Hyundai Tucson TL (2015-2020): known problems and buying guide

Before you buy

1. On a 1.6 T-GDI, check the oil level cold and again after a longer drive. Ask for oil top-up records. Listen for knocking or tapping when the engine is cold. Oil use above 1 litre per 1,000 km is a bad sign.
2. On a DCT car, pull away from a stop in traffic with a cold gearbox. Judder, jerking or lag is a bad sign. Ask for any clutch replacement record and software update.
3. On an 8-speed automatic, make several pulls away from a stop, including one on a slippery surface if you can. Limp mode is a bad sign. A scanner is needed to read gearbox fault codes.
4. Drive over a few bumps and listen for knocks from the front. Knocks or a shaking wheel point to worn steering or suspension parts. Ask for the last inspection report.
5. Check that the handbrake holds the car on a slope. Read the last inspection report, because inspectors often mark the handbrake.
6. With start-stop, let the engine stop at lights and restart it several times. Start-stop that fails to work points to the starter battery. Ask when the battery was last replaced.
7. Open each door from outside with one pull. A door that needs a second pull, or opens only from inside, is a fault. Ask whether the lock was replaced.
8. Look at the tailgate edges and the lower doors for rust bubbles.
9. Enter the VIN on the manufacturer or KBA recall check. Ask the seller for proof that any open campaign work is done.