Second Hand Hyundai Tucson Drive Shaft

The Tucson has run across three main UK generations: the first-generation (Mk1) ran from 2004 to 2010, the second-generation (Mk2, also sold as the ix35) ran from 2010 to 2015, and the third-generation (Mk3) ran from 2015 to 2020 with a facelift in 2018. Drive shafts are not shared across these generations, so always make sure the breaker knows which generation your car belongs to before agreeing a sale. The engine code from your V5 or a VIN check is the most reliable detail you can supply, as shaft dimensions and spline counts follow the drivetrain, not just the model year.

Both years sit within the third-generation Mk3 (2015–2020), with the facelift arriving in 2018, so on the face of it these cars share the same platform. However, whether the drive shaft itself was carried over unchanged across the 2018 facelift is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration, as minor ancillary or mounting changes can occur mid-production without obvious external signs. Give the breaker your engine code — found on your V5 or via a VIN check — alongside your registration to get the most accurate match.

Yes, significantly — the engine code is the single most important detail for drive shaft fitment on a Tucson. A 1.6 T-GDi petrol, a 2.0 CRDi diesel, and a 2.4 GDi petrol can all produce different shaft lengths, spline counts, and joint sizes depending on the gearbox paired with them. Always quote your engine code (from your V5 or a VIN check) and state whether your car has a manual or automatic gearbox when contacting a breaker, as the combination of those two details narrows the search far more reliably than the year alone.

Trim level alone does not affect drive shaft fitment — the shaft follows the engine and gearbox combination, not whether the car is badged SE, SE Nav, Premium, or Ultimate. You can safely take a shaft from a lower trim car and fit it to a higher trim car provided the engine code, gearbox type, and generation match. Do bear in mind that cosmetic parts around the shaft — such as undertray clips or any ancillary brackets — may vary slightly between build specifications, so confirm those details with the breaker if they are included in the sale.

No — this is a critical distinction for drive shafts. A front-wheel-drive Tucson has a different shaft arrangement to a four-wheel-drive model, and the rear drive shafts fitted to AWD cars simply do not exist on 2WD versions. Always tell the breaker whether your car is 2WD or AWD as well as supplying your engine code and gearbox type, as getting this wrong means the part will not fit regardless of how closely the year or trim matches.

The Tucson Mk2 and the ix35 are the same vehicle sold under different names in the UK market, both running from 2010 to 2015, so a 2012 ix35 and a 2013 Tucson are mechanically the same generation. Whether the nearside shaft from a specific ix35 will cross directly to your Tucson depends on the engine code and gearbox type matching exactly, so supply both details to the breaker. Mid-production changes to mounting or ancillary components can occur within a generation, so ask the breaker to check the part against your registration before purchase.