2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Reviews, Pricing & Specs

While the Hyundai Palisade, Ioniq 5, and Ioniq 6 gave hints of a radical-in-intention yet gradual-in-execution new aesthetic for the Hyundai brand over the past several years, it’s genuinely difficult to discern if the Santa Fe is the culmination of those steps, or something else entirely.

It’s not a bad look, not at all, just entirely different. That’s significant, because the Ioniq design in particular communicates the brand’s embrace of forward-looking technology and efficiency. Instead of the sleek, futuristic, hatchback-styled crossovers we’ve come to appreciate, the Santa Fe goes in the exact opposite direction.

“A box is an optimal shape for storage capacity,” said Hyundai’s design chief SangYup Lee, at our pre-drive press briefing. Mr. Lee explained further that his team’s “job is to make this box elegant-looking and premium-looking.”

Furthermore, the new Santa Fe is more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor, much more so than any casual observer could expect from a box. It looks upscale. It turns heads. The staff at a hole-in-the-wall general store, and some members of the motorcycle gang holding court on the front porch, came outside to admire our fleet.

A palette of sophisticated exterior colours, including several matte options, adds to the overall effect, and Hyundai carries over the new, anodized-finish badging that was recently introduced on the Ioniq 6. It’s elegant overall, and the XRT trim level adds a combination of dark chrome and black cladding and trim. Most trims get standard 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Luxury version gets 20-inch wheels (optional on Preferred with the Trend package), and the Ultimate Calligraphy gets 21-inch wheels.

Inside, the Santa Fe offers premium styling. Our test drive was limited to the all-terrain XRT and loaded Ultimate Calligraphy trims, and we found few faults in either. Some out-of-the-way surfaces, like the door panels in the Ultimate Calligraphy, were made of hard material, but they’re integrated in such a way that we first encountered plenty of softly padded surfaces like armrests and windowsills to soften the effect. Others were positively decadent, like the soothing and cocooning fabric covering the headliner, which we coincidentally think would make for a lovely winter scarf and hat.

In Canada, Hyundai has flipped the script by making the hybrid powertrain the entry-level selection and reserving gas-only engines for upper trims. On Preferred models—as well as the limited-run NHL Edition—the Santa Fe comes with a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine good for an estimated combined 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Unlike most hybrid powertrains, Hyundai skips the continuously variable transmission (CVT) and instead equips a more traditional six-speed automatic transmission.

Other Santa Fe models sold in Canada come with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, rated for 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. In Canada, all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard equipment on the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe regardless of powertrain.

Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes come standard, with Sport adjusting throttle response and steering for a peppier feel. The XRT adds off-road modes and settings.

In terms of projected fuel economy, Natural Resources Canada lists the Santa Fe Hybrid as consuming 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving, 6.9 on the highway, and 6.9 combined. With the gas powertrain, expect to burn 12.1 L/100 km city, 8.8 highway, and 10.6 combined. The XRT demands a little extra fuel consumption, rated at 12.2/9.1/10.8.

The increase in XRT ratings is due to its 3.5 centimetres of extra ground clearance and 30-inch all-terrain tires. On the flip side, while most Santa Fe models max out at 1,587 kilograms (3,500 pounds) of towing capacity, the XRT gains extra capacity of 453 kilograms (1,000 pounds), thanks to additional cooling with a bigger fan and more air inlets.

On the road, the Santa Fe Ultimate Calligraphy we tested broadcasted classic Hyundai driving dynamics. The surprises here are in the decadence of the overall package, but not necessarily in the performance. It’s smooth and mostly stable; acceleration, throttle response, and shifting exhibit few misses on straights and through curvy hills. The Santa Fe showcases notable body roll through turns, which may cause passengers to slide back and forth in their seats a bit, but that’s really the only downside of the experience.

Our test drive included an off-road jaunt in the Santa Fe XRT. It’s comparable in capability to SUVs like the Kia Telluride X-Pro, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek, and Subaru Forester and Outback Wilderness trims. Like those competitors, the Santa Fe XRT can easily handle a trip to a somewhat remote campsite, thanks in large part to its ground clearance and robust tires. The off-road settings are straightforward and easy to access, and the hill-descent-control feature lends confidence on steep slopes.

Let’s take a look at that box. Compared to the previous-generation Santa Fe, it features a wheelbase about five centimetres longer, with a body that’s five centimetres longer and taller as well. Hyundai says that almost all of that extra space was dedicated to the cargo area, since the Santa Fe’s design was inspired by the concept of “chabak,” a combination of “cha” (car) and “sak” (stay) in Korean. Hyundai designed the big cargo area, complete with an extra-wide tailgate, to be comfortable for car camping and tailgating. The design team thought of the area like a terrace, with an inviting floor and plenty of storage to prevent clutter.

That said, the focus on the cargo area doesn’t detract from the rest of the Santa Fe’s design. Though the third row is snug, like any small or midsize SUV that can accommodate six or seven passengers, the first and second rows are spacious and welcoming. Hyundai notes that the Santa Fe is about 15 centimetres shorter and 7.5 centimetres narrower than the Palisade (and Kia Telluride, for that matter), and therefore, these two vehicles shouldn’t cannibalize each other’s market. Our advice is, if you really need that third row to be fully functional, go for the Palisade.

Otherwise, if the second row will bear the brunt of the passenger burden, the Santa Fe is a great pick. Depending on trim, it’s available with a choice of a bench or a pair of fully reclining captain’s chairs that tilt back. Stain-resistant cloth upholstery dresses the base Preferred, while the Trend package and XRT trim levels get robust synthetic leather. The Luxury trim features real leather and the Ultimate Calligraphy and the NHL Edition wear plush quilted Nappa leather. Heated front seats are standard in Canada, and Luxury, Ultimate Calligraphy, and NHL Edition trims add ventilation to the front seats as well. All three rows get storage pockets and bottle holders, another nod to the concept of a calm, well-organized, relaxing space.

The cargo area offers 413 litres of cargo space, which expands to 1,148 and 2,267 litres with the third and second rows folded, respectively. The optional roof rails can support 100 kilograms (220 pounds), and Hyundai integrated a new grab handle that sits flush in the pillar just behind the rear door and extends to provide support when loading cargo.

A new UV sanitization compartment is available for the glovebox, which was originally conceived during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. In other words, Hyundai notes, it was thought up in 2020 and is just now getting rolled out—that’s how long it can take to introduce a cool new feature. Now the Santa Fe can sterilize smartphones, sunglasses, and other small objects in about 10 minutes.

The centrepiece of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe’s cabin is the curved panoramic display that sweeps behind the steering wheel and flows elegantly above the centre console, making trims above the base model feel extra decadent. Hyundai claims it’s the first of its kind in the segment. It’s a fine line, incorporating digital real estate like this without making it feel ostentatious, or worse, distracting and overwhelming.

In our experience, the touchscreen display was another one of the Santa Fe’s delights, with easy access to controls, intuitive menus, and super-crisp graphics and camera views. Pairing a phone to wireless Apple CarPlay took seconds, and it comes standard across the lineup along with wireless Android Auto. This system includes a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a total of six USB ports.

The Preferred trim get a simpler 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display that we didn’t get the opportunity to see. It’s still perfectly serviceable with plenty of features, including four USB ports. All but the base Preferred get wireless charging in the centre console, and the Ultimate Calligraphy and NHL Edition even supply a pair of wireless chargers.

Other features include Hyundai’s BlueLink system for vehicle access and information, which on all versions but the base model has been upgraded to work in lieu of a physical key fob. The system works with Apple and Android devices to automatically detect access. Owners can use the app to grant or revoke levels of access to another person, such as locking and unlocking certain doors of the vehicle or granting permission to drive.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe has not yet been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though Hyundai’s vehicles typically fare well in these evaluations.

As is typical for Hyundai, and increasingly in line with shoppers’ expectations for this segment, most advanced safety and driver-assistance features come standard. The base Preferred trim includes a reversing camera, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, intersection assist (detects oncoming obstacles while making a left turn), pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking, safe-exit assist, lane-keep assist, lane-following assist, driver-attention monitoring with hands-off alert, and a rear-occupant reminder system.

All trims above Preferred add an upgraded rear-occupant reminder system, forward-attention warning, and side-view mirrors with turn signals. From the Luxury trim, Hyundai provides a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot view monitor, rain-sensing windshield wipers, front, rear, and side parking sensors, reverse parking collision assist, and remote automatic parking.

Finally, the loaded Ultimate Calligraphy and NHL Edition add a widescreen head-up display (HUD) and upgraded blind-spot and forward collision avoidance systems. On our road test, the traffic-sign recognition system occasionally misread route signs as speed limit signs, but otherwise we experienced no flaws in the loaded Santa Fe Ultimate Calligraphy’s safety tech.

Of note, the 2024 Santa Fe is the first Hyundai vehicle with driver monitoring, included across the lineup. This system combines an infrared camera on the steering column to track alertness and capacitive sensors in the steering wheel that can detect whether the driver’s hands are on the wheel. If the system senses the driver is not paying attention or is incapacitated, it issues different levels of warnings before bringing the vehicle to a stop and notifying authorities of a potential emergency.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is built in Alabama and is on sale now. Shoppers who might be considering a Santa Fe have more options than ever, so let’s look at how they stack up. In Canada, the Santa Fe starts at $$43,727 for the base Preferred trim, including a $2,000 destination charge and other fees. The top Ultimate Calligraphy trim is priced at $56,227, fees in. As is often the case, the best buys fall somewhere in the middle of the trim range, but it depends what you want from your Santa Fe, and what you’d consider buying instead.

Other three-row contenders here include the Kia Sorento (from $41,760), Subaru Ascent (from $44,674), and Toyota Highlander (from $49,855). Of this group, the Kia and Subaru provide the best entry-level values with lots of features for the lowest prices.

Regardless of configuration, the Santa Fe’s fuel economy ratings are in line with its contemporaries. The Santa Fe Hybrid, in particular, keeps pace with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid in terms of fuel consumption.

With such an extensive trim lineup, there are a couple options for the best Santa Fe configuration. We feel the best value for the majority of Canadians is the Preferred trim with the Trend package. This equips the more fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain and adds a long list of desirable features—including 20-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, a dual-pane power sunroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless charging pad, third row USB ports, the Hyundai Digital Key feature, and upgraded ultrasonic rear occupant alert—for $4,000 extra.

Note: Images show a US model.