OverviewSpecifications
Hyundai Santa Fe FWD
Hyundai · Cars · 2025
Hyundai Santa Fe FWD (2025)
76
⚠ 112 complaints
Status
Safe
Good track record, minimal issues
Status Safe — no safety recalls recorded; minor complaints only.
Specifications
Engine Size2.5L
Fuel TypeRegular
Transmission8-speed automatic
Combined MPG24 MPG
Hyundai Santa Fe FWD Comparison with Similar Vehicles
Hyundai Santa Fe FWDHyundai Santa Fe FWD (this vehicle)Hyundai Kona FWDHyundai Kona FWDToyota Corolla CrossToyota Corolla CrossGMC Yukon XL 4WDGMC Yukon XL 4WDGMC Yukon 2WDGMC Yukon 2WDBuick Encore GX AWDBuick Encore GX AWD
Price—$23,000–$31,000———$27,900
Engine Capacity2.5L2L2L3L3L1.3L
Fuel TypeRegularRegularRegularDieselDieselRegular
Transmission8-speed automaticAutomatic (AV-S1)Automatic (AV-S10)Automatic 10-spdAutomatic 10-spdAutomatic 9-spd
Body TypeSUVSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDStandard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WDStandard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
About

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe FWD offers a practical and safe SUV experience for your daily drives. With a focus on fuel efficiency and a robust safety record, this vehicle is designed to meet your needs.

Pros
  • Safe vehicle status
  • No recalls on record
  • Good highway MPG
  • Front-wheel drive capability
Cons
  • 112 complaints on record
  • Below average GHG score
Complaints112 total
HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2025 LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
high
I am submitting a second and more urgent safety complaint regarding the Driver Monitoring and Driver Assistance systems in my vehicle. I previously reported this same core defect: the system falsely fails to recognize my face, sounds repeated warnings, and disables driving assistance while the vehicle is moving. Despite that prior complaint, the defect remains, and the seriousness of the danger has clearly not been recognized or addressed. This defect has now placed my life in immediate danger. While I was driving, the system falsely determined that it could not properly see my face. It sounded repeated warnings and then abruptly disabled driving assistance. That sudden withdrawal of assistance created a near-crash situation. I was attentive and was not experiencing a medical emergency. The danger was created by the system’s false detection and defective response. A safety system should reduce danger. This system detected a supposed problem and made the situation more dangerous by removing the assistance that was helping keep the vehicle under control. Had this occurred beside a concrete barrier, near stopped traffic, in a construction zone, on a curve, or next to a large truck, the result could have been a fatal collision. I could have been killed because of this system defect. When a driver cannot be verified, the vehicle should maintain lane control, reduce speed, activate hazard warnings, and perform a controlled safe stop. It should never abruptly withdraw assistance and create a more dangerous condition. I request that NHTSA investigate why a previously reported life-threatening defect remains unresolved and require Hyundai to correct this system logic before someone is seriously injured or killed.
NHTSAUSJul 2026Source →
HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2025 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
medium
While driving on the on ramp to [XXX] the car completely stopped and all systems shut off. There were two dash lights that flashed quickly with one being the check engine light but I did not see the other long enough to identify it. The dealership could not reproduce the issue but has the car now and is doing a more thorough evaluation. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine stopped. Yes it is available How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Extremely dangerous as it came to a stop in the middle of the road. It was late at night so at that moment no one was behind me. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? no Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no, the warning lights flashed on as the car died but disappeared once off. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSAUSJul 2026Source →
HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2025 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
high
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V218000 (Seat Belts) and 25V659000 (Electrical System); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the recall repairs were denied due to a lack of maintenance records with an authorized Hyundai Dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSAUSJun 2026Source →
HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2025 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
high
On June 24, 2026, my spouse was operating our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe when the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic, and total electrical failure while actively on the roadway. The vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when all propulsion power was instantly lost, the engine shut down, and all electronic systems—including the center infotainment screens and instrument cluster—went completely dark. Safety Hazard & Entrapment Incident: Simultaneous with the total electrical failure, the vehicle's electronic door lock system malfunctioned. The rear passenger doors and rear liftgate locked completely and could not be disengaged or opened from the inside by the passengers. Due to this total power loss and lock failure, my young daughters were trapped in the rear seats. My spouse was forced to climb over the center console from the front seat into the rear cabin to manually extract our children through the front doors. The family had to abandon the disabled vehicle in live traffic and walk down the roadway to reach a safe location. This constitutes a severe safety hazard involving both sudden loss of motive power on a public road and occupant entrapment due to safety lock/latch failure during an electrical short. The vehicle has been towed to Pohanka Hyundai of Capitol Heights for inspection.
NHTSAUSJun 2026Source →
HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2025 SEAT BELTS
low
The middle row left side seat belt does not buckle. We made sure everything is clear in it, it is not dirty. We have had issues with it clicking to lock since we purchased the car last March 2025. It does not work at all now.
NHTSAUSJun 2026Source →
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Status history
Uncertain→Safe31 May 2026
Lemon Score: 85. 34 data points. v3 scoring.
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