but difficult to keep clean in my dusty environment.

I do miss the CD player, the leather seats & the heated front seats enjoyed previously in the IX35 but the Tucson makes up for those features in its performance and handling. Being diesel - it has a very long range on one tank of fuel returning 6.9 litres per 100kms .

I enjoy the size of the Tucson - an advantage when you are a short person like me. The higher seating position with a much better view of surrounding traffic is a real bonus!

Only requiring one annual service per year at a fixed price is also an advantage.

I have only experienced one problem with the touch screen and this was quickly remedied by a visit to my local Hyundai Dealership Service Department. Being automatic it is so easy to drive and moves effortlessly through the gears. Descending steep hills, a touch on the brakes and its descent speed is easily controlled.

I drive my car fairly regularly but not far - so have barely covered 5,000 kms in the 8 months I have owned the Tucson. Perhaps I could be tempted by the higher optioned model - The Highlander next time??

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Wouldn’t look back – We bought this car, after writing off our BMW X5. We no longer wanted a car with the same price tag as the BMW but we still wanted some form of luxury Iike leather seats. We first looked at Mazda CX-5 and when the salesman wanted to show us the Hyundai Tucson, we initially thought he’d be wasting his time. Anyways after having a test drive and… Read more

a look through, we were sold.

The Hyundai’s warranty was also another selling point. 5 year, umlimited kilometres :-)

We find this is a great, little family car :-) bit squishy when Nannie comes too though but that’s okay

Got the look, the feel, the comfort! – We love the feel, size and comfort our 2016 Tucson in platinum. It is very reasonable on fuel and drives very quiet and smoothly. We at first disliked the sound of the indicator but have gotten used to it, as it sounded like a toy. Love the 'Christmas Lights' (as hubby likes to call them) the daylight strips curved at the front and the high beam… Read more

is great. It came with leather seats. Must confess we were disappointed there was no cd player which seems to be common now. Have had no problems in nearly 2 years and are hooked on Hyundai.

nearly a great car – overall i am impressed .i miss the c.d. player but the positive is i now know how to rip cds onto a usb stick thanks to youtube.only dislike is that the auto hunts gears at low speeds but over 60 kph it settles down nicely.2.0 diesel is impressive as i,ve never owned one before.hard plastic interior is a bit raw looking in places.  Show details

Its ok nearly good. Could be amazing – I brought this car for my mrs as a family car. Over all it is a decent piece of kit but there are several things that aren't right. Firstly the throttle positions sensor or gear selection is way off. If the throttle is push it more than say 10mm the car is back two or three gears and doing 5000rpm at 40km in school zone. Try explaining that to the… Read more

cops. Overtaking everyone thinks your either upset at them or trying to race them. Following on from that is the cruise control. It drops back gears and flys up hills gets to the top and your 8ks over what it was set at. Then its back down 2 gears on the way down the other side but only after about 300m so by that time its doing 14ks over the speed limit. Its ok on the flat but useless in the hills. The running costs are getting better as the engine loosens up a bit. Average about 8litres per 100. In and out of town. That gets even better on the highway. 7.25l/100 is the best I've got. If i had my time over i would buy a manual one. But I'm happy enough with it fits 3 child seats in the back and is very a very nice ride. Its not plush and has good feed back through steering it will understeer through long sweeping corners if actually driven which the first time it happened was alarming. But is to be expected i guess. All in all a good car. Hopefully Hyundai sorts out my throttle problem.

CAR FOR ALL SEASONS – A great car to drive. Responsive engine. Economical. Easy to use cruise control. Handles well both in cities and on the open road. Good driving position with multiple seating range - up, down, reclining. Excellent front seats with efficient wrap arounds. A more expensive option includes electric adjustment on driver's seat. Took me a while to… Read more

master the sound system, but it is quite good. The rear seating is adjustable, allowing more room in the generous boot. Non-leather seating suits me fine. Economical and yet powerful 2 litre diesel engine and tows our small caravan (avan) well. Intelligent gearbox which automatically changes down when appropriate. Good dash and computer information. Comfortable steering wheel with sound and cruise buttons.

Surprisingly spacious and pleasant – Quiet car. Good height from the ground. Great drive (but gets loud when going uphill slight elevation). Comfy seats and nice back support. Love seeing it every time I’m walking up to it - it’s a great reliable car. I love it. Good space at the back seats. Good trunk space too! Happy with our Tucson.  Show details

Minimal Issues – Overall look of the car is great. Good fuel economy. Easy to clean and keep clean. Bonus that it had apple car play- does have issues with needing updates and can often time out if an update is need which you then need to take ghe car to Hyundai for them to update it.  Show details

Can't find a fault – Good to drive very quite and reasonably economical holds the road well light but not to light in the steering the panels all fit neatly the finish is spot on it is easy to clean and the paint work is floorless plenty of room for family and friends and also plenty of leg room for thr rear passengers  Show details

I like the moon roof – We bough the Tucson Active X with moon roof and it was really value for money. It's one of the biggest in the market and it can open all the way back as well. Makes the car so much breezy and the natural light is excellent with the moon roof.  Show details

Issues with radio reception – I have just bought a Hyundai Tuscon and as soon as I drove away the radio reception has been terrible. My old 1999 camry had better reception than this bran new car! All the other features of the car seem great but annoyed that the radio which would be the cheapest part of the car doesn't even work! Will be going back to the dealer.  Show details

Engine a bit weak but still a good drive – It's a good SUV for this price especially with the latest technology and leather seats and 18 inch alloys. However, the engine performance is a bit weak. The manual gear box is a bit hard to function as well as it's very easy to stall. Still a good buy in comparison to other same price SUV in the market.  Show details

Great to drive, super comfortable but some issues with phone connectivity – This car is very comfortable and easy to drive. It chews through more fuel than the stats indicated and what I expected though. It has issues with my phone continually disconnecting and reconnecting. The small display for time could be improved. The added extras are thoughtful and practical. Overall a good value car for the money.  Show details

Good drive so far after 11 months – I traded in my old ix30 last year for tuscon and fell in love with it. Not only does it have a larger leg room and cargo space, it also looks for sleek. One feature I like is the built in Android Car Play where you could use your mobile phone as a GPS and display it on the LCD screen.  Show details

Here comes the fantastic Tucson – I bought Hyundai's Tucson last May after a long research among its peers like, RAV4, XTrail, Sportage, CX5. I feel very happy and satisfied with my purchase as Tucson not only has the most beautiful looks form outside but also has a beautiful interiors. Its steering controls, cabin lightings, huge boot space are just few of its advantages.  Show details