Used Hyundai Santa Fe review and buying guide (2001 to 2024): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Hyundai Santa Fe should you buy?

Neither generation's the clear pick, because the 2.2 CRDi R-Type diesel carries serious known faults in both from 2010 to 2018, so buy on the individual car's history. A 2010 to 2012 CM adds a known fuel tank contamination fault that two owners reported, and a four-wheel-drive DM adds a known driveline fault: three owners had failures in different parts of it, one a decoupler that went at 45,000 miles.

Don't assume the 2.2 CRDi R-Type diesel is trouble-free in either generation. It has two serious known faults, each from a single owner: a 2012 car's timing chain jumped at 75,000 miles, and a 2011 car's head gasket leak ended with a new cylinder head and block at about 94,000 miles, followed by a second engine failure at 125,000 miles. Insist on paperwork for any cooling or engine work, and don't treat a smooth test drive as proof the engine's sound.

First-generation cars from 2001 to 2006 have weak spots of their own. The unions on the diesel's pipes between the high pressure pump and the common rail can crack, manual cars have had plenty of clutch and dual-mass flywheel trouble, and the rear wheel bearings are only sold as a complete hub. There were recalls for corroding suspension trailing arms on early first-generation cars and for flexible fuel hoses that could split and leak.

There's little owner feedback on record for the 2018 to 2024 Santa Fe, and that isn't the same as a clean record: cars built from 2023 were recalled over front seat belt anchor points that were not always secured properly. One owner's December 2018 car needed its DPF, catalyst and pressure pipework replaced by five months old, then went back with a tailgate stuck shut and auto wipers that ignored the rain.

Which Santa Fe engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 2.2 CRDi R-Type diesel from 2010 has two serious known faults, so buy one only after checking it hard. One owner's timing chain jumped at 75,000 miles, so listen for a rattle from the timing end. Another's engine had a head gasket leak at about 94,000 miles and failed again at 125,000, so check the expansion tank for oil and watch for overheating or an oil pressure warning.

With the R-Type, the six-speed manual's a better gearbox than the six-speed automatic, but check the clutch hydraulics: two owners of 2010 and 2011 R-Type manuals had the clutch master cylinder fail, one dumping its fluid across a car park. On the DM, one owner's 2017 car had its clutch fail at 14,000 miles, with a leak found near the clutch damper.

On the 2006 to 2009 CM diesel, the five-speed automatic suits it better than the five-speed manual, which has a big gap between second and third. That older engine has its own record, though: there are reports of its high pressure fuel pump leaking, and one owner's September 2006 car suffered an engine failure at 80,000 miles after an injector seal failed and carbon built up.

Skip the CM's V6 petrol: there's nothing special about it, and it's tied to an old four-speed automatic. On a first-generation diesel from 2001 to 2006, it's the high pressure fuel pipe unions that fracture, and manuals from those years have had a lot of clutch and dual-mass flywheel failures, so ask for receipts for any clutch work on a manual.

What should you check when viewing a used Santa Fe?

Drive a DM with the four-wheel drive in mind: judder that feels like a tyre problem, whining, grumbling or clunking from the back or the transfer box, a 4WD warning light, or a car that stays in two-wheel drive all point to the driveline. One owner's judder was traced to the rear differential on its way out, and another paid £1,150 for a new AWD decoupler at 45,000 miles.

On any 2010 to 2018 2.2 CRDi, listen for a rattle at the timing end and watch for misfires, rough running or the engine management light. Lift the bonnet and look for oil in the coolant expansion tank, then ask how often it's needed topping up, because losing coolant with no visible leak is a sign of the head gasket trouble one owner had.

On a 2010 to 2012 CM diesel, ask whether the fuel filter's been replaced more than once and why, since two owners found contamination in the tank, one with metal swarf thought to come from the tank's sender pump breaking up. Check the spare's still in its cage underneath, look for rust on the engine subframe, which failed one 2010 car's MoT, and try the cruise control, which several 2010 R-Type owners found cutting out.

Make sure the electronic handbrake releases cleanly every time, and ask for receipts for any 4WD, clutch, head gasket or fuel system work. Recalls went out for fire risk from the ABS unit on cars built 2005 to 2009, 2011 to 2014 and 2015 to 2018, and for a faulty brake light switch on cars built up to 2011 that could also upset the cruise control and gear selection. Ask for proof the recall work was done, including the trailing arm and fuel hose recalls on a first-generation car.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Is a used Hyundai Santa Fe CM (2006 to 2012) a good buy?

A CM's only worth buying as a 2.2 CRDi diesel with receipts for its fuel system and cooling, and skip the V6 petrol. On the 2010 to 2012 R-Type cars, contamination in the fuel tank is a known fault: one 2010 car blocked its fuel filter at 34,000 miles and then had metal swarf in it, and another's tank broke down inside after being filled with diesel with a high biodiesel content.

The R-Type's two serious engine faults each come from one owner's CM. A 2011 car's head gasket leaked at about 94,000 miles and the dealer replaced the cylinder head and block, then the engine failed again at 125,000 miles, and a 2012 car's timing chain jumped at 75,000 miles. Earlier 2006 to 2009 diesels have reports of leaking high pressure fuel pumps, and one owner's EGR fumes were cured by a software update.

The rest are single owners' reports, but they're worth checking for. One owner paid £600 for new door locks that kept failing, another paid £800 for front lower arm bushes that began knocking at 56,000 miles, and a crankshaft pulley failed on a 2011 R-Type straight after purchase. One 2010 R-Type automatic dropped into limp mode after long spells idling in the heat, and the cause was a gummed-up EGR valve.

Should you buy a Hyundai Santa Fe DM (2012 to 2018)?

A DM's worth having only with the four-wheel drive's history in hand, and a quiet test drive can't prove the driveline won't fail, because that's where its serious known fault sits. Three owners had failures in different parts of it: a 2014 car's AWD decoupler went at 45,000 miles, a 2013 manual's gearbox and transfer case gave up while towing a caravan, and another's judder, first blamed on mismatched tyres, was a failing rear differential.

The 2.2 CRDi's two serious known faults, a jumped timing chain and head gasket failure, each from one owner, cover DM years too, so the engine checks matter just as much here. One owner's 2014 automatic struggled to complete DPF regeneration when driven at 55mph in its ECO mode on the motorway, and another owner's 2017 car had its clutch fail at 14,000 miles.

Other reports are one car each: a 2013 car's heater matrix was replaced five times under warranty, a 2012 car's electronic handbrake kept sticking on, a 2013 car broke its nearside front coil spring, and a three-year-old car gave occasional hard jolts from the rear axle. Check the heater blows hot and look at the brake discs, since one owner paid £360 for fresh discs and pads on both axles by 15,000 miles.

What does a used Hyundai Santa Fe cost to run?

What do Santa Fe owners like about them?

The DM's big strength is refinement: it's a hushed, smooth car to travel in, and that makes it an easy thing to live with on a long run. Its successor, the 2018 to 2024 Santa Fe, sits you up high in a commanding driving position, so you've got a clear view over the traffic ahead.

Adults can use all seven seats in the 2018 to 2024 car, so the third row isn't just somewhere to put children. The cabin's a versatile space as well, which means there's room to rearrange it around whoever's travelling with you and whatever they're bringing along.

• The powered tailgate is a useful feature, but requires unlocking the car before approaching with a bike rack.
• The Santa Fe achieved a four-star NCAP crash test rating in 2003, indicating good safety performance for occupants.
• Hyundai vehicles generally showed below-average warranty repair costs in the 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability Index.
• Hyundai ranked third in the Reliability Index, combining low average repair costs of £315.78 with few failures per 100 policies.
• The model achieved 15th place in the 2005 JD Power/What Car Survey, with an 82.7% satisfaction score from owners.