Used car safety, rank #77 of 188
Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD, a small SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 17 per million registered vehicle years against a small SUVs average of 38, which is 55% below the class average. That places it #77 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 60.0/100.
What the Hyundai Santa Fe death rate means
At 17 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD beats the small SUVs average of 38 by 55%. The 95% confidence interval is 4 to 29, so even the pessimistic end of the range is no worse than the class average.
The other-driver death rate of 28 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Hyundai Santa Fe. Its 95% confidence interval is 13β44. It is higher than the Hyundai Santa Fe's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest small SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD highlighted. It ranks 6 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD | 2021-23 | 5 (0 to 15) | 76.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Escape hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 6 (0 to 17) | 75.7 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson hybrid 4WD | 2022-23 | 7 (0 to 22) | 74.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 15 (7 to 23) | 63.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda CX-5 4WD | 2020-23 | 17 (8 to 27) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD (this page) | 2020-23 | 17 (4 to 29) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 4WD | 2022-23 | 20 (2 to 38) | 57.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 2WD | 2022-23 | 21 (0 to 45) | 56.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer 4WD | 2021-23 | 25 (6 to 45) | 48.4 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small SUVs: 38 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Hyundai Santa Fe
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Hyundai Santa Fe we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hyundai Santa Fe | TSP+ | 92.3 |
| 2026 | Hyundai Santa Cruz | No award | 86.2 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 60.0 used-car score above.
International crash test results
Euro NCAP (2024)
ANCAP (2024)
International test results are for the same-generation model sold in those markets. Body structures are typically identical across regions. Euro NCAP vs IIHS explained.
Safety recalls for the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
Park outside
1 campaign tells owners to park away from buildings and other vehicles, usually a fire risk. Check the VIN before driving it. On a car this age the repair may still be outstanding.
1 recall campaign on the 2023 model year, covering trailer hitches.
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Trailer hitches Park outside
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
Partial lookup: At least one NHTSA model-variant request failed. The campaigns shown were returned successfully; additional campaigns may be missing. Check your VIN.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2023. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 17 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD, 55% below the class average (38 for small SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 60.0 out of 100 and rank #77 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD driver death rate?
17 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 4 to 29. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Hyundai Santa Fe died at a rate of 28 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD compare with other small SUVs?
The small SUVs class averages 38 driver deaths per million; the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD sits at 17. Among the 9 small SUVs compared above it ranks 6 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD with a death rate of 5.