Just as the Santa Fe began coming into its own (particularly from a styling standpoint), Hyundai dramatically redesigned its popular midsize SUV for 2024. Gone were the handsome organic curves, replaced by a boxy slab-sided design not unlike that of the current Land Rover Defender.
Like what you see? I do.
Hyundai has gone more SUV, less wagon, with its new Santa Fe. It’s an approach I quite like. And trust me: That boxy rear section looks more attractive in person than it does in photos, while making the vehicle better for camping or carrying cargo.
Although it looks significantly larger than before, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is only about 2 inches longer than the outgoing model, with a wheelbase that has increased by a similar amount. Even though Hyundai’s longest-tenured SUV is still a few inches shorter than a Sonata sedan, it now comes with a standard third-row seat. This seat, which splits 50/50 and folds flat, isn’t quite as roomy as that of the larger 2024 Hyundai Palisade SUV, but it’s fine for kids or smaller adults.
More significant: The first two rows of the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe are downright spacious. Get this: In the new Santa Fe, a 6-foot-4-inch passenger can sit comfortably behind a driver of the same height, with headroom and legroom to spare.
How do I know this? I recently drove a Serenity White Pearl 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT (MSRP: $40,600) for four days in Colorado, where I used it to attend the 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Although the XRT is the rugged and outdoorsy version of the new Santa Fe – replete with locking all-wheel drive, 1.5 additional inches of ground clearance, and 18-inch all-terrain tires – I stayed for the most part on asphalt.
Strengths
- The Santa Fe powertrain, featuring a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 277 horsepower and a welcome 311 lb-ft of torque, feels plenty strong, especially in the high elevations of Colorado. It’s quiet, too, never seeming to strain hard.
- While the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe doesn’t necessarily invite sporty driving, its suspension makes for a confident and surefooted vehicle with a comfortable highway ride.
- It’s exceptionally quiet inside. At 65 mph on the highway, with the engine turning a leisurely 1600 rpm, wind noise is all but imperceptible. And remarkably, the aggressively treaded Continental TerrainContact all-terrain tires don’t howl at freeway speeds.
- The Santa Fe’s high-quality interior – with an attractive rectangular theme and a clear digital instrument display – offers logical controls, excellent storage compartments, and firmly supportive front seats with excellent outward visibility.
- The automatic stop/start system, which shuts off the engine when this 7-seater is stopped to save fuel, is a model of smoothness. It’s so quick and seamless, in fact, that I often forgot to turn it off, something I usually do in other test cars.
- Did I mention it’s roomy? On race day, we ventured up the mountain with four adults aboard, plus a load of gear that included four camp chairs, a cooler, a couple cases of water (hydration is important at altitude), several grocery bags of snacks, some camera gear, and a smattering of puffy jackets. Indeed, the boxy new Santa Fe thinks it’s a minivan when its rear seat is folded flat.
- Connectivity is excellent. In addition to a standard Wi-Fi hot spot, you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And the XRT even goes one step further with dual wireless smartphone charging for the front-seat passengers.
- Among the abundant standard safety features is Crosswind Stability Control, which helps keep the Santa Fe safely in its lane during severe crosswinds. An indicator light illuminates when CSC is active.
- Adaptive cruise control and Highway Driving Assist, both standard in the Santa Fe XRT, function exceptionally well. In fact, I drove for several miles on the highway before being told to put my hands back on the steering wheel. With its smooth steering inputs and gentle regulation of both acceleration and braking, the new Santa Fe reminded me once again that Hyundai and corporate cousin Kia have some of the most refined semi-autonomous driving programs in the industry.
- Lastly, I really like the attractive H-motif used throughout the new Santa Fe, as seen in its LED headlights, taillights, and interior vents. These vents, it should be noted, shut off with a reassuring click when they are slid to one side or the other.
Shortcomings
- The glass touchscreen controls for the climate control system smudge easily with fingerprints. Give us conventional buttons, please.
- While the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission upshifts rapidly and smoothly, it can be a bit apprehensive to select the right gear when the driver re-applies throttle after a brief lift. What’s more, conventional automatics are a bit smoother in stop-and-go traffic.
- While a $35,365 base price seems fair for the significantly improved 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, keep in mind that it represents a big increase over the 2023 model, which began at $28,750. The new 2024 Santa Fe now starts remarkably close to the larger Palisade, at $38,045 including destination fee.
- Lastly, the fuel economy of the new Santa Fe isn’t stellar. While the AWD XRT model I drove may be the best-looking new 2024 Santa Fe, it’s also the thirstiest, returning EPA fuel economy of only 22 mpg combined. However…
Is There a Hybrid Alternative? Yes!
This consideration about efficiency makes us especially eager to sample the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, which should get significantly better fuel economy.
With 231 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque on tap from its 1.6-liter turbo 4-cylinder gas/electric hybrid powertrain (the same one used in the Tucson Hybrid, with a conventional 6-speed automatic transmission), the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid should offer performance similar to that of the standard 2024 Santa Fe. More important, the new Santa Fe Hybrid is estimated to return 36 mpg combined (or 34 mpg with AWD). That’s impressive. Perhaps enough to make it our favorite version of the boxy new Hyundai Santa Fe. Pricing for the Santa Fe Hybrid starts at $38,365.
Photo Gallery
