Used 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL

With the all-new Santa Fe now on sale, the larger 7-passenger model gets a modest name change in hopes of avoiding confusion. The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL is larger than its 5-passenger cousin, although later next year the current Santa Fe XL will be replaced by a larger 8-passenger model. Confused? Don’t be. For now, all you have to know is that the Santa Fe XL offers big power, room and comfort, with cutting-edge safety and technology features that keep it current with newer SUVs like the GMC Acadia, Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas. With attractive pricing and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, the 2019 Santa Fe XL remains a family favorite.

While Mazda’s CX-9 may have set a new standard for 7-passenger SUV handling, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL SUV isn’t far from this benchmark. The Santa Fe offers more horsepower than the Mazda and features Drive Mode Select, a 3-position setting that permits the driver to change steering feel and transmission shift points ranging from Economy to Comfort to Sport mode. The Santa Fe’s suspension settings permit confident cornering devoid of excessive sway while simultaneously avoiding too harsh a ride. Interior sound levels are more than acceptable, although we think the Nissan Pathfinder and Ford Explorer do a better job. As for power, the 2019 Santa Fe XL’s 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 delivers when it counts most, with excellent off-the-line acceleration and ample power for low-speed passing maneuvers. All-wheel drive (AWD) does add more weight and thus a very slight reduction in acceleration times over the front-wheel-drive (FWD) models.

For 2019, all Santa Fe XL models come with a third-row. The SE features a 40/20/40-sliding 2nd-row seat that also reclines. Limited trims feature 6-passenger seating, swapping the 2nd-row bench for a set of captain’s chairs with an open aisle to the rear-most seat. Seat comfort is excellent all around, with 4-way power lumbar for the driver and an available power passenger seat. The Santa Fe’s cargo area is big, but not as accommodating as in the Chevy Traverse. Materials are of the highest quality and attention to detail is a high point of the Santa Fe XL’s interior.

The 2019 Santa Fe XL’s exterior is conservative, but stylish. The 5-bar grille and aggressive front end are about as radical as this SUV gets, leaving garish chrome bling and wild body sculpting to its newer rivals. Squint and the Santa Fe XL’s three-quarter rear view, with its oversized angular tailpipes, is reminiscent of the BMW X5. The base SE model gets the integrated rear spoiler and very attractive 18-inch wheels, while the Limited versions are dressed up with integrated fog lights, roof rails and 19-inch wheels.

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WITH PEDESTRIAN DETECTION
The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL’s available suite of driver assists includes automatic emergency braking that can slow and even stop the vehicle all on its own. Available with the Limited trim’s Tech Package, the safety suite also includes adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, auto high beams and adaptive front lighting.

MULTI-VIEW CAMERA SYSTEM
With four cameras mounted all around the Santa Fe XL’s exterior, the driver is given a 360-degree bird’s-eye view outside the vehicle, helping avoid collisions with rocks, posts or more precious objects that may wander into your path.

Santa Fe XL SE drivers with a long journey ahead will appreciate the multi-adjustable front bucket seats with power-adjustable lumbar support. Passengers farther back will give thanks to the 3rd-row controls for air conditioning and heating. Stepping up to the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Limited Ultimate includes luxuries like leather seating — power-adjustable and heated for the driver and front passenger — push-button starting, electroluminescent gauge cluster, heated 2nd-row seats, an 8-inch-color navigation touch screen and Multi-View Monitor. Sweet as ever, Hyundai’s confidence-inspiring 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties cover the Santa Fe XL.

For the SE, the only options are bundled into the $3,650 Premium package that includes blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, a hands-free power liftgate, proximity key with push-button start, leather seating, heated front seats, rear-door sunshades, fog lights and more. The $2,100 Limited Ultimate Tech Package includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and HID (high-intensity discharge) adaptive headlights with high-beam assist. All-wheel drive is a stand-alone option on all models for $1,750.

Hyundai makes it simple to shop for a 7-passenger 2019 Santa Fe XL by offering only one engine and one transmission. In front-wheel-drive models, the SUV’s 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 feels exceedingly powerful, but with good throttle response, smooth pickup and strong acceleration. The heavier all-wheel-drive models, however, could do with some more low-end grunt to get moving. The Hyundai’s 6-speed automatic transmission isn’t exactly state-of-the-art. Most of the Santa Fe’s competitors have transmissions with more gears. Still, it works well enough, providing clean, easy gear changes and prompt downshifts when you need them. All that said, Hyundai’s 2019 Santa Fe XL is comfortable towing up to 5,000 pounds of trailer, boat or anything else you’d like to haul.

3.3-liter V6
290 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
252 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg (FWD, SE), 18/23 mpg (FWD, Limited), 18/24 mpg (AWD, SE), 17/22 mpg (AWD, Limited)