2026–27 Hyundai Tucson vs Hyundai Santa Fe: We Compared the Data
By the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Updated November 8, 2026 · how we score
Our pick: the Tucson — it leads our weighted scorecard 6–4 across 9 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($29,200 vs $34,800) and better 5-year value retention (48.8% vs 44.6%). Choose the Santa Fe if a lower NHTSA complaint rate matters most to you (0.55 vs 0.97 per 1,000 sold).
Scorecard: Tucson 6 pts · Santa Fe 4 pts across 9 scored categories.
The scorecard
| Category (weight) | 2026 Tucson | 2027 Santa Fe | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (2) | $29,200 | $34,800 | Tucson |
| NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2) | 0.97 | 0.55 | Santa Fe |
| 5-year value retained (1.5) | 48.8% | 44.6% | Tucson |
| Best EPA combined (1.5) | 38 mpg | 36 mpg | Tucson |
| Most horsepower available (1) | 268 hp | 277 hp | Tie |
| Max towing (1) | 2,750 lb | 4,500 lb | Santa Fe |
| Cargo behind rear seats (1) | 38.7 cu ft | 14.6 cu ft | Tucson |
| Standard seats (1) | 5 | 6 | Santa Fe |
| Recalls, 2023–2025 model years (0.5) | 10 | 10 | Tie |
| Weighted points | 6 | 4 | Tucson |
Which one we'd buy, and for whom
- Commuter. Commuters: the Tucson — 38 mpg vs 36 mpg (best EPA combined).
- Family. Families: the Santa Fe — 6 vs 5 (standard seats).
- Budget. Tight budgets: the Tucson — $29,200 vs $34,800 (starting MSRP). Used, the median asking price is $22,862 for the Tucson vs $23,366 for the Santa Fe.
- Resale. Resale-minded buyers: the Tucson — 48.8% vs 44.6% (5-year value retained).
- Towing. Towing: the Santa Fe — 4,500 lb vs 2,750 lb (max towing).
Price: sticker and what buyers paid
The Tucson starts at $29,200 and tops out at $48,300; the Santa Fe runs $34,800 to $48,450 (manufacturer MSRP, before destination). Used, the median asking price is $22,862 for the Tucson and $23,366 for the Santa Fe (all model years, US dealer listings).
Reliability: NHTSA complaints and recalls
- Tucson: 0.97 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 21th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Santa Fe: 0.55 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 44th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 model years: Tucson 10, Santa Fe 10.
Latest rated model years on our years-to-avoid pages: Tucson 2016 (avoid) · Santa Fe 2016 (solid).
Complaint rates are owner complaints filed with NHTSA divided by vehicles sold — a federal-data signal, not a survey score.
Specs side by side
| 2026 Tucson | 2027 Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (base trim) | $29,200 | $34,800 |
| Top-trim MSRP | $48,300 | $48,450 |
| Horsepower | 187–268 hp | 231–277 hp |
| Max torque | 271 lb-ft | 311 lb-ft |
| EPA combined | 26–38 mpg (hybrid avail.) | 21–36 mpg (hybrid avail.) |
| Max towing | 2,750 lb | 4,500 lb |
| Seats (standard / max) | 5 / 5 | 6 / 7 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 38.7 cu ft | 14.6 cu ft |
Automaker-published figures; EPA ratings from fueleconomy.gov. "—" = not published.
Size
| Tucson | Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 182.7 in | 190.2 in |
| Width | 73.4 in | 74.8 in |
| Height | 65.6 in | 67.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.5 in | 110.8 in |
| Ground clearance | 7.1 in | 7 in |
Resale: 5-year value retained
A 5-year-old (2021) Tucson lists for a median $17,499 — 48.8% of today's median new price of $35,830. A 5-year-old (2021) Santa Fe lists for a median $19,817 — 44.6% of today's median new price of $44,436.
Shop both
- See new 2026 Hyundai Tucsons for sale →
- See 30,822 new 2027 Hyundai Santa Fes for sale →Median listed price $43,824 · updated Nov 7, 2026
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More on the Hyundai Tucson
More on the Hyundai Santa Fe
Related head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the Tucson better than the Santa Fe?
On our data, yes. Our pick: the Tucson — it leads our weighted scorecard 6–4 across 9 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($29,200 vs $34,800) and better 5-year value retention (48.8% vs 44.6%). Choose the Santa Fe if a lower NHTSA complaint rate matters most to you (0.55 vs 0.97 per 1,000 sold).
Which is more reliable, the Tucson or the Santa Fe?
On federal data, the Santa Fe: owners filed 0.55 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold versus 0.97 for the Tucson (2015–2022 sales years). That's complaint volume, not a survey score. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 Tucson and 10 for the Santa Fe.
Which holds its value better, the Tucson or the Santa Fe?
The Tucson: a 5-year-old example lists for 48.8% of the new price, versus 44.6% for the Santa Fe, based on median used asking prices against today's median new price.
Which is cheaper, the Tucson or the Santa Fe?
The Tucson starts lower: $29,200 vs $34,800 starting MSRP (before destination).
Which has better gas mileage, the Tucson or the Santa Fe?
The Tucson: up to 38 mpg combined vs 36 mpg for the Santa Fe (best EPA rating across each lineup).
How we score
Each category compares one published number per model and counts only when both models have it. The winner earns the category weight; results inside the tie band earn nothing. Our pick has more weighted points; level points fall back to more category wins, then the reliability winner, then the price winner.
- Starting MSRP: lower wins; tie within 3%.
- NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold: lower wins; tie within 15%.
- 5-year value retained: higher wins; tie within 2 points.
- Best EPA combined: higher wins; tie within 1 mpg (3 MPGe).
- Most horsepower available: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Max towing: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Cargo behind rear seats: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Standard seats: higher wins; tie same count.
- Median discount verified buyers got: higher wins; tie within 0.5 points.
- Recalls, 2023–2025 model years: lower wins; tie within 1.
Towing weighs 2 for pickups and 1 otherwise; seating is only scored between SUVs and minivans, using standard (never optional) seats. Sources: automaker spec pages and order guides; EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov); NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns against published US sales; median used asking prices across active US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers; verified buyer-submitted deal sheets for discounts.
Cite this page: CarWhere, "2026–27 Hyundai Tucson vs Hyundai Santa Fe: We Compared the Data," carwhere.com/compare-cars/hyundai-tucson-vs-hyundai-santa-fe, updated November 8, 2026.