2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
Gas Compact SUV
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Santa Fe FWD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 207 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,500 |
| Santa Fe AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 21 | 27 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Santa Fe FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Santa Fe AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (2)
Trailer Hitches
criticalProblem: 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 board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
Visibility
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Risk: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
NHTSA investigations
Engine — Loss of Motive Power (closed)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023 · action DP22003
Owner complaints
207 complaints filed
13 involved a crash, 8 a fire, 15 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2020: 13 · 2021: 18 · 2022: 24 · 2023: 37 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 51 · 2026: 47
Most-cited components
- Engine — 75
- Unknown Or Other — 40
- Electrical System — 26
- Power Train — 26
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 19
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Santa Fe model years
2027 Santa Fe
0 recalls · 0 complaints
D2026 Santa Fe
4 recalls · 46 complaints
F2025 Santa Fe
5 recalls · 215 complaints
F2024 Santa Fe
7 recalls · 176 complaints
C2023 Santa Fe
2 recalls · 284 complaints
F2022 Santa Fe
8 recalls · 262 complaints
F2021 Santa Fe
8 recalls · 185 complaints
D2019 Santa Fe
3 recalls · 221 complaints
F2018 Santa Fe
5 recalls · 427 complaints
F2017 Santa Fe
7 recalls · 1,307 complaints
D2016 Santa Fe
3 recalls · 303 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 41476, 41480, 41475, 41479). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.