Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Tucson
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 28,509real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Honda CR-V or Hyundai Tucson?
Verdict from 28,509 NHTSA complaints
Honda CR-V wins this comparison overall. Honda CR-V comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 19% lower complaint rate. The Hyundai Tucson edges ahead on crash-involvement rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Honda CR-V wins by 19%
Hyundai Tucson wins by 43%
Honda CR-V wins by 145%
Honda CR-V wins by 10%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Honda CR-V
2026 model yearHyundai Tucson
2026 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Rate per 10K Sold — Year by Year
Lower line = fewer complaints relative to vehicles sold that year. Crossovers reveal which model improved (or got worse) over generations.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
| Year | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 39.9 | 44.7 | CR-V |
| 2006 | 30.7 | 38.8 | CR-V |
| 2007 | 52.8 | 20.5 | Tucson |
| 2008 | 61.4 | 34.7 | Tucson |
| 2009 | 23.3 | 15.6 | Tucson |
| 2010 | 27.9 | 19.7 | Tucson |
| 2011 | 27.9 | 36.6 | CR-V |
| 2012 | 16.1 | 59.5 | CR-V |
| 2013 | 16.0 | 74.7 | CR-V |
| 2014 | 23.3 | 50.1 | CR-V |
| 2015 | 27.6 | 47.8 | CR-V |
| 2016 | 15.1 | 238.0 | CR-V |
| 2017 | 67.3 | 123.8 | CR-V |
| 2018 | 74.4 | 33.0 | Tucson |
| 2019 | 37.7 | 36.4 | tie |
| 2020 | 12.3 | 17.3 | CR-V |
| 2021 | 10.7 | 6.5 | Tucson |
| 2022 | 10.4 | 30.1 | CR-V |
| 2023 | 17.2 | 8.8 | Tucson |
| 2024 | 12.5 | 5.8 | Tucson |
| 2025 | 7.1 | 13.8 | CR-V |
| 2026 | 9.1 | 4.5 | Tucson |
Frequently Asked Questions
Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Tucson — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson?
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Honda CR-V wins this comparison overall. Honda CR-V comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 19% lower complaint rate. The Hyundai Tucson edges ahead on crash-involvement rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Honda CR-V or a Hyundai Tucson?
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On reliability data alone, the Honda CR-V is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson share?
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Top complaints for the Honda CR-V: Airbags, Electrical Faults, Engine Problems. Top complaints for the Hyundai Tucson: Engine Problems, Transmission / Drivetrain, Electrical Faults. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson?
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Across all model years, the Honda CR-V has 20,393 NHTSA complaints and the Hyundai Tucson has 8,116. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Honda CR-V has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/honda/cr-v/vs/hyundai/tucson
Which is safer in a crash, the Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Honda CR-V 6.0% vs Hyundai Tucson 4.2% — the Hyundai Tucson has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Honda CR-V 1.10% vs Hyundai Tucson 2.70%. The Honda CR-V has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/cr-v and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/tucson
What years of the Honda CR-V are worse than the Hyundai Tucson?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/cr-v/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/tucson/{year}.
Where does this Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Tucson comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the CR-V or Tucson also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Honda CR-V has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: