The Hyundai Santa Fe is a compact SUV built from 2001 to 2026 over 3 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 67% of those on record. Between 2001 and 2026 it grew 27 cm longer and gained 7 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, V6. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Santa Fe is
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a compact SUV that Hyundai built from 2001 to 2026 — 26 model years. Our measurements put it at 3 generations, the current one starting in 2019. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Hyundai range: Tucson, Santa Cruz, Ioniq 5.
Where the Santa Fe is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 6,917 Santa Fes on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 5NM, 5XY, 5NP | 2003-2026 | |
| South Korea | KM8, KMH | 2001-2023 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Hyundai VIN decide which of these 3 lines your Santa Fe belongs to. What every character in a Santa Fe VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Hyundai Santa Fe adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Santa Fe generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Santa Fe's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Santa Fe that gives 3 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-2006 | 450 cm | 262 cm | 1687 kg | - | - |
| 2007-2012 | 468 cm | 270 cm | 1745 kg | +18 cm | +58 kg |
| 2019-2026 | 477 cm | 277 cm | 1694 kg | +9 cm | -51 kg |
Between 2001 and 2026 the Santa Fe gained 27 cm in length (+6.0%) and 7 kg in weight (+0.4%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Santa Fe that is 7 kg against 27 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Hyundai Santa Fe tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Santa Fe owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Hyundai Santa Fe have? Power & range
The Hyundai Santa Fe is offered with 4 powertrains — 3.3L 6-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl Plug-in hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 4 for the Hyundai Santa Fe, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.3L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.5L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S8) | FWD | Regular |
| Hybrid | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Automatic (AM-S6) | FWD | Regular |
| Plug-in hybrid | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Automatic (AM-S6) | AWD | Regular Gas and Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Can a Hyundai Santa Fe tow? Towing & payload
As an SUV, the Hyundai Santa Fe is built to tow and haul. The exact maximum towing capacity and payload depend on the engine, drivetrain and whether it has the factory tow package.
What sets your Santa Fe's tow & payload rating:
- Engine — a larger or turbocharged engine tows more than the base unit.
- Drivetrain & axle — 4WD/AWD and the axle ratio shift the rating.
- Tow package — the factory towing package (hitch, wiring, transmission cooler) raises the max.
- Payload & GVWR — GVWR caps the combined load; more passengers and cargo lower how much you can tow.
Exact towing capacity, payload and GVWR are added per engine, drivetrain and trim — decode your VIN above, or check the driver's door-jamb and hitch labels. Curb weight from vehicle specifications.
The Santa Fe by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Hyundai Santa Fe. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Santa Fe | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 109 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 7,584 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,474/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 1,576 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Hyundai Santa Fe?
The Santa Fe is a compact SUV, built from 2001 to 2026 across 3 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, V6.
Where is the Hyundai Santa Fe made?
Across 6,917 cars in our records the split is: the United States (67%), South Korea (33%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Santa Fe have?
3 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2019. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Santa Fe grew 27 cm longer and gained 7 kg.
What is the Hyundai Santa Fe warranty?
New models carry 5 years / 60,000 miles basic cover and 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Santa Fe reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Santa Fe?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Hyundai
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Palisade | 2020–2026 | 33 | 34 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Hyundai Elantra | 1992–2026 | 116 | 54 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Hyundai Tucson | 2005–2026 | 89 | 50 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Hyundai Sonata | 1989–2026 | 152 | 52 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Hyundai Kona | 2018–2026 | 29 | 120 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Hyundai Accent | 1995–2026 | 65 | 36 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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