2023 Hyundai Santa Fe: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
205 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Santa Fe carries the Theta II 2.4 and 2.0 turbo engines and the same recall history as the Sonata, but its complaint counts are lower because its volumes are lower. The 2017 model year is the outlier, with 951 complaints, almost all engine failure and fire. Read the full note on the model page. 2023 specifically: a year the record favours — 205 complaints, score 70/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Hyundai Tucson, Santa Fe and Elantra: beyond the engine recall, including 2023 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 205 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 68.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I was driving, and the SUV all of a sudden lost power. I was trying to press harder on the gas pedal to keep up with the traffic, but the SUV was stalling. The SUV would not move, and as I kept trying to press on the gas pedal, a roaring noise like something was trying to turn but the engine kept trying to move the car. It felt like something in the car was trying to move but something kept slipping. I had to turn th…
My dealership has reground the rotors on my car twice. Now with less than 40,000 mileson the car the brakes need ground again. The issue with the brakes is it causes the front end of the car to shake when the brakes are applied. This could lead to loss of control on down hill stops in slippery conditions.
Vehicle stalled while driving — unsafe loss of power. While driving at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning and the electrical system malfunctioned. I had to pull over and restart car. This created a dangerous situation and could have caused a collision. Prior to this incidenct, the vehicle had intermittent electrical issues during startup (flickering electronics). This is the first time the…
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 23V181000 | Trailer Hitches | 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 accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,550
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other59 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train43 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System35 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine35 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Forward Collision Avoidance34 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Service Brakes23 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Hyundai Santa Fe years
Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (59 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 70/100, computed from 205 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe's most common problem?
59 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe cost to run per year?
About $4,938 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,690 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 17/03/2023. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 205 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 205 NHTSA complaints on record (68.3/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (46.5/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems