Reliable Auto DB

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport over 11 years — 2 per year. The other Santa Fe Sport years sit at about the same rate: their median is 2 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

69

Per year

2

Recalls

1

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (42 of 69), then Electrical system (7) and Air bags (4). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Santa Fe Sport has 82 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2017 has 350 complaints, 24 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, hood, latch 2017-06-05 · NHTSA campaign 17V358000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Remedy Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for the recall is 163.

Complaints by component (69 total)

Engine
42
Electrical system
7
Air bags
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Hydraulic brakes
3
Powertrain
3
Service brakes
3
Structure
2
Suspension
2
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Lane departure
1
Seat belts
1
Steering
1
Visibility
1
Wheels
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

4

Fire-flagged

10

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201732018520191202022021320226202342024242025192026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the Facebook…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-09-21
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-08
  • "Was traveling along a city street with parked cars on the passenger side of my vehicle. Axle or wheel broke and veered into parked vehicle severing the engine wiring harness not allowing the airbag to deploy."
    Suspension, Air bags, Wheels · filed 2026-09-03
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and decelerated with the check…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-08-10
  • "my BSD sensor would go on and off for the last several months when no one was around me. I work early and even when I was alone on the road the BSD would flash for 2-3 mins and go off.. then my fan for my air…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Lane departure · filed 2026-07-27

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Specs and fitment

DM generation, 2013–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30/5W-40 (2.0L turbo); 5W-20/5W-30 (2.4L) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17, 235/60R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-520 covers certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles: brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short and an increased risk of an engine compartment fire. Dealers inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary. Owners are advised to park outside until the repair is complete. Recall 21V-303 is a related ABS module campaign for certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Recall 17V-358 covers certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles where the secondary hood latch cable may corrode and bind.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Next year 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport See every Hyundai Santa Fe Sport model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliable?

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport over 11 years — 2 per year. The other Santa Fe Sport years sit at about the same rate: their median is 2 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

What are common problems with a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (42 of 69), then Electrical system (7) and Air bags (4). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Santa Fe Sport has 82 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2017 has 350 complaints, 24 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport been recalled?

The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

Owners have filed 69 complaints about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with NHTSA.

What oil does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner's manual.

What generation is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

DM generation (2013-2018) for the US years this site tracks.

What tire sizes does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R17 and 235/60R18 depending on trim.