(2021 registrations)
2021 cohort
at first test
after a failure
2021 is the UK launch year of the fourth-generation NX4 Tucson, the car that carried Hyundai to sixth place in Britain’s 2023 new car chart with 34,469 registrations. A 2021 car has been through its first MOT, so there are real figures here — 2,545 tests of them. But the buying decision still turns on something a pass rate cannot show you: which gearbox it has, and how it behaves at walking pace.
Figures are derived from the DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results dataset, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Every MOT records the test outcome plus each defect as a coded “reason for rejection” or advisory.
Percentages are share of tests, not share of failures — so “2.6% tyre tread” means 2.6 in every 100 tests failed for that item. A single test can record several defects, so the columns do not sum to 100%.
A UK car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old, so a 2021 registration reached its first test in 2024. Every figure on this page describes that registration year and no other.
The 2021 cohort covers 2,545 tests at an average of 25,871 miles — the first properly populated year for the current NX4 Tucson.
On a car this young, outstanding recalls, remaining manufacturer warranty and a service record showing the correct oil tell you more than any pass rate can.
Top MOT failure items
These are the defects that actually caused a Hyundai Tucson (2021) to fail its MOT, ranked by how often they appear across all tests.
Most common MOT advisories
Advisories are the early-warning layer. They don’t fail the car, but they tell you what the next owner will be paying for — and they are the single most useful thing to read before you buy.
| Advisory item | Share of tests | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Brake pads wearing thin | 11.6% | Matches the No.1 failure item — budget £160–£300 per axle. |
| Tyre worn close to legal limit | 10.9% | Larger wheels make this a bigger bill than on a supermini. |
| Brake disc lipped or scored | 5.7% | Usually replaced alongside pads. |
| Suspension bush deteriorated | 4.8% | Early-stage only on a car this age. |
| Wiper blade deteriorated | 3.9% | Cheap, but an outright failure if it smears. |
| Brake fluid contaminated | 2.6% | Due for a change around the first test. |
| Engine oil leak (not excessive) | 1.9% | Worth investigating on a car this young. |
| Ball joint dust cover deteriorated | 1.7% | Cheap now, a worn joint later. |
| Exhaust minor corrosion | 1.4% | Surface only at this age. |
| Coil spring corroded | 0.8% | Rare, but worth a look underneath. |
Which system fails most
Grouping every recorded defect by vehicle system shows where the money goes on a three-year-old Tucson.
The 2021 registration year — the first properly populated year for the current NX4 Tucson — passes at 86.7% across 2,545 tests, at an average of 25,871 miles. Across all Tucson generations the model passes at 84.5% over 158,825 tests, at a median 119,519 miles, with an average repair bill after a failure of about £113. Petrol cars pass at 85.5% and diesel at 83.3%.
Do not judge a 2021 car by the model average. Published “Hyundai Tucson” statistics merge the NX4 with the 2015–2020 TL and the earlier ix35-era car, which is why the headline sits nearly two points below the figure for the car you would actually be buying. On warranty, check rather than assume: Hyundai’s five-year cover on a 2021 registration expires during 2026, so depending on the registration month it may already have run out.
Model averages describe the model. Enter the registration to see this car’s real MOT history, every recorded advisory, its mileage timeline and any finance, theft or write-off markers.
The gearbox decides this car
The most widely reported complaint about the NX4 Tucson is not an engine, a rust spot or an electrical gremlin. It is how the dual-clutch gearbox behaves at walking pace — and whether the car in front of you has one at all.
- The 7-speed dual-clutch fitted to petrol and mild hybrid Tucsons is the source of the generation’s best-known drivability complaint.
- Symptoms: a pause when you press the accelerator followed by a surge, jerky pull-away in traffic and car parks, delayed or doubled shifts.
- Dealers normally start with a transmission control module software update and clutch adaptation. That improves most cars but does not always eliminate it.
- Test it the way you will use it: from cold, in stop-start traffic, and pulling out of a junction — not just on a dual carriageway.
- The full hybrid and plug-in hybrid Tucsons use a conventional six-speed torque-converter automatic, not the dual clutch.
- That removes the single most-complained-about characteristic of the car outright.
- If the low-speed behaviour of a DCT bothers you, this is the version to shortlist — and it is worth filtering adverts by gearbox rather than by trim.
- Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty transfers to you on a private sale — but on a 2021 registration it runs out during 2026, so check the exact date rather than assuming.
Known faults the MOT won’t catch
The MOT tests roadworthiness, not mechanical health. These are the expensive items owners actually report — costs are indicative UK independent-specialist ranges, not quotes.
Pre-purchase checklist
Work through this in order. The first few cost nothing and rule out most bad cars.
- Establish which gearbox it has before anything else. Petrol and mild hybrid mean the 7-speed DCT; full hybrid and PHEV mean a torque-converter automatic.
- Test drive from cold, in traffic. A DCT that hesitates and lurches will not show it on a smooth open road.
- Confirm the side curtain airbag recall has been done — the build window opens on 13 April 2021, so a 2021 car is almost certainly inside it.
- Check outstanding recalls by registration on the DVSA service. The work is free.
- Confirm how much of the five-year warranty remains and that the service record supports it. On a private sale it transfers to you.
- Ask for the service invoices, not just stamps. Warranty cover depends on servicing to Hyundai’s schedule.
- Budget for front pads and tyres — the two leading MOT failure items on this model.
- Verify finance and write-off status. A three-year-old SUV is a common PCP return, and outstanding finance is common.
FAQs
Is the Hyundai Tucson reliable?
The MOT evidence is good: 2021 registrations of the current NX4 generation pass at 86.7%, and the model average across all generations is 84.5% with a modest £113 average repair bill. The recurring complaint is not reliability in the breakdown sense but drivability — low-speed hesitation from the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Which Hyundai Tucson gearbox should I avoid?
There is no gearbox to avoid outright, but the 7-speed dual-clutch fitted to petrol and mild hybrid cars is the one that attracts complaints about hesitation and shudder at low speed. The full hybrid and plug-in hybrid use a conventional six-speed automatic instead. Test drive the actual car from cold before deciding.
What recalls affect the 2021 Hyundai Tucson?
One is directly relevant to a 2021 car: a side curtain airbag that could have been assembled twisted, covering builds from 13 April 2021 to 21 August 2023. A 2021 registration sits at the very start of that window. Two later campaigns — a rear door power window anti-pinch fault (built 7 March to 5 April 2023) and a brake booster vacuum pump issue on 2022–2023 cars — do not reach a 2021 car. All recall work is free, and it is often still outstanding on privately sold cars, so check by registration.
Does the Hyundai warranty transfer to me?
It does transfer — Hyundai’s UK warranty runs five years with unlimited mileage on private cars, and any remaining cover passes to the next owner provided the car has been serviced to Hyundai’s schedule. On a 2021 registration, though, that five years runs out during 2026, so check the registration date before you treat the warranty as part of the deal.
How much MOT data is there for a 2021 Tucson?
A useful amount, and more than for any other year of this generation. A UK car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old, so 2021 is the first properly populated year for the NX4 Tucson: 2,545 tests at an average of 25,871 miles. Later registrations have far thinner records, which is why this page covers 2021 specifically.
A CarCheckReport covers MOT and advisory history, mileage anomalies, outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, import and scrapped status — using DVLA, DVSA and Experian data.