Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai Tucson vs Hyundai Santa FE
How the Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Santa FE compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Hyundai Tucson vs Hyundai Santa FE: The Tucson averages 300.3 complaints per year, with 140 crash-related incidents, while the Santa Fe averages 230.1 complaints and 87 crash-related incidents. Both have significant engine and electrical issues, but the Santa Fe has fewer complaints and injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Santa FE more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson, over the past decade, has accumulated a high volume of complaints, averaging over 300 per year, with engine issues dominating the reports. Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration and loss of control, which are alarming and potentially dangerous. The high number of crash-related complaints and injuries underscores the severity of these failures. Living with a Tucson means being alert to potential engine and braking system anomalies that could compromise safety.
Hyundai Santa FE
The Hyundai Santa Fe shows a slightly lower complaint rate, averaging about 230 per year, but still has a significant number of engine and powertrain issues. Owners report hesitation and loss of power, as well as transmission juddering, which can be frustrating and unsafe in traffic. Electrical system failures, including dashboard blackouts, add to the ownership concerns. While no deaths are reported, the pattern of sudden power loss and electrical gremlins makes the Santa Fe a vehicle that requires careful inspection and maintenance.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai Tucson | Hyundai Santa FE |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,003 | 2,301 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 27 Better | 41 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 140 | 87 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 300.3 | 230.1 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 137 | 82 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 0 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Hyundai Tucson
- 01ENGINE1,282
- 02POWER TRAIN540
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER411
- 04SERVICE BRAKES379
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM345
Owners report sudden unintended acceleration, leading to loss of control and crashes. This is a critical safety issue that could result in serious injury or death.
There are reports of steering locking up and transmission issues, such as getting stuck in reverse, which can leave drivers stranded or unable to control the vehicle.
The automatic emergency braking system can lock up brakes unexpectedly, causing rear-end collisions or near-misses. This is a significant safety concern.
Some owners report issues with the instrument cluster and infotainment system, including stuck update loops and screens that fail to turn off, which can be distracting.
“I experienced sudden unintended acceleration which propelled me over a curb, up an embankment, over a boulder and into a fence. I could have been killed or I could have killed others because I had no control of the car. The Hyundai corporation will not acknow…”
Hyundai Santa FE
- 01ENGINE970
- 02POWER TRAIN426
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER392
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM273
- 05SERVICE BRAKES156
There are reports of sudden loss of power while driving, such as the vehicle not accelerating beyond 25 mph, which can be dangerous when merging or on highways.
The dual-clutch transmission can judder, shudder, and hesitate when accelerating from a stop, leading to jerky and unpredictable driving.
Severe electrical failures can cause the instrument cluster to go black, leaving drivers without speedometer or warning lights, and also affect door locks and windows.
Driver attention warning systems may malfunction, giving false alerts, and there are complaints about inadequate air conditioning in the third row, which could be a comfort issue.
“I was merging onto the highway and the acceleration stopped working and the vehicle would not go more than 25 mph. Had to restart car in shoulder, isue seemed to self correct but then it happened 10 minutes later stranding me in between the highway and exit r…”
“After turning off the radio with the push button control the instrument cluster and navigation display panel went completely dead black. After pushing multiple buttons several times the panel came back to life. This has not yet been reported to the dealer. On…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Hyundai Tucson — 27 recalls
The 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.
The risk: 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.
The fix: 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.
The 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 displa…
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Elantra N, 2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), and Elantra vehicles. The B-pillar impact sensors may have been misassembled, which can delay air bag deployment.
The risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the impact sensor(s), as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 11, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 2…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes.
The risk: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the front camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 302. Vehi…
Hyundai Santa FE — 41 recalls
The 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.
The risk: 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.
The fix: 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.
The 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.
The risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: 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…
The 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 displa…
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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…
The 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.
The risk: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: 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 cus…
Buyer analysis
Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Santa FE: which should you buy?
The Hyundai Santa Fe has fewer complaints per year (230.1) compared to the Tucson (300.3), indicating a slightly better reliability record. However, both vehicles have serious engine and electrical issues that buyers should be aware of. The difference in complaint volume suggests the Santa Fe may be a marginally safer bet, but neither is without significant concerns.
Key differences
- The Tucson has a higher annual complaint rate (300.3) than the Santa Fe (230.1).
- The Tucson has more crash-related complaints (140) and injuries (137) compared to the Santa Fe (87 and 82).
- The Santa Fe has more recalls (41) than the Tucson (27), but the Tucson has more engine complaints (1282 vs 970).
- The Tucson has more brake complaints (379) than the Santa Fe (156), indicating a more prevalent braking issue.
- Check for any signs of unintended acceleration or brake lock-up by test driving and paying attention to braking behavior.
- Inspect the engine for any recalls or known issues, and verify that all recall repairs have been performed.
- Test the transmission for juddering or hesitation, especially when accelerating from a stop.
- Check the electrical system, including the instrument cluster, for any blackouts or malfunctions.
Before you buy
- Check NHTSA recall status for both vehicles and ensure all recalls are addressed.
- Have a mechanic inspect the engine and transmission for any signs of wear or failure.
- Test drive at various speeds and conditions to check for acceleration issues or brake problems.
- Inspect the electrical system, including dashboard and infotainment, for any glitches.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any major repairs or recurring issues.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Hyundai Tucson | Hyundai Santa FE |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 55 | 29 |
| 2025 | 269 | 123 |
| 2024 | 90 | 136 |
| 2023 | 130 | 204 |
| 2022 | 370 | 192 |
| 2021 | 76 | 164 |
| 2020 | 175 | 202 |
| 2019 | 371 | 192 |
| 2018 | 388 | 108 |
| 2017 | 1079 | 951 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Santa FE in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai Tucson vs Hyundai Santa FE
- Hyundai Tucson total complaints
- 3,003
- Hyundai Santa FE total complaints
- 2,301
- Hyundai Tucson total recalls
- 27
- Hyundai Santa FE total recalls
- 41
- Hyundai Tucson avg complaints/year
- 300.3
- Hyundai Santa FE avg complaints/year
- 230.1
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai Santa FE
- Hyundai Tucson top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Hyundai Santa FE top complaint area
- ENGINE