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2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
67 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (30% of complaints, typically reported near 4k miles).
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#216 of 284Among the 2025 models with a matured record, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev ranks #216, scoring higher than 23% of them. See the 2025 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2025 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID SUV AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Speed control (16) · Driver assistance (14)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
30%20 complaints · typically near 4k mi · 20 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the Apple CarPlay system unexpectedly interrupted the operation o…”
Engine
28%19 complaints · typically near 11k mi · 19 in the last 2 years
“The car went from 70 miles an hour to 25 miles an hour all of a sudden on the highway and then would not allow to accelerate afterwards. Battery stopped charging and w…”
Speed control
24%16 complaints · 16 in the last 2 years
“Vehicle would not accelerate in high speed zone.”
Fuel system
21%14 complaints · typically near 8k mi · 14 in the last 2 years
“Since February 2026 I have had daily incidents of the hybrid system error where the vehicle is only relying on the hybrid battery to move. I've had a few near miss acc…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 4 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 67 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 3 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Seat Belts · 26V218000
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.
Fix: 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.
Back Over Prevention · 25V808000
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.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags · 25V809000
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.
Fix: 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.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Hyundai before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 4k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 11k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2025 Hyundai SANTA FE HYBRID HEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2025? See how every Santa Fe Hybrid Hev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.