Hyundai Santa Fe Safety Rating by Year
NHTSA has published crash-test ratings for the Hyundai Santa Fe in 9 model years from 2012 to 2025; the 2025 earned 4 out of 5 stars overall. Check a specific Santa Fe’s crash and title history below.
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Hyundai Santa Fe— By the Numbers
- Model years rated, 2012–2025
- 9
- 2025 overall rating
- 4★
- Highest overall on record
- 5★
- Lowest rollover risk shown (2019–2020)
- 14.6%
- Recall campaigns, 2025 record
- 5
Model years rated, 2012–2025
2025 overall rating
Highest overall on record
Lowest rollover risk shown (2019–2020)
Recall campaigns, 2025 record
Quick Answer
- What is the Hyundai Santa Fe safety rating?
- NHTSA has published crash-test ratings for the Hyundai Santa Fe in 9 model years from 2012 to 2025; the 2025 earned 4 out of 5 stars overall. A rating applies to one model year and one body style or drivetrain, so check the year you are actually buying.
- Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the highest safety rating?
- The 2018–2023 model years earned 5 stars overall, the highest score on record.
- Did NHTSA rate every Hyundai Santa Fe model year?
- No. Between 2012 and 2025, NHTSA lists the Santa Fe for 2013–2017, but we found no crash-test rating for those years. NHTSA lists the Santa Fe for 2011, but we found no crash-test rating for that year. A year with no rating is not a low rating; it only means no score is on file for it.
Hyundai Santa Fe safety ratings, year by year
After its 2012 result, the Santa Fe has no NHTSA rating on file until 2018; its overall score is highest from 2018 through 2023, dips for 2024 and 2025, and is lowest in 2012.
| Model year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover | Rollover risk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 17.4% | |
| 2024 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 17.4% | |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 15.5% | Full 2023 ratings |
| 2022 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14.7% | |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14.7% | |
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14.6% | |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14.6% | |
| 2018 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 15.7% | |
| 2012 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 16.9% |
Buying a used Santa Fe: which year's rating applies
A rating belongs to one model year and one version. Before relying on any figure on this page, match it to the Santa Fe in front of you.
We found no NHTSA rating for the model years between 2012 and 2018, so a Santa Fe from that gap has no row here; read the model year off the VIN rather than borrowing a neighboring year's figures.
Confirm the year from the VIN before pricing a 2020 against a 2021 or a 2023 against a 2024: the front result changes at 2021, the overall and front results change at 2024, and 2024 and 2025 carry the highest rollover risk figure in the record while the rollover rating holds.
NHTSA rated separate versions every year, but only the 2023 row here describes front-drive while all the other rows describe all-wheel drive, so match the drivetrain as well as the year, then check the VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup for open recall work.
The ratings describe the Santa FeNHTSA crashed. Check the one you’re buying.
Salvage and rebuilt brands, reported accidents and odometer records follow the VIN.
What changed across Hyundai Santa Fe model years
A newer Santa Fe does not carry a higher rating by default: 2024 and 2025 show a lower overall and front result than 2021 to 2023. The 2012 row trails every later year on side impact, and its side passenger figure is the lowest result anywhere in the record.
The overall score reaches its highest, 5 stars, in 2018–2023.
Recalls and complaints by model year
NHTSA files these beside each year's crash-test results. They describe what owners and the agency reported afterwards, not how the vehicle was built to perform in a crash.
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Owner complaints | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 129 | 0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 143 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 207 | 0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 198 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 165 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 | 207 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 | 196 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 108 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 | 353 | 6 |
Whether a recall was repaired on a particular car is in the manufacturer’s records for that VIN; a dealer or NHTSA’s VIN lookup can confirm it. The Hyundai recall check by VIN lists the campaigns filed for a model and year.
How NHTSA's ratings work
NHTSA announced new NCAP crash tests and rating criteria in July 2008, including a new overall rating that combines the frontal, side and rollover results. It then postponed the change by a year: the new criteria apply to vehicles tested beginning with model year 2011, not 2010 as first announced.
In NHTSA's own words, its rollover resistance ratings “estimate the risk of rollover if a vehicle is involved in a single-vehicle crash.”
One limit applies to every vehicle here. NHTSA notes that the frontal crash rating “depends on vehicle mass, and cannot be compared across vehicle weight classes” — a full-size truck's frontal stars and a compact car's are not the same measure.
- Federal Register, 73 FR 79206 (Dec. 24, 2008) — new NCAP criteria begin with model year 2011
- Federal Register, 73 FR 40016 (July 11, 2008) — NCAP testing and rating changes, including the overall rating
- Federal Register, 68 FR 59250 (Oct. 14, 2003) — NCAP rollover resistance ratings
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Year pages and related models
Every version NHTSA rated in a given year, plus rating histories for other models.
Every rated version of the 2023, with inspection notes.
14 rated model years, 2012–2025.
12 rated model years, 2011–2022.
4 rated model years, 2020–2023.
15 rated model years, 2011–2025.
Always check the VIN before you buy
The free preview shows title brands, theft status and open recalls in seconds, and flags whether accident and odometer records exist. The full history is $14.99 — one-time, no subscription.
Hyundai Santa Fe Safety FAQ
What NHTSA’s record shows across model years, and what it cannot tell you about one car.
What is the Hyundai Santa Fe safety rating?+
NHTSA has published crash-test ratings for the Hyundai Santa Fe in 9 model years from 2012 to 2025; the 2025 earned 4 out of 5 stars overall. A rating applies to one model year and one body style or drivetrain, so check the year you are actually buying.
Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the highest safety rating?+
The 2018–2023 model years earned 5 stars overall, the highest score on record.
Did NHTSA rate every Hyundai Santa Fe model year?+
No. Between 2012 and 2025, NHTSA lists the Santa Fe for 2013–2017, but we found no crash-test rating for those years. NHTSA lists the Santa Fe for 2011, but we found no crash-test rating for that year. A year with no rating is not a low rating; it only means no score is on file for it.
Are Hyundai Santa Fe ratings from before 2011 comparable?+
Not like for like. NHTSA changed its crash tests and rating criteria starting with model year 2011, so this page lists 2011 and later only. Earlier ratings came from different tests.
Does the rating apply to a used Santa Fe?+
It applies to the Santa Fe as built. A used one that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt from salvage or had airbags replaced is no longer the vehicle NHTSA tested. NHTSA's 2025 record lists 5 recall campaigns; a VIN check shows that car's title brands and reported accidents, plus the recall campaigns filed for its model and year.
Every year’s rating is for the model. The VIN is for the car.
A crash rating can’t see a salvage or rebuilt title, reported accidents or an odometer rollback. The VIN record can.
Or get the full VIN history reportRelated VIN Checks
More tools to verify any vehicle's history