What are the most common problems with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Owners name the engine group 64 times and the power train group 62 times. Electrical complaints come to 55. The problems section above has the full list.

Has the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe been recalled?

Yes. The by-year data shows 2 recalls for 2023. The recalls section on this page lists them.

How many complaints does the 2023 Santa Fe have?

NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports from owners.

What gas mileage does the 2023 Santa Fe get?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?

Reports concentrate in a few groups, led by the engine and power train. Read the problems and verdict sections together with the crash ratings and year comparison on this page.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe^[1]. Some of them mention crashes, fires or injuries, and the groups below show where the reports cluster.

290owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[2]

24–34MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most often, biggest first.

Unknown or other. 75 complaints^[5]. These reports do not fit a listed component, so the group is a mixed bag.
Engine. 64 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a car that hesitates or does not respond when they press the gas, and some describe warning lights and a sudden loss of power.
Power train. 62 complaints^[7]. In the stories we read, owners describe a delay before the car moves, a transmission that slips into neutral while driving, and the car refusing to pick up speed in traffic.
Electrical system. 55 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a panic alarm that goes off on its own, a dash full of warning lights, and a car that stalls and needs a tow.
Forward collision avoidance. 50 complaints^[9]. Owners describe automatic braking that kicks in when nothing is in the way, driver assist features that switch off, and wipers that act up.
Brakes. 30 complaints^[10].
Fuel and propulsion system. 27 complaints^[11].
Speed control. 24 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2023 Santa Fe is necessarily included.

Trailer Hitches (23V181), March 2023. About 584,784 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Seat Belts › Front (22V816), October 2022. About 14,933 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Santa Fe Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[15]	33 / 30 / 32	$2,100
Santa Fe Hybrid Blue, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[3]	36 / 31 / 34	$1,950
Santa Fe FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	25 / 28 / 26	$2,600
Santa Fe FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	22 / 28 / 25	$2,700
Santa Fe AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[18]	22 / 25 / 24	$2,800
Santa Fe AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[19]	21 / 28 / 24	$2,800
Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular Gas and Electricity^[20]	33 / 32 / 33	n/a

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[4]	5	5	5	4	14.7%
SUV FWD^[21]	5	5	5	4	15.5%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe with 1.6L 4-cylinder^[22]	177 hp
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[23]	191 to 281 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
SANTA FE 4DR SUV AWD PREFERRED^[24]	189 in	75 in	67 in	109 in	3,812 lb
SANTA FE 4DR SUV AWD URBAN / ULTIMATE^[25]	189 in	75 in	67 in	109 in	4,037 lb
SANTA FE HEV 4DR SUV^[26]	189 in	75 in	67 in	109 in	4,204 lb
SANTA FE PHEV 4DR SUV^[27]	189 in	75 in	67 in	109 in	4,491 lb

How 2023 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Santa Fe model year. The 2023 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2001	209	4
2002	165	4
2003	308	4
2004	303	3
2005	216	3
2006	106	1
2007	684	7
2008	541	4
2009	358	2
2010	260	2
2011	181	2
2012	354	1
2013	805	7
2014	657	7
2015	339	4
2016	306	3
2017	1,326	7
2018	432	5
2019	229	3
2020	217	2
2021	187	8
2022	265	8
2023	290	2
2024	191	7
2025	238	5
2026	56	4

NHTSA's counts for the Santa Fe show 290 complaints and 2 recalls for 2023^[2]. Among the 27 model years listed, 14 have fewer complaints than 2023 and 12 have more^[2]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (0) and the most are for 2017 (1,326)^[2]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2023 Santa Fe?

The 2023 Santa Fe has 290 complaints on file with NHTSA^[1]. These are unverified owner reports. The engine and power train groups stand out because owners describe the car not responding when they ask for power^[6]^[7]. Forward collision avoidance also draws attention, since owners describe braking they did not expect^[9]. The model has 2 recalls on record^[2].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?: Owners name the engine group 64 times^[6] and the power train group 62 times^[7]. Electrical complaints come to 55^[8]. The problems section above has the full list.
Has the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe been recalled?: Yes. The by-year data shows 2 recalls for 2023^[2]. The recalls section on this page lists them.
How many complaints does the 2023 Santa Fe have?: NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports from owners.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Santa Fe get?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?: Reports concentrate in a few groups, led by the engine^[6] and power train^[7]. Read the problems and verdict sections together with the crash ratings and year comparison on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Hyundai Santa Fe

2005 216 complaints, 3 recalls
2006 106 complaints, 1 recall
2007 684 complaints, 7 recalls
2008 541 complaints, 4 recalls
2009 358 complaints, 2 recalls
2017 1,326 complaints, 7 recalls
2018 432 complaints, 5 recalls
2019 229 complaints, 3 recalls
2020 217 complaints, 2 recalls
2023 this page

Compare all model years of the Hyundai Santa Fe

Other Hyundai models from 2023

2023 Hyundai Palisade 408 complaints, 5 recalls

All Hyundai models

Similar cars from 2023: small suvs

2023 Honda Passport 40 complaints, 5 recalls
2023 Kia Sportage 308 complaints, 7 recalls
2023 Lexus RX 67 complaints, 4 recalls
2023 Lincoln Corsair 23 complaints, 10 recalls
2023 Mazda CX-9 13 complaints, 0 recalls
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 17 complaints, 3 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe (13 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 17 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Hyundai Santa Fe model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Santa Fe Hybrid Blue, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 36 city / 31 highway / 34 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 14.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
75 complaints name the unknown or other component group (4 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
64 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 1,700). NHTSA vehicle records
62 complaints name the power train component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 9,250). NHTSA vehicle records
55 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
50 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (6 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
30 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V181, filed March 17, 2023: Trailer Hitches. NHTSA recall database
Recall 22V816, filed October 31, 2022: Seat Belts › Front. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Santa Fe Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 33 city / 30 highway / 32 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,100. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Santa Fe FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 28 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Santa Fe FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Santa Fe AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 25 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Santa Fe AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular Gas and Electricity: 33 MPGe combined, 440 miles of range. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 177 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 191 to 281 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, SANTA FE 4DR SUV AWD PREFERRED: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 3,812 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, SANTA FE 4DR SUV AWD URBAN / ULTIMATE: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 4,037 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, SANTA FE HEV 4DR SUV: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 4,204 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, SANTA FE PHEV 4DR SUV: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 4,491 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe: problems, recalls and fuel economy