Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 5 | 14% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 11% |
| Engine | 4 | 11% |
| Seat belts | 3 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5% |
| Structure | 2 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Occasionally the cruise control will go off. Sometimes it will reset itself & other times, the driver has to initiate. I reported to the Hyundai Manuf. last yr. & also had 2 separate dealers take a look & problem has n
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
The driver-side seat belt buckle on my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe will not latch. This is a safety-critical failure under FMVSS 209/210. The vehicle has not been in a collision. The dealership and Hyundai Consumer Affairs
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
The vehicle has suffered a catastrophic structural manufacturing defect involving a transmission case half seal failure. The transmission is actively seeping/leaking fluid directly from the factory-mated case assembly li
NHTSA complaint: Power train
While accelerating at a light, the accelerator became unresponsive, only propelling the vehicle a couple miles per hour. I was not able to pull over, as I was in the left lane of a very busy road. After about 15 seconds
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Ever since new this suv will periodically hesitate when trying to accelerate. I have almost been rearended numerous times over the last few years do to this issue. I have had the SUV into the dealer and complained about
NHTSA complaint: Power train
vehicle will not change out of EV electric mode and return to gas power causing hybrid battery drains to zero, vehicle loses acceleration, you can push the gas pedal to the floor and you have no acceleration, very UNSAF
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Our vehicle continues to experience loss of power driving , on cold days below freezing. When driving normally this hybrid vehicle will be in hybrid mode at a stop, then when accelerating, the ICE engine will not start t
NHTSA complaint: Power train
When pressing the accelerator from a full stop, the car would either not move at all, idle/roll forward, or unsteadily jerk forward. In addition, the car would brake while driving despite not applying any pressure to the
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe HEV and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. The instrument cluster liquid-crystal display (LCD) may invert the image on the screen upon vehicle startup, making the display illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements
Risk: An illegible instrument cluster will not show information such as vehicle speed or safety system warnings, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the instrument cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 23, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbe
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023 Genesis G80 Electric, 2021-2022 Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 14, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water acc
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner n
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirem
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number fo
| Reliability raw | 85 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 81 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 66 | good |
| Performance | 58 | average |
| Efficiency | 54 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 5 of them (14%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2022 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.