NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 37 owner complaints for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. Most complaints involve electrical system (5) and forward collision avoidance (5). The EPA rates it 21–24 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
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.
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."
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Santa Fe model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 209 |
| 2002 | 171 |
| 2003 | 308 |
| 2004 | 303 |
| 2005 | 216 |
| 2006 | 106 |
| 2007 | 684 |
| 2008 | 541 |
| 2009 | 359 |
| 2010 | 260 |
| 2011 | 181 |
| 2012 | 355 |
| 2013 | 605 |
| 2014 | 494 |
| 2015 | 255 |
| 2016 | 236 |
| 2017 | 972 |
| 2018 | 110 |
| 2019 | 203 |
| 2020 | 218 |
| 2021 | 168 |
| 2022 | 202 |
| 2023 | 214 |
| 2024 | 156 |
| 2025 | 137 |
| 2026 | 37 |
“This vehicle constantly pops up an alert to "consider taking a break" on the dash. It mutes everything else and causes a distraction. This vehicle was operated at normal highway driving conditions. THERE IS NO WAY TO DIABLE THIS. After looking online there is a reddit post from 2 years ago where this first came into effect and people have been complaining about it constantly. This is a genuine safety concern as any unexpected change or alert causes the driver to look away from the road to see "whats wrong" and for this incident NOTHING IS WRONG. An hour long commute should not pop up 15 alerts because the road has ruts or its mildly windy or the driver is wearing sunglasses or any number of minor things the vehicle doesnt like.”
“I left work and my car pulled back I looked at my dash I just saw all the lights on indicators telling me I may stop or not I was so scared I live 45 mins from my job and this isn’t the first incident after the second day I bought this brand new car my low oil light came on and the dip stick was dry on a brand new car the following day and from that point on my car is like a magnet and pulls to the right lane to another car this is causing me PTSD I BEGGED my husband to drive me to work in my 48 years I’ve never been afraid of a car when I let the dealership know they don’t care it’s a stupid woman well I’ve owned 2 brand new Palisades and they were amazing vehicles this one is just not working right”
“The right side power captain seat in the second row began to fold down without the button being pressed. It happened with and without the seatbelt plugged in. It came down while my toddler was in her rear facing car seat and began to crush the car seat and push on her feet. The chair would not stop the power seat motors even with both my wife and myself pushing back on the seat trying to free our daughter from the car seat. It continued to push down the moment there was more space to collapse. No errors or messages or engine lights of any sort were displayed anywhere. Even after removing our daughter it happened several times again.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe FWD Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 29 | 24 | $2,700 | 374 |
| Santa Fe AWD Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,800 | 389 |
| Santa Fe AWD XRT Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 19 | 25 | 21 | $3,050 | 421 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
4 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 37 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (5), forward collision avoidance (5), seats (5). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe at 21–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe 5 out of 5 stars overall.