2026 Hyundai Santa Fe
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Driver Assistance & Speed Control
Driver Assistance & Speed Control leads by volume: 14 of 46 complaints (30%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 216 in 2025 to 46 in 2026.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | vs. 2026 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,750–2,850 | 1,750–2,850 | 1,750–2,950 | 1,750–2,950 | |
| Combined MPG | 22–36 | 22–36 | 21–36 | 21–36 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 19–36 / 26–35 | 19–36 / 26–35 | 19–37 / 25–36 | 19–37 / 25–36 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 249–409 | 249–409 | 244–421 | 243–421 | |
| Complaints filed | 179 | 216 | 46 | 0 | |
| Recalls issued | 7 | 5 | 4 | 0 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 11 | 11 | 2 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Driver Assistance & Speed Control: 14 of 46 NHTSA complaints (30%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe get?
EPA rates it 21–36 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe?
EPA estimates $1,750–$2,950 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 37 mpg (high) | 36 mpg (high) | 36 mpg (high) | $1,750 (low) | 244 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 20 mpg | 29 mpg | 24 mpg | $2,600 | 374 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 35 mpg | 34 mpg | 34 mpg | $1,850 | 258 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 19 mpg (low) | 25 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $2,950 (high) | 421 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 20 mpg | 28 mpg | 23 mpg | $2,700 | 389 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE · Campaign 26V218000 · Apr 7, 2026
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023-2026 Genesis G90, 2024-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.
Consequence: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinforce or replace the seat belt anchors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL · Campaign 26V047000 · Jan 27, 2026
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN · Campaign 25V809000 · Nov 21, 2025
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
Consequence: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:CRITICAL FASTENERS · Campaign 25V549000 · Aug 26, 2025
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.