Hyundai Santa Fe Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe drew the most (260; most-reported area: engine) and the 2016 the fewest (32).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 36 mpg combined, arrived in 2024 and has held since. Includes the two-row Santa Fe Sport (2016 to 2018), the three-row Santa Fe XL (2019), and the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2017 Santa Fe Most reported: engine	260	1,316	7
2023 Santa Fe Most reported: powertrain	231	287	2
2022 Santa Fe Most reported: powertrain	156	263	8
2021 Santa Fe Most reported: powertrain	114	186	8
2019 Santa Fe Most reported: engine	72	225	3
2018 Santa Fe Most reported: engine	70	429	5
2020 Santa Fe Most reported: engine	55	213	2
2016 Santa Fe Most reported: engine	32	305	3

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Hybrid	4	49
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Hybrid	5	223
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Hybrid	7	184
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Hybrid	2	287
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Hybrid	8	263
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Hybrid	8	186
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	2	213
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	3	225
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	5	429
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	7	1,316
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	23 mpg Gas	3	305

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2017: 1,316 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Santa Fe
Model year	Complaints
2016	305
2017	1,316
2018	429
2019	225
2020	213
2021	186
2022	263
2023	287
2024	184
2025	223
2026	49

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 23 to 26 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2021. Hybrid: 34 to 36 mpg (2021 to 2026); 36 since 2024.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas 24 mpg · hybrid 36 mpg

Show as a table

Hyundai Santa Fe best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	23	–
2017	24	–
2018	24	–
2019	25	–
2020	25	–
2021	26	34
2022	26	34
2023	26	34
2024	24	36
2025	24	36
2026	24	36

Comparisons

Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa FeMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Questions

Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2017 (260) drew the most, then the 2023 (231). Most-reported area for the 2017: engine.

Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the fewest problems?

The 2016 (32) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Hyundai Santa Fe years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2017, against 93 complaints in a typical Hyundai Santa Fe year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.

Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the most recalls?

The 2021 and 2022 have the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (8 each). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. Three recalls tell owners not to drive the car or to park it outside until it is repaired: NHTSA 22V-056 (2016 to 2019 models), NHTSA 22V-810 (2018 models), and NHTSA 23V-181 (2019 to 2023 models).

What are the most common Hyundai Santa Fe problems?

Of the 3,680 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are engine (46%), powertrain (16%), and electrical system (11%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Hyundai Santa Fe year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 36 mpg combined, first reached by the 2024 hybrid version and matched by every year since.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.