YearToAvoid

2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 5 Santa FE Hybrid years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid ranks worst of 5 model years, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 90 NHTSA complaints. Engine issues lead at 47% of complaints, followed by electrical problems, and three recalls have been issued.

Complaints
90
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
35
35.5 city / 34.5 hwy

Top 2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine42 (47%)
  2. Electrical System28 (31%)
  3. Fuel System22 (24%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras18 (20%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain18 (20%)
  6. Other13 (14%)
  7. Lane Departure5 (6%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (4%)
  9. Airbags3 (3%)
  10. Brakes2 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration where the vehicle kept speeding up despite braking, in one case resulting in a rear-end crash.
  • Some drivers say airbags failed to deploy in crashes, including one collision at an estimated 45 mph with a bent frame.
  • Several owners describe the 12V battery draining repeatedly, leaving the hybrid unable to start without a jump, even after battery replacement.
  • Owners report the key fob stops working for locking and unlocking for several minutes after the car is shut off, even though the media screen stays on.
  • Some drivers say the Forward Collision Avoidance system falsely triggered, causing the vehicle to brake or accelerate unexpectedly at highway speed.
  • Owners describe engine stalling on the highway, with one case traced to fuel injector replacement shortly after purchase.
2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid complaints: complaints filed per month20Nov 2024Mar 2025Jul 2025Oct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026
160 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2024 to Sep 2026; peak Aug 2026 (20).

2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V218000Apr 6, 2026Seat Belts294,448 vehicles

    Seat belts:front:anchorage

    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.

    Risk: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: 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 customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 25V809000Nov 20, 2025Airbags258 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain

    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.

    Risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: 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 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.

  3. NHTSA 25V808000Nov 20, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras143,472 vehicles

    Back over prevention:display function

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the camera wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 288. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.

2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid fuel economy and fuel cost

City
35.5 MPG
Highway
34.5 MPG
Combined
35 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,850
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2025 compared with other Santa FE Hybrid years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2023Avoid7557133
2024Caution5034435
2025Avoid10090335

All Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid has the highest Complaint Index (100) among the 5 model years with data, and it carries the 'Avoid' verdict relative to other Santa Fe Hybrid years.
What are the biggest problems with the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid?
NHTSA data shows Engine complaints lead at 47% of the total (42 complaints), followed by Electrical System issues at 31% and Fuel System issues at 24%.
Does the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid have any recalls?
NHTSA lists three recalls for the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid: seat belt anchors, improperly installed side curtain airbags, and a rearview camera wiring harness issue. None are marked do-not-drive.
How does the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid compare to other model years?
The 2025 model has a Complaint Index of 100, higher than 2021 (0, Best), 2022 (25, Good), 2023 (75, Avoid), and 2024 (50, Caution), making 2025 the worst-ranked year.
What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid?
EPA rates the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid at 35 mpg combined (35.5 city / 34.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,850.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.