Used 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

#4 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2020

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is a vehicle that has quickly come into its own. No longer a second-string player in a field of greats, the Santa Fe is now one of the most impressive compact-crossover SUVs, loaded with features, power and style as well as one of the best standard warranties in the business.

The 2-row/5-passenger Santa Fe looks bigger than most compacts, with more passenger and cargo volume than a Nissan Murano or Chevrolet Equinox, but still outsized by the Honda CR-V’s massive 39.2-cubic-foot cargo bay.

From its sophisticated interior and near-luxury levels of equipment, to its available 235-horsepower turbocharged engine, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe impresses with its competitive pricing, good resale and strong safety scores.

Thanks to ample insulation techniques such as laminated side glass, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV is exceedingly silent in motion, even at highway speeds. Those speeds can be somewhat slow to arrive when powered by the standard 2.4-liter engine, but go with the 2.0-liter turbo and you’ll find ample power for passing, merging and quick hops across busy intersections.

The Santa Fe’s 8-speed automatic is a brilliant piece of engineering, delivering smooth, precise shifts exactly when expected. However, the additional gears don’t do much to help with fuel economy, which isn’t nearly as good as rivals like the Honda CR-V and all-wheel-drive Subaru Forester, but right in line with the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano.

For the most part, the Santa Fe is a front-drive (FWD) SUV, even when equipped with the optional all-wheel drive (AWD). During our test drive, the pictogram dash display showed power moving to the rear wheels only when conditions proved slippery or when the throttle was pressed hard. The one exception was when the Santa Fe’s drive mode was set to Sport, which sends roughly 35 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels.

Once the road began to bend, we were impressed by the Santa Fe’s electric power steering that imparted a natural feel with good feedback. The standard lane-keeping assist proved handy and includes three levels of intervention allowing the driver to select how much help she or he desires. It can also be shut off. Over even pavement, the Santa Fe’s ride is smooth and controlled, but even when encountering unpaved washboard roads, the suspension keeps things calm inside the cabin.

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With the exception of some hard plastic, the interior of the new Santa Fe is a pleasant place, both handsome and comfortable, with a unique T-shirt-like material used for the A-pillars and headliner. The instrument panel is a layered 3-level design, and the seats employ foam of different densities in targeted spots to make them comfortably supportive.

Legroom is abundant, so much so that a 6-foot-4-inch passenger can sit comfortably behind a driver of the same height. Headroom is bountiful too, even with the optional panoramic sunroof installed.

All Santa Fe switches and controls work with precision, and the buttons for many of the safety technologies are grouped to the left of the tilt-and-telescope steering wheel. Hyundai has positioned the navigation screen for reduced glare, the window switches are far forward for added elbow room, and the power rear liftgate, which can be opened with the swipe of your foot, has two speeds: 4.5 seconds or 6.0 seconds. The cargo area aft of the rear seat is a decent size, and we like how the well-lined area features a false floor for secure, out-of-sight storage.

From all angles, Hyundai’s 2020 Santa Fe compact-crossover SUV is a good-looking vehicle, with a front dominated by Hyundai’s new cascading grille. The looks of the thin-slit high-mounted LED daytime running lights are reminiscent of the old Jeep Cherokee; the actual headlights are down low, where you’d expect the driving lights to be.

From the side, Hyundai’s new compact SUV features a character line that extends from headlights to taillights and is one of the reasons the side windows of the Santa Fe are taller and offer a better outward view. The side windows, what industry folks call the “daylight opening,” are surrounded by satin-finish trim, and the rear directional signals are down low at bumper level. The available 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels add to the muscular look.

HTRAC AWD SYSTEM
Hyundai calls its all-wheel-drive system “HTRAC.” Like most systems, HTRAC uses an electronic center coupling to move torque between the front and rear axle as needed. However, the Hyundai system goes one better by providing side-to-side torque vectoring for improved cornering, as well as three distinct drive modes: Normal, Sport and Smart.

BLIND VIEW MONITOR
Available on the Limited trim, this clever system should be standard on every car. When the driver engages the turn signal, a monitor in the instrument cluster displays an image of the right or left lane beside the vehicle, helping avoid a collision with any object hiding in the vehicle’s blind spot.

All 2020 Santa Fes are equipped with forward-collision assist (with pedestrian protection), lane-keeping assist (with three levels of involvement), smart cruise control with auto stop/go, high-beam assist and a driver-attention warning system. Also standard: a 7-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a tilt/telescopic steering column, a rearview monitor, dual front and rear 2.1 USB power ports and a body-colored rear spoiler.

The SEL adds blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, Safety Exit Assist, proximity key with push-button start, heated side mirrors, 8-way-power driver seat, heated front seats and SiriusXM radio.

The Limited brings the works, including a panoramic sunroof, leather seating, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, Infinity audio, navigation, plus both Surround View and Blind View monitors.

It’s a long list, highlighted by the HTRAC AWD system, a wise choice at a reasonable $1,700. The other significant option is the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, available on the SEL and Limited.

Other options available on the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe are bundled into the SEL’s Convenience package that brings rear parking sensors, 18-inch wheels, a hands-free liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, manual side sunshades, 12-speaker 630-watt Infinity audio and wireless device charging.

The SEL Premium package brings the panoramic sunroof, LED headlights and fog lights, leather seats and an 8-way-power passenger seat. The 2.0T models gain 19-inch alloy wheels and a trailer package.

Santa Fe buyers have two 4-cylinder choices, and they’re familiar. The base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four that produces 185 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.

The turbocharged 2.0-liter is a more powerful engine, able to generate 235 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque from 1,450 rpm to 3,500 rpm.

Of note, for 2020, both of these direct-injected Theta engines benefit from a new electric variable-valve-timing system that replaces the formerly hydraulic one. Hyundai says the electric system is quicker and more precise while also reducing emissions.

2.4-liter inline-4
185 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
178 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (FWD), 21/27 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
235 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
260 lb-ft of torque @ 1,450-3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/27 mpg (FWD), 20/26 mpg (AWD)