MODELYEARINDEX

Which Hyundai Santa FE Sport years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2017, 2018 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Hyundai Santa FE Sport Full report
F
Grade 2013–2018
2017 vs model median 3.4×
Model median3× median
Engine 39
Drivetrain 24
Speed Control 14
Avoid

2017 · 2018

Best

2013 · 2016

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2013
0.44× 15 B
2014
1.26× 39 D
2015
0.74× 35 C
2016
0.18× 11 A
2017
3.37× 137 F
2018
2.84× 120 F

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2017 F 137 reports · median 10,000 mi

  1. Engine 39

    My new hyundai santa fe has a hesitation or pause problem. Randomly the engine or power train does not respond when attempting to accelerate. It is a dangerous safety problem when it happens. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Drivetrain 24

    The vehicle will not acceleration when turning sometimes. In sport mode its fine but eco and reg it acts up. I was almost t-boned cause the car would not move at a intersection. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Speed Control 14

    2017 santa fe sport 2.0t ultimate AWD - hesitation occurs when accelerating from low speeds, most frequently observed when making turns. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 1 fire · 4 injuries

2018 F 120 reports · median 12,500 mi

  1. Engine 37

    I have just purchased my santa fe sport 2.0t ultimate 4 days ago and while driving home today from work traffic was a stop and go. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Brakes 28

    I rented the vehicle from enterprise rent a car on may 28. It seemed to run fine then and on the morning of may 29. But about 3.45p.m. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Fuel System 8

    Check engine light comes on and testing shows 3rd cylinder has as fuel-oxygen imbalance. Has happened twice. Light went off the 2nd time. Brand new car. It happened at 2,500 and 5,000 miles. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 crash · 5 fire · 2 injuries

The best year for the Santa FE Sport

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2016 is the best-scoring Santa FE Sport model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 89.7 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2016 0.18× 11 A
2013 0.44× 15 B
2015 0.74× 35 C

Recalls

11 campaigns on record, 5 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
23V651000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2013 1,649,478
17V226000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 2013, 2014 572,000
17V358000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH 2013–2017 437,400
22V056000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2017, 2018 357,348
21V303000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2013–2015 151,205
20V520000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2013–2015 151,205
18V934000 ENGINE 2013, 2014 150,730
22V810000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2018 44,396
17V365000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE 2017 17,160
17V801000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW 2018 1,209
17V577000 SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS 2018 197

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2017 were reported at a median of 10,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Hyundai Santa FE Sport years should you avoid?
2017, 2018, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Hyundai Santa FE Sport model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Hyundai Santa FE Sport?
2016 is the best-scoring Hyundai Santa FE Sport model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 89.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Santa FE Sport have?
11 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Hyundai Santa FE Sport model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2017 Santa FE Sport
Complaints in window
137
Severity-weighted
208
Model median (weighted)
62
vs model median
3.37×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
5
Open investigations
1
Score 9.2 F