Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the Honda Civic?

No. The Civic has a clear edge. Owners file 4.8 complaints per 10,000 Civics sold, against 8.9 for the Tucson. The Civic also costs less to repair each year and visits the shop less often. Both models still rate as good overall.

Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Civic?

The Civic has more. Federal recall records show 37 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 23 for the Tucson. Many Civic complaints concern waiting for parts for the steering and fuel pump recalls, not cars breaking down.

Which costs less to repair, the Tucson or the Civic?

The Civic does. Independent repair-cost data estimates $368 a year for the Civic and $426 for the Tucson, about $290 apart over five years. Civic owners also make fewer unscheduled shop visits. The chance of a major repair is 10% for both.

Does the Hyundai Tucson have engine problems?

Engine trouble is its largest complaint area, with 394 reports. Owners describe oil disappearing, often a quart every 1,000 miles, usually around 70,000 to 85,000 miles. Some report clogged catalytic converters or engines that fail outright. Check oil records before buying.

What is the main problem with the Honda Civic?

Steering is the main one, with 1538 complaints. The wheel turns stiff or notchy at highway speed, resists, then breaks free and overshoots. Reports often begin between 4,000 and 11,000 miles. Some owners also describe long waits for recall repair parts.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Honda Civic

Good

Hyundai Tucson

Good

The Honda Civic beats the Hyundai Tucson on reliability, with fewer owner complaints per car sold. It also costs less to repair and needs fewer shop visits. Steering complaints and a higher recall count are the Civic's main caveats, while the Tucson's oil loss and engine failures weigh more.

How Do the Honda Civic and Hyundai Tucson Generations Compare?

The tenth generation ran from 2016 to 2021, and the eleventh began in 2022. That puts the weak 2018 year late in the tenth generation and the weak 2022 year in the first year of the eleventh. A 2018 to 2021 car is a mature design with several years of owner reports behind it. The 2022 and 2023 years belong to the newer generation. The 2025 and 2026 years rank among the strongest, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so a thin record there proves little.

Verdict

The Honda Civic is more reliable than the Hyundai Tucson, scoring 78/100 vs 73/100.

A clear edge goes to the Civic. It draws fewer owner complaints per car sold, costs less to keep running, and visits the shop less often. The Tucson's problems are heavier: oil loss, clogged catalytic converters, and engines that fail outright. The Civic's weak spots are real, mainly steering and recall waits, but many of those reports describe parts delays rather than breakdowns. Both rate as good, so neither is a bad buy. The Civic simply gives you fewer reasons to expect trouble.

Key Differences

1Honda Civic costs $58 less per year to repair
2Hyundai Tucson has 14 fewer total recalls
3Honda Civic scores 5 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Honda Civic

—

1Hyundai Tucson

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Civic	Hyundai Tucson
Reliability Score	78/100	73/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	37	23
Complaints per 10k Sold	4.8	8.9
Annual Repair Cost	$368/yr	$426/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	10%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	7 (1 tied)	1 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Civic and Hyundai Tucson?

Heavier mechanical failures mark the Tucson. Engines burn oil, often a quart every 1,000 miles, catalytic converters clog, and some cars lose power or shut down at highway speed. Its brake complaints center on an ABS short that can start a fire, and its forward collision system can brake hard with nothing ahead. The Civic's largest group is steering that turns stiff or notchy at highway speed, with 58 crash-linked complaints. Its fuel pump complaints are mostly about recall waits. Air bag reports are crash-linked on the Civic, including bags that failed to deploy. The Tucson's main problem list has no air bag area.

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Civic	Hyundai Tucson
STEERING	2.5Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	1.9Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	1.1Low
POWER TRAIN	0.1Very Low	1.3Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.3Very Low	1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	1.1Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None
PARKING BRAKE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Honda Civic or Hyundai Tucson?

Lower running costs favor the Civic. Independent repair-cost data puts its annual repair bill at $368, against $426 for the Tucson. That $58 gap adds up to about $290 over five years. The Civic also averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year, compared with 0.3 for the Tucson. The chance that a repair is major is 10% for both, so the difference lies in how often you pay, not how bad the bill gets.

How Does Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Civic	Hyundai Tucson	Edge
2026	94/1000R / 7C	80/1004R / 3C	Honda Civic
2025	84/1005R / 49C	75/1006R / 251C	Honda Civic
2024	81/1005R / 131C	77/1004R / 87C	Honda Civic
2023	74/1007R / 315C	75/1002R / 142C	Hyundai Tucson
2022	66/1003R / 935C	66/1003R / 433C	Tie
2021	81/1003R / 118C	78/1001R / 58C	Honda Civic
2020	78/1008R / 405C	73/1001R / 153C	Honda Civic
2019	75/1002R / 356C	68/1001R / 349C	Honda Civic
2018	71/1004R / 605C	68/1001R / 362C	Honda Civic

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Civic scored 81/100 and the 2021 Hyundai Tucson scored 78/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Civic vs the Hyundai Tucson?

Pick the Civic if you want the lowest chance of a surprise bill. Its repair costs and shop visits run lower, and its complaint rate is about half the Tucson's. Check the VIN for open steering and fuel pump recalls before you buy, since owners report long waits for parts. Skip 2022 and 2018, the weakest years. On a test drive, take it on a highway and watch for a wheel that resists small corrections, then breaks free. Pick the Tucson if you need the higher seating and cargo room of an SUV and accept the extra risk. Ask for service records showing regular oil checks, because consumption tends to appear around 70,000 to 85,000 miles. Confirm the ABS fire recall repair was completed. Avoid 2022 and 2019, the weakest years. The 2021 model year ranks among the strongest and has had time to collect complaints, so its record is more trustworthy than that of the newest years.

Honda Civic vs Hyundai Tucson: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the Honda Civic?: No. The Civic has a clear edge. Owners file 4.8 complaints per 10,000 Civics sold, against 8.9 for the Tucson. The Civic also costs less to repair each year and visits the shop less often. Both models still rate as good overall.
Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Civic?: The Civic has more. Federal recall records show 37 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 23 for the Tucson. Many Civic complaints concern waiting for parts for the steering and fuel pump recalls, not cars breaking down.
Which costs less to repair, the Tucson or the Civic?: The Civic does. Independent repair-cost data estimates $368 a year for the Civic and $426 for the Tucson, about $290 apart over five years. Civic owners also make fewer unscheduled shop visits. The chance of a major repair is 10% for both.
Does the Hyundai Tucson have engine problems?: Engine trouble is its largest complaint area, with 394 reports. Owners describe oil disappearing, often a quart every 1,000 miles, usually around 70,000 to 85,000 miles. Some report clogged catalytic converters or engines that fail outright. Check oil records before buying.
What is the main problem with the Honda Civic?: Steering is the main one, with 1538 complaints. The wheel turns stiff or notchy at highway speed, resists, then breaks free and overshoots. Reports often begin between 4,000 and 11,000 miles. Some owners also describe long waits for recall repair parts.

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How we score the Honda Civic and Hyundai Tucson

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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