2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
Independent review & score by Carivo
Independent review & score by Carivo
| Seating Capacity | 5 passengers |
|---|---|
| Body Style | SUV |
| Base Price | $31,710–$36,915 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is a suv that earns a Carivo score of 7.8/10 — rated Recommended. Its strongest dimension is Safety at 8.5/10, while Performance at 7.4/10 is where it trails the competition most noticeably. It's a solid all-rounder that delivers across most dimensions without obvious deal-breakers.
Reliability and safety are the two dimensions that matter most for long-term ownership costs. The reliability picture is solid rather than spectacular: 7.9/10, which puts it comfortably above the class median. On safety, it scores 8.5/10 in our assessment. Always confirm the official crash-test results for your exact trim at nhtsa.gov/ratings.
With 7.4/10 for performance, this is a car tuned for daily driving rather than excitement — perfectly capable on the commute, unremarkable on a back road. At 7.5/10 for technology, the infotainment and driver-assist package does its job without setting benchmarks — check which features cost extra on lower trims.
Priced from $31,710–$36,915, 24 MPG, seating 5, the Hyundai Santa Fe sits in the mid-market bracket of the suv segment. At 7.8/10 for value, it delivers fair pricing for what's on offer, though the best alternatives in this price range score slightly higher. At 4 years old, it's worth checking whether a newer generation or refresh has addressed any weaker dimensions — compare it to the current model year before buying.
Verdict: Nothing about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe will scare a sensible buyer off. It scores consistently across the board, and it does what a good suv should — quietly and competently.
Carivo scores are our own editorial assessment, informed by NHTSA safety and recall records, EPA fuel-economy figures, and manufacturer-published specifications. Scores are reviewed periodically and updated when new data becomes available. See our full methodology →
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe ranks #428 of 2454 suvs in the Carivo database — better than 83% of the segment. Its 7.8/10 overall score is 0.4 points above the segment average of 7.4/10. Its $31,710 starting price undercuts the segment's median of $36,079 by about 12%.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full SUV ranking → · Best SUVs under $35k →
| Fuel (75,000 miles) | ~$10,940 ($2,188/year at $3.50/gal) |
|---|---|
| Recall repairs | $0 — 5 campaigns on record; recall work is always free at franchised dealers |
| Insurance | Varies widely by driver and state — always quote the exact trim before buying |
We only print costs we can compute from sourced data (EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls). We don't estimate maintenance or depreciation — anyone who gives you one number for those is guessing.
Smart-money pick: the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe scores 7.7/10 — within striking distance of the 2022's 7.8 — and starts roughly $3,000 lower. If you don't need the newest model year, that's money better spent on a higher trim or kept in your pocket.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8.0/10 | $34,747 | Read review → |
| 2025 | 8.0/10 | $34,747 | Read review → |
| 2024 | 7.9/10 | $33,735 | Read review → |
| 2023 | 7.9/10 | $32,722 | Read review → |
| 2022 (this review) | 7.8/10 | $31,710 | |
| 2021 | 7.9/10 | $30,698 | Read review → |
| 2020 | 7.7/10 | $29,686 | Read review → |
| 2019 | 7.7/10 | $28,674 | Read review → |
| 2018 | 7.7/10 | $27,662 | Read review → |
| 2017 | 7.7/10 | $26,650 | Read review → |
| 2016 | 7.6/10 | $25,638 | Read review → |
| 2015 | 7.5/10 | $24,626 | Read review → |
The following recall campaigns have been filed with NHTSA for this model and year. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers; check your specific vehicle with our free VIN recall checker.
| Fuel system, gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings 09/07/2021 · 21V524000 | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail. |
|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling / Engine / Gasoline / Turbo/supercharger 28/03/2022 · 22V197000 | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment. |
| Power train / Automatic transmission 06/10/2022 · 22V746000 | Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump… |
| Trailer hitches 17/03/2023 · 23V181000 | 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… |
| Back over prevention / sensing system / camera 21/11/2024 · 24V879000 | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such,… |
Source: NHTSA recall database, fetched at page build time.
Own a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe that's been repaired repeatedly for the same problem? It may qualify under your state's lemon law — run the free lemon law check →
We rate the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe's reliability 7.9/10 — above the middle of the pack for this class. It has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
5 NHTSA recall campaigns matched this model and year as of our latest check. Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
It scores 7.8/10 overall, ranking #428 of 2454 suvs in our database (better than 83% of the segment). A solid choice for most buyers — compare it against the segment leaders before deciding.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe starts at $31,710 and ranges up to $36,915 across trims (MSRP when new). At 24 MPG, expect roughly $2,188/year in fuel at 15,000 miles/year.
Based on our year-by-year scoring, the weakest Santa Fe years we've rated are 2015 (7.5/10) — each at least half a point below the nameplate's best (8.0/10). See the full year table above before deciding.
The documented issues for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe are its NHTSA recall campaigns, which involve: Fuel system, gasoline, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Trailer hitches (details in the recalls section above; repairs are free at dealers). For wear-and-tear patterns beyond recalls, owner forums are the best source — we only report what federal data documents.
Practical extras owners actually buy. These are Amazon search links — as an Amazon Associate, Carivo earns from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
Once a month: which brands moved up or down our reliability rankings, new recalls worth knowing, and the smartest-money model years. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Other suvs at a similar price point, ranked by Carivo score.
Explore the full lineup of Hyundai models scored by Carivo — ranked by overall score across reliability, safety, value, performance, and technology.