2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid overview

Speak about a dramatic change between generations.

The all-new, fifth-generation tackle the Hyundai Santa Fe is a spectacular shift for the model and the nameplate itself – it’s larger, higher geared up, and clearly lots bolder than it’s ever been.

Actually, the design is arguably the largest speaking level about this boxy new mannequin, with the rear finish specifically proving a speaking level at launch. Some folks mightn’t be followers, and will rule this automobile out based mostly on that.

However that, for my part, could be a colossal mistake. As a result of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is a largely spectacular factor – learn on to search out out what makes it so good, and the issues that may make it much less interesting relying in your preferences.

How does the Hyundai Santa Fe evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Hyundai Santa Fe towards equally sized autos.

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Santa Fe

How a lot does the Hyundai Santa Fe value?

At a look, the costs appear a good bit increased than the earlier mannequin, however there are cheaper turbo-petrol variations due on the finish of 2024 which can deliver the asking value down a bit.

Costs exclude on-road prices

For those who evaluate the hybrids towards the previous-gen mannequin the place the petrol-electric choice was supplied, the costs are up a bit – however the usual gear ranges are additionally up considerably greater than that sum suggests.

All of the spec particulars are listed within the part additional down.

To see how the Hyundai Santa Fe compares towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

What’s the Hyundai Santa Fe like on the within?

It’s greater than a step-change when it comes to the inside design, too, with a large rethink of what the cabin of the Santa Fe ought to feel and appear like – and it seems to be and feels fairly bloody good.

The dual-screen 12.3-inch show array actually seems to be superb, and kudos to Hyundai for becoming the correct shows in all grades, somewhat than choosing the less-impressive part-digital design employed in different vehicles within the Hyundai-Kia world.

It’s a formidable setup, and cuts its personal form within the broad and properly completed dashboard, which has a collection of trim finishes relying on the grade.

The bottom mannequin has a tidy black-on-silver look, whereas the Elite adjustments issues up with a extra posh trim throughout the doorways and sprint, and the Calligraphy takes it to the following stage – and even comes with a number of color choices for the inside.

There’s a H motif to plenty of the inside parts, and the Elite and Calligraphy fashions get an ambient mild strip that takes that form throughout the width of the dashboard, too.

It’s a actually tidy look and, relying on the grade, you’re getting some actually spectacular trim selections inside.

For me, the tartan fabric within the base mannequin is interesting for its softness, whereas the dad in me thinks the Elite could be higher with its wipeable leather-based trim, although the seats really feel lots much less yielding in that spec. The Calligraphy? For those who can justify it, then do it!

The contact panel to regulate the air-conditioning and air flow is sweet to take a look at. It’s not as tactile as ‘old-school’ buttons and dials, however fortunately you do study your approach across the controls fairly rapidly. Beware – should you depart the driving force distraction monitor on, it can beep at you should you look down at these controls… and that’s very irritating!

There’s ample storage up entrance, with the shift-by-wire gear selector having been rehomed to the steering column to make an enormous cavity of house between the entrance seats. Plus there’s a twin glovebox structure, with the top-spec together with a UV-C cleansing system within the top-spec.

There’s a storage tray at flooring top which is massive sufficient for a purse or takeaway meals luggage.

Above it’s one other tray space with a piece in your cellphone – together with a single wi-fi charging pad within the base spec, and two wi-fi pads within the Elite and Calligraphy. There are cupholders there, and a coated centre console bin with some useful storage tips to it, too.

Second-row lodging is nice, with a 60:40 sliding second row seat with reclining choice for either side, and simply sufficient house for somebody my measurement (182cm/6’0”) to suit with room to spare in entrance and behind.

There are many nice storage choices within the second row, with every door housing a trio of holsters for bottles or cups, and there are map pockets on the seat backs, a sliding drawer that comes out from behind the centre console, and a flip-down armrest with cupholders.

Different facilities embody a pair of USB-C ports within the backs of the entrance seats, and whereas there aren’t any knee-height air vents, there are B-pillar face-level vents that ought to do the job for these within the window seats, whereas a middle-seater would possibly must ask for air from the entrance cabin.

There are three top-tether factors and two ISOFIX positions within the second row, and it’s a large sufficient cabin that three-seats-across looks as if it will likely be doable.

Third-row entry is respectable, however the reality the best entry level is from the roadside (behind the driving force’s seat, somewhat than the kerbside) signifies that you would possibly want to ensure your backseat bandits are on their greatest behaviour to get into the again seats.

As soon as within the again, the house is surprisingly good. I may sit within the third row with somebody my measurement forward of me, and we have been each snug.

There’s good head room, knee room is appropriate (in a little bit of a knees-up place, however that’s to be anticipated), and there’s even respectable foot room, however anybody with naked ft within the again would possibly simply wish to watch out when the second-row is being slid again.

Nice to see there are ISOFIX factors and top-tethers for the very again seats, too, and all variants include a fan controller and vents within the again, in addition to cupholders within the wheelarch covers, and there’s a good view out from the third row, too.

Clearly should you use all three rows of seats your boot house will probably be fairly restricted – however I managed to slot in a few backpacks on take a look at.

With the third-row folded down there’s 628 litres of cargo house on supply, which – should you drop the second-row seats utilizing the usual electrical controllers within the boot – will increase to a useful and sleepable (in response to Hyundai’s camping-conscious Korean workforce) 1949 litres.

And don’t go considering that you simply miss out on a spare wheel, both. The packaging of this SUV is so intelligent, the model has even managed to suit a full-size spare underneath the boot flooring – spectacular!

One factor that may enhance this already spectacular design is the addition of a gap glass part for the boot. It has a large tailgate, and should you reverse right into a spot solely to search out you’ll be able to’t open the boot, it could simply be a very useful strategy to entry the boot space with out having to open the complete rear door.

To see how the Hyundai Santa Fe compares towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

At launch all Santa Fe fashions will probably be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid system.

To see how the Hyundai Santa Fe compares towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

How does the Hyundai Santa Fe drive?

The powertrain is the large speaking level right here.

The good things? It’ll use EV mode lots, each at city speeds and on the open highway, and the transition between electrical and hybrid modes is fairly clean.

It’s additionally kinda cool the way it feels just like the transmission is shifting in electrical mode – as a result of it’s – and also you get extra of a tactile expertise with the automobile on account of that. 

There’s sufficient grunt to get issues transferring with out fuss, and there are completely different drive modes to play with – Sport, Eco, and My Mode with a few configurable parts – and in probably the most dynamic setting you get a bit extra out of the powertrain, although the transmission is usually a tad keen to hold on to gears.

In AWD fashions there’s additionally a Terrain management button, with Snow, Mud and Sand on supply, although you’ll need to be conscious of the overhangs of this automobile should you plan to get a lot additional than a campsite monitor, and likewise the bottom clearance – 177mm – means it’s hardly going to deal with a powerline monitor.

It has regenerative braking, in order to try to feed a little bit of power again to the battery in city settings, and whereas that’s admirable the brake pedal really feel can take a little bit of getting used to, as it’s considerably ethereal on the prime of journey.

There’s no Aussie-specific journey and dealing with tune for the Santa Fe, but it surely has been examined and signed off to be the “greatest match” for our market, in response to the model.

The suspension is generally effectively sorted, a bit agency feeling at instances and it may well clunk a bit over sharp joins within the highway at tempo, however round city or in nation highway touring, it appears to deal with the lumps within the highway decently, if not exceptionally. 

There’s enough responsiveness and accuracy to the steering to make this circa-two-tonne SUV really feel fairly manageable at decrease speeds, and whereas the visibility for the driving force is admittedly fairly good, the actual fact you’ve obtained some nice security aids and cameras to assist with low-speed strikes means you get a terrific concept of what you’re doing when parking.

Now, on the subject of these security programs, it needs to be stated that they’re merely probably the most defining consideration for the drive expertise – let me clarify why…

There’s a driver consideration warning system with a digital camera that watches your eyes, and it’s ridiculously oversensitive to you adjusting issues on the display screen and even in search of a secure hole in visitors. 

Likewise, the pace signal recognition system, which can show a picture of what it thinks the pace restrict is – there aren’t any 85km/h limits in NSW, however that’s what it confirmed me, for some  purpose – and it’ll additionally beep at you should you’re doing 1km/h greater than the restrict it thinks is right, and proceed to beep at you till you comply.

It’s infuriating…

What’s extra annoying is that it defaults again on as quickly as you flip off the ignition, so should you don’t prefer it (and I’m guessing you gained’t), then you must undergo a sequence of button and display screen presses to show it again off. Each time you drive it, seconds of your life wasted…

Anyway, it’s annoying, however Hyundai’s product workforce assures me there may be some sort of repair coming for it. Frankly, there needs to be, as a result of in any other case that is a wholly habitable and likeable drive expertise.

What do you get?

All variations come fairly handsomely geared up.

Santa Fe customary gear:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Auto high-beam
• Proximity entry with push-button begin
• Digital parking brake with auto maintain operate
• 3 x drive modes – Eco, Sport, My Drive
• 3 x multi-terrain drive modes – AWD solely
• Twin-zone local weather management
• 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Obsidian Black fabric upholstery
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Over the air (OTA) software program updates
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto – wi-fi, wired
• Wi-fi smartphone charger
• Encompass-view digital camera system
• 6-speaker sound system
• Heated entrance seats
• Energy tailgate
• Rear privateness glass
• Full-size alloy spare wheel

Santa Fe Elite provides:

• Silver exterior highlights
• Distant Good Parking Help
• Black leather-based seats
• Suede headlining
• 10-way power-adjustable passenger seat
• Heated steering wheel
• Bose premium audio system – 12 audio system
• Twin wi-fi smartphone charger
• Bluelink related companies
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror

Santa Fe Calligraphy provides:

• Distinctive 20-inch wheels
• Glass sunroof
• Head-up show
• Digital digital camera rearview mirror
• Black Ink Nappa leather-based upholstery
• Leisure operate – entrance seats
• Reminiscence operate – entrance seats, mirrors
• Heated outboard second-row seats
• Ventilated entrance seats
• UV-C sanitisation tray
• UV and infrared insulated windscreen, entrance home windows

The Calligraphy can also be supplied with a six-seat structure with second-row electrically adjustable captain’s chairs, which could supply a extra plush expertise however could restrict practicality considerably.

Is the Hyundai Santa Fe secure?

The Hyundai Santa Fe has but to be examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. 

Customary security options throughout the vary embody:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Pedestrian, Bike owner detection
  • Junction help
• Adaptive cruise management with cease and go
• Blind-spot help
• Blind Spot View Monitor
• Driver consideration warning 
• Ahead consideration warning
• Main automobile departure alert
• Evasive steering help operate
• Clever pace restrict help
• Lane Following Help
• Lane hold help
• Parking Collision Avoidance Help
• Rear cross-traffic help
• Rear occupant alert
• Secure exit help
• Entrance, rear parking sensors
• Encompass-view monitor – 360 digital camera

In a win for households who plan to make use of this automobile with seven seats recurrently, the Santa Fe now has full airbag protection for the third-row occupants.

Actually, it has 10 airbags fitted: twin entrance, driver’s knee, entrance centre, entrance facet, second-row facet and full-length curtain airbags.

How a lot does the Hyundai Santa Fe value to run?

As with all Hyundai fashions, there’s a five-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee, and Santa Fe Hybrid fashions additionally get an eight-year/160,000km guarantee for high-voltage elements just like the e-motor and lithium battery.

Servicing is each 12 months/10,000km, which is a little more needy than some rivals. There’s additionally a roadside help program that renews each time you service your automobile with Hyundai.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Hyundai Santa Fe

Mums and dads on the market – this may very well be your subsequent household SUV.

For those who can reside with the annoying security options, or simply ignore them, then you definitely’ll be stepping into some of the engaging autos but from the H model.

That additionally comes with nice real-world effectivity, superb house, nice design particulars and complete heap of road presence. Or, you would possibly wish to await our overview of the cheaper turbo-petrol mannequin, due later this 12 months…

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