How safe is the Hyundai Tucson?
Drivers of the 2022–2023 Hyundai Tucson died at a rate of 20 per million registered vehicle years, 43% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it safer than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 51st of 129 vehicles, safer than 61% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Hyundai Tucson sits among all 129 vehicles
Hyundai Tucson (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Tucson 2WD | 21 | 0–45 |
| Hyundai Tucson 4WD | 20 | 2–38 |
Vehicles ranked near the Hyundai Tucson
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab 4WDPickup · Large | 18 | 63 |
| 49 | Lincoln Nautilus 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 17 | 62 |
| 50 | Ram 2500 crew cab short bed 4WDPickup · Very large | 20 | 62 |
| 51 | Hyundai TucsonSUV · Small | 20 | 61 |
| 52 | Tesla Model 3 electricLuxury car · Midsize | 21 | 60 |
| 53 | Ford F-150 SuperCrewPickup · Large | 21 | 59 |
| 54 | Chevrolet Silverado 2500 crew cab 4WDPickup · Very large | 21 | 59 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Hyundai Tucson is 21st. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 21 | Hyundai TucsonSUV · Small | 20 | 61 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2019–2020 models, the Hyundai Tucson had a driver death rate of 47 (range 21–74) and ranked 89th of 127. The newer rate is lower.
Common questions
Is the Hyundai Tucson a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Hyundai Tucson is safer than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 20 per million registered vehicle years is 43% lower than the average, and it ranks 51st of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Hyundai Tucson compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 21st of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Hyundai Tucson safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 21, 4WD: 20). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the Hyundai Tucson's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.