What is the best year for a Hyundai Santa Fe?

Avoid 2013-2014 (604 and 492 complaints) and especially 2017 (929 complaints), which coincides with the Theta II engine recall era. The 2021 Santa Fe (158 complaints, 10/10 safety, 5 severe) is the strongest mature used pick. The current generation is consistent: 2024 (121, 8/10, 11 severe) and 2025 (112, 8/10, 6 severe) are solid options for buyers wanting newer.

How much does Hyundai Santa Fe insurance cost?

Santa Fe insurance averages about $2,430/year — roughly $203/month.

Is the Hyundai Santa Fe or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The RAV4 is cheaper to maintain by $86/year — $429 versus $515 for the Santa Fe. Note the RAV4 is a compact SUV while the Santa Fe is a midsize, so they serve somewhat different buyers. Both carry the same reliability score and major repair probability (10%); the Santa Fe has a slightly lower repair frequency (24% vs. 26%). The cost gap is real, but so is the size difference.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Hyundai Santa Fe?

Major repair probability of 10% and repair frequency of 24% are both well below midsize segment averages. Extended warranty isn't needed for 2021 and newer. For used models in the 2013-2014 and 2017 range, the documented engine recall history makes coverage worth taking seriously.

Is the Nissan Rogue expensive to maintain?

The Rogue averages $467/year in maintenance — $54 below the compact segment average of $521. But repair frequency of 33% is slightly above the class average of 30%, and major repair probability of 12% is slightly above the 11% norm. Lower cost per service visit, but slightly more frequent unscheduled visits than the class average.

What is the best year for a Nissan Rogue?

The Rogue's complaint history has been persistently elevated. The 2020 model (147 complaints) stands out as the cleanest year of the second generation. The third-generation launch in 2023 brought 630 complaints before settling to 162 in 2024 and 158 in 2025. Avoid 2013-2018, which consistently logged 430-612 complaints per year. For the current generation, 2024 or 2025 is the best used pick.

How much does Nissan Rogue insurance cost?

Rogue insurance averages around $1,984/year — about $165/month. Competitive for the compact class.

Is the Nissan Rogue or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The RAV4 is $38/year cheaper — $429 versus $467 for the Rogue — and has a lower repair frequency (26% vs. 33%). Both carry the same reliability score. The RAV4 holds a moderate edge on total ownership cost.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Nissan Rogue?

The Rogue's persistently elevated complaint history across 2013-2018 and a major repair probability slightly above the class average make extended warranty worth considering for used models from that period. For 2024 and newer, risk is more moderate — though the historical reliability track record warrants more caution than class leaders like the CR-V or RAV4.

Hyundai Santa Fe vs Nissan Rogue

Two midsize SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.

// VERDICT

Our verdict

Buy the Nissan Rogue to minimise 5-year ownership cost.

Buy the Nissan Rogue if long-term reliability matters most.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Hyundai Santa Fe	Nissan Rogue
Annual maintenance	$515	$467winner
5-year total cost	$2,575	$2,335winner
Reliability score	8 / 10	8 / 10
Major repair risk (5yr)	10%winner	12%
Cargo space	—	74.1 cu ft
Starting price (new)	$35,050	$30,800winner
Best years to buy	2011, 2018	—

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Hyundai Santa Fe	Nissan Rogue
RepairPal score	8 / 10	8 / 10
NHTSA complaints / 100k	251.5	154.6winner
Years to avoid	2017, 2019, 2023	2017, 2018, 2019
Value retained · 3 yr	72.5%winner	71.7%
Value retained · 5 yr	54.4%	55.1%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	42%	45%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Hyundai Santa Fe	Nissan Rogue
Engine	45.2%	16.2%winner
Electrical	5.1%winner	7.7%
ADAS	8.8%winner	16.2%
Brakes	5.7%winner	6.4%
Steering	4.5%	1.8%winner
Fuel system	2.0%winner	3.4%
Tires/Wheels	2.3%	1.0%winner
Glass/Windows	2.9%winner	4.0%
Airbags	2.1%winner	8.9%
Lighting	1.2%	—winner
Seatbelt	—winner	1.3%

One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.

// INSURANCE

Which is cheaper to insure?

	Hyundai Santa Fe	Nissan Rogue
Avg annual premium	$2,430	$1,984winner

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Hyundai Santa Fe

$515/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Nissan Rogue

$467/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The Santa Fe averages $515/year in maintenance — $58 below the midsize segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 24% is well below the class average of 40%. Major repair probability of 10% is well below the 13% norm. Reliability score of 8 is above the midsize average of 7. It outperforms the segment average on every ownership-cost metric.

How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →