This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2001 model year is the Suzuki Vitara 2Door 4WD at 22 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car costs around $5,750 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 18 MPG
City MPG 17 MPG
Highway MPG 21 MPG
Annual fuel cost $3,300
Tailpipe CO₂ 494 g/mi
Fuel type Regular

How the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD compares

The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD returns 18 combined MPG. Cars in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year average 16.3 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 10%.

The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2001 model year is the Suzuki Vitara 2Door 4WD at 22 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2001 model year (across all classes) returns 19.1 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2001 model year is on its own page.

2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
18 MPG
Class average, 2001
16.3 MPG
Class best, 2001
22 MPG
Average new car, 2001
19.1 MPG

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 833.3 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $1,650
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $3,300
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $5,500

Year-over-year MPG for the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD

The EPA has rated the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD across 14 model years, from 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD through 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD at 23 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2014 20 MPG 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2013 20 MPG 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2012 22 MPG 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2011 22 MPG 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2010 23 MPG 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2009 19 MPG 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2008 19 MPG 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2007 19 MPG 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2006 18 MPG 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2005 18 MPG 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2004 18 MPG 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2003 18 MPG 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2002 18 MPG 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD
2001 18 MPG this page

Compare against other Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD for 2001

If you are cross-shopping the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Suzuki Vitara 2Door 4WD leads this group at 23 MPG, 5 MPG ahead of the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD.

Specifications

The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD runs a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 4-spd, sending power through 4-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine
2.7L 6-cylinder
Transmission
Automatic 4-spd
Drivetrain
4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Regular
Annual petroleum use
16.5 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD.

  • Is the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD fuel efficient?
    Yes. The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD returns 18 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year by about 10%.
  • What MPG does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD get?
    The EPA rates the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD at 18 combined MPG, 17 MPG in city driving, and 21 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,300 for the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • What fuel does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD use?
    The EPA lists the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
  • Has the Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD, 18 MPG) and most recent (2014 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD, 20 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 494 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 7,406 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD?
    City driving returns 17 MPG and highway driving returns 21 MPG, a gap of 4 MPG. The two figures are close enough that the car will hold its rated efficiency well across most driving patterns.
  • What engine is in the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD?
    The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD has a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine.
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD have?
    The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD comes with a automatic 4-spd transmission and 4-wheel or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss.
  • How does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2001 model year is the Suzuki Vitara 2Door 4WD at 22 combined MPG. The Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD returns 18 MPG, a gap of 4 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.