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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe is associated with 108 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 36 reports (33% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 10 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.4l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, and 3.3l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 24 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 108 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (36 / 33%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 6 crash / 4 fire / 5 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 19–24 MPG across 10 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Santa Fe Sport FWD 2.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 21 MPG 27 MPG 24 MPG — $2,550 / yr
Santa Fe Sport FWD 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 28 MPG 23 MPG — $2,650 / yr
Santa Fe Sport Ultimate FWD 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 27 MPG 23 MPG — $2,650 / yr
Santa Fe Ultimate FWD 3.3L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 17 MPG 23 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Santa Fe Sport AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 19 MPG 26 MPG 22 MPG — $2,800 / yr
Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.4L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 26 MPG 22 MPG — $2,800 / yr
Santa Fe Sport Ultimate AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 19 MPG 24 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Santa Fe Ultimate AWD 3.3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 17 MPG 22 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Santa Fe FWD 3.3L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 18 MPG 25 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Santa Fe AWD 3.3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 18 MPG 24 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 15%
SUV AWD 15.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe models.
View complete 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Summary of 108 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
108
Crash Reports
6
Fire Reports
4
Complaints w/ Injury
5
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 36 complaints
Service Brakes 12 complaints
Air Bags 5 complaints (3 crashes)
Steering 5 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 4 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe problems & component breakdown (34 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V056000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Defect Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
NHTSA Campaign #18V118000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

Defect Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The steering wheel assembly may break, possibly resulting in the steering wheel separating from the steering column while driving.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will check the production lot number of the steering wheel assembly, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 26, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 173.
View all 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe have?

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

NHTSA records list 108 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 36 filings (33% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe range from 19 to 24 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.