Santa Fe (MX5)
NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings
Engine Reliability Ratings
T-GDI THETA III
2.5L TurboView details
Complaint Breakdown
Known Issues
T-GDI GAMMA-II
1.6L TurboView details
Complaint Breakdown
Known Issues
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Hybrid (HEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe
That's about 2.3x the typical rate for hybrids in this dataset (median 7.5 per year). Above peer average — but high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints, so check the issue mix below before drawing conclusions.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 22 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
- [2025] Gas Motor is not engaging to assist electric drivetrain on a hybrid AWD 2025 Santa Fe. This resulted in a dangerous situation crossing a busy road from a stop sign. The Santa Fe rolled into the intersection at the drivers request, but did not accelerate normally (only to a maximum of a few miles per hour) and felt like an eternity to cross the road. Fortunately oncoming drivers from left and right
- [2025] My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has recurring powertrain communication failures starting at only 67 miles and continuing at 5,300 and 6,200 miles. Diagnostic trouble codes include U010100 (lost communication with engine control module) and multiple U100xxx codes related to transmission and CAN bus communication failures. These indicate loss of communication between critical control modules. The is
- [2025] Vehicle went in to limp mode in the middle of driving. Would not accelerate past 30mph. Was able to turn around and pull in to a neighborhood when the vehicle stopped responding altogether and had an additional warning about letting the engine recharge the hybrid system. Restarting the car got it home. This would have been extremely dangerous had it happened on the highway, at highway speeds.
Hybrid Drivetrain
- [2025] Vehicle went in to limp mode in the middle of driving. Would not accelerate past 30mph. Was able to turn around and pull in to a neighborhood when the vehicle stopped responding altogether and had an additional warning about letting the engine recharge the hybrid system. Restarting the car got it home. This would have been extremely dangerous had it happened on the highway, at highway speeds.
- [2025] The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has had multiple occasions, most recently on February 3, 2026 with 12,330 miles on the car, where the gas-powered engine fails to provide any power to the drivetrain. The car experiences vast power loss and enters "limp mode" where only the small hybrid battery is powering the vehicle. Max speed ranges from 10 - 25mph and there is little, if any, acceleration, ev
- [2025] While driving, the vehicle will suddenly fail to accelerate beyond approximately 45 mph, even with the accelerator fully depressed. During these events, the engines RPMs increase significantly without a corresponding increase in vehicle speed. When this occurs, the hybrid battery fails to hold or maintain a charge, and the vehicle appears to enter a reduced-power or limp mode condition. This cond
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2025] My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid with 1724 miles was unresponsive in the garage. Not able to get in the car because the 12v battery was completely drained. Hyundai dispatched a tow truck to take it to the local Hyundai dealership. A service provider did call me to let me know the car was there. He also told me that apparently this problem I had was a known issue with the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrids. I ha
- [2025] Car did dashboard update on 4/10/25. Had less than 4300 miles. Unable to unlock car due to dead battery. Car unlock service opened door for tow company to jump battery and advise that the new 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid battery needs to be replaced. May need other service (alternator or Hybrid battery too) but the 12v battery had been drained. Interior lights would not turn on prior to this happening.
- [2025] 12V battery discharges and SUV has to be junp started. Hyundai removed the battery reset button that existed until 2023 model year. Manufacturer should do recall to change the 12V battery charging characteristics for 2024/2025 model years.
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Vehicle-Level Issues
These issues affect the Hyundai Santa Fe regardless of engine variant.
All Generations
Alternatives in Midsize SUV
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe has accumulated 145 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Safety Systems, Electrical System, Engine. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.
Which Hyundai Santa Fe engine is most reliable?
The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe was offered with 2 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 1.6L ?-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.
Is the 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe a good used car?
The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 145 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe has 145 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.
What recalls affect the 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe?
There are 0 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.
What should I check before buying a used Hyundai Santa Fe?
Before buying a used Hyundai Santa Fe, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Safety Systems, Electrical System, Engine, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Santa Fe?
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 5 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: No. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 145 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-04-07.