Last updated: 2026-03-04
2026 Hyundai Santa-FE Reliability Score & Common Problems
The 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE has a predicted reliability score of 73/100 based on prior model year data. Early data shows 5 recalls and 5 owner complaints.
Recalls
5
Complaints
5
Complaint Rate
5.5
per 10k sold
Below avgEst. Annual Cost
$515
Below avgMajor Repair Risk
10%
NHTSA Rating
N/A
Based on historical reliability patterns, predicted to score 73/100 — worth considering.
Top Issues
5 recalls on record
Should You Buy the 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE?
The 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE has a predicted reliability score of 73/100 ("Good") based on prior model year performance.
So far: 5 recalls, 5 owner complaints. Early complaint volume is still developing.
Prior model years suggest dependable ownership. Confirm all recall repairs are completed, and consider a pre-purchase inspection for used examples.
See also the 2025 Hyundai Santa-FE for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- Acceptable predicted reliability based on prior model years
- $58 cheaper to maintain than avg midsize SUVs
- Infrequent unscheduled repairs
- Low major repair risk (10%)
Cons
- Score is a prediction — real-world data still developing
- Moderate recall count
- VISIBILITY/WIPER issues reported (2 complaints)
Compare 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE With
2026 Toyota Highlander
Predicted: 72/100
2026 Honda Pilot
Predicted: 72/100
2026 Ford Explorer
Predicted: 72/100
2026 Honda Passport
Predicted: 79/100
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander
Predicted: 75/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
- 5 manufacturer recalls issued
Other
- VISIBILITY/WIPER (2)
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER (1)
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (1)
- VISIBILITY (1)
Recall Overview
5
recalls on record
The 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE has 5 recalls on record. This is a moderate number. Each recall represents a safety or compliance issue identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships, regardless of warranty status.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
5.5
per 10k soldSegment avg: 6.3
Safety Incidents
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2026 Hyundai Santa-FE Recall Details
5 recalls have been issued for the 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 are expected to be mailed March 27, 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
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
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.
2026 Hyundai Santa-FE NHTSA Safety Ratings
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
BEV / Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 18.5%
Safety Technologies
BEV / HEV Powertrain
Rollover risk: 18.5%
Safety Technologies
Hyundai Santa-FE Repair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$515
vs $573 avg for midsize SUVs
vs $652 avg for all vehicles
Repair Frequency
0.2
unscheduled repair visits per year
Severe Repair Probability
10%
chance of a major repair
Annual Cost Comparison
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
When Buying a Used 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing, based on the most common reported issues.
- Inspect windshield for cracks or signs of weakness, especially in cold weather conditions
- Test windshield wipers in various weather conditions to ensure consistent operation
- Check for proper functioning of windshield washer fluid spray coverage
- Examine all windows for signs of stress or potential shattering
- Verify adaptive cruise control and driver attention system functionality, especially with corrective lenses
Check Any 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE's History Before You Buy
Reliability scores tell you what to expect from the 2026 Santa-FE in general — but every car has its own story. Uncover past accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and service records for a specific Hyundai Santa-FE with a free VIN lookup.
Powered by VINExposed.com — free vehicle history reports using public title and safety data.
2026 Hyundai Santa-FE Common Problems by Component
5 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
2 complaintsOwners of the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe report issues with visibility and wipers, specifically describing instances where windshield wipers intermittently stop working during light to moderate snow, leading to poor visibility without warning indicators. Another reported issue involves the right rear passenger window shattering unexpectedly while driving on the highway, with glass fragments falling into the rear seat area. These incidents occur without prior warning signs or unusual noises, and both situations present potential safety risks, particularly concerning visibility and passenger safety. No specific mileage range is provided in the complaints, but these issues are noted during typical driving conditions.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint2026 Hyundai Santa Fe - Front windshield had spontaneous horizontal crack about 8" on driver side WHILE PARKED WITH NO IMPACT. Car is new with NO ROCK CHIPS. Our winter nights were about 15-25 degrees and the crack would spread WHILE PARKED overnight. Within a week it spread to 24" while trying to get the dealer to agree that this is a warranty issue with no luck. Was told it is NOT a warranty issue. Upon purchasing this new car, I had purchased the "Windshield Protection" package for $595. with the impression it would cover things like this, but it only covers rock and road debris chip REPAIRS, not REPLACEMENTS. Looking at the crack, the windshield appears to be literally HALF AS THICK as other windshields in my past. NOT getting the car washed until it's repaired Google and Facebook searches show MANY complaints about FRAGILE, THIN windshield glass and SPONTANEOUS CRACKS and SHATTERING, even with NO IMPACT. There is even a reported class action lawsuit for this same issue with the Hyundai Palisades. Dealer claims to be unaware of this problem, but there are many online complaints for the 2024 and 2025 Santa Fe's. Now I have to pay my $500 deductible with MY AUTO INSURANCE due to a faulty, thin windshield??
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1 complaintI engaged the adaptive cruise control at 50 MPH. This enabled the driver attention system which I had turned off at the start of my drive. The driver attention system is unable to see my eyes through my prescription corrective lenses. This caused the Hyundai to throw multiple 'failure to control vehicle/failure to watch road' warnings over the course of a few seconds; culminating with the system trying to stop the car in heavy traffic.
VISIBILITY (1 complaints)
VISIBILITY
1 complaintThe contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to clean the front windshield, the contact noticed that the windshield washer fluid only sprayed approximately 2-3 inches from the lower section of the front windshield, which prevented the contact from cleaning the windshield adequately and created a visibility hazard for the driver. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that it was a known issue but no adjustments to the washer fluid sprayer could be made and there was no defect in the system. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.
Best & Worst Hyundai Santa-FE Years
Best Hyundai Santa-FE Years to Buy
The best Hyundai Santa-FE year is 2025 with a reliability score of 75/100, rated good. Other strong picks include 2024 (73/100) and 2023 (70/100).
Hyundai Santa-FE Years to Avoid
The worst Hyundai Santa-FE year is 2018 with a score of 63/100, primarily due to engine (205) issues.
See full Hyundai Santa-FE years-to-avoid analysis →Hyundai Santa-FE Reliability Score Trend
Hyundai Santa-FE reliability has remained consistent across model years, averaging 69/100.
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 63/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 69/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 69/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 66/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 73/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 75/100 | Good |
Hyundai Santa-FE Reliability Compared to Other Years
2026 Hyundai Santa-FE Reliability by Powertrain
The 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE is available with 2 powertrain options. Here's how they compare on reliability.
| Powertrain | Complaints | Recalls | Incidents* | Crash Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEV / Gas | 5 | 3 | 0 | N/T |
| BEV / HEV | 0 | 2 | 0 | N/T |
| Total | 5 | 5 | 0 |
NHTSA tracks complaints separately for each powertrain configuration. Totals reflect the sum across all variants. N/T = Not tested by NHTSA.
* Incidents = crash + fire reports. A single complaint can include multiple incident types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE?
How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Santa-FE have?
How is the predicted score calculated?
How We Calculate Reliability Scores
Auto Reliability Index scores are calculated on a 0–100 scale using a weighted formula that combines multiple public data sources. Each factor is weighted based on its predictive value for real-world ownership experience.
Key Ranking Factors
Complaint Severity
NHTSA owner complaints weighted by component category (e.g., powertrain, safety systems, electronics, cosmetic) — safety-critical issues carry more weight than cosmetic ones. Adjusted for sales volume so high-volume models aren't unfairly penalized.
Repair Costs
Independent reliability ratings based on repair frequency, average repair costs, and severity of typical repairs for each model.
Recall Impact
Number of NHTSA recalls weighted by severity. “Stop driving” and fire-risk recalls are penalized more heavily than minor software or labeling recalls.
Issue Diversity
Measures how many major vehicle systems (engine, transmission, electrical, braking, etc.) have recorded complaints. A vehicle with issues spread across many systems may indicate systemic quality issues.
Scores are grouped into four tiers:
- 80–100: Excellent — Top-tier reliability, minimal issues
- 60–79: Good — Reliable with some minor concerns
- 40–59: Mixed — Notable issues, research before buying
- 0–39: Risky — Significant problems, proceed with caution
Data is sourced from NHTSA recall records, owner complaint filings, and independent repair databases. Scores are recalculated as new data becomes available. While the weighting model is proprietary, all underlying data sources are public and traceable.
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