Hyundai Santa Fe vs Toyota Highlander
Two midsize SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Toyota Highlander to minimise 5-year ownership cost.
Buy the Toyota Highlander if long-term reliability matters most.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $515 | $489winner |
| 5-year total cost | $2,575 | $2,445winner |
| Reliability score | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 10%winner | 13% |
| Cargo space | — | — |
| Starting price (new) | $35,050winner | $45,870 |
| Best years to buy | 2011, 2018 | — |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 251.5 | 0winner |
| Years to avoid | 2017, 2019, 2023 | None identified |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 72.5% | 83.6%winner |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 54.4% | 63.7%winner |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 42% | 51.5%winner |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 45.2% | —winner |
| Electrical | 5.1% | —winner |
| ADAS | 8.8% | —winner |
| Brakes | 5.7% | —winner |
| Steering | 4.5% | —winner |
| Fuel system | 2.0% | —winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 2.3% | —winner |
| Glass/Windows | 2.9% | —winner |
| Airbags | 2.1% | —winner |
| Lighting | 1.2% | —winner |
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 | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,430 | $2,401winner |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// 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 →