- The Santa Fe Hybrid’s the sensible choose in Hyundai’s three-row SUV household.
- A turbo-4 plus a motor and batteries nets 231 hp for good acceleration
- EPA mixed fuel mileage hits 36 mpg with front-wheel drive
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is a hanging redesign of the Korean maker’s longstanding SUV mannequin. With three rows now normal, the midsize crossover utility launched with each a standard gasoline powertrain and a hybrid choice, moderately priced at solely $500 extra.
In late August, we had the possibility to drive a 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid within the rolling hills round Santa Barbara, a few hours north of Los Angeles. Total, we discovered the hybrid model of the brand new Santa Fe eminently sensible and a pleasing place to spend time. We’d dub the hybrid the higher of two powertrains on this new crossover; it’s smoother in addition to extra fuel-efficient.
Given the low worth premium, we count on the Hybrid to seek out favor amongst households who know an EPA mixed score within the mid-30s will save them important money over one within the low- to mid-20s. As automakers grapple to satisfy more and more powerful emission limits for automobiles in mannequin years 2026 to 2035, Hyundai has clearly chosen hybrids at engaging costs as one method to meet these objectives. After all it additionally has a rising array of electrical automobiles—however hybrids are a rising share of its Tucson gross sales within the in style compact crossover phase. You possibly can count on that to be the case for its midsize Santa Fe as properly.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
Is that, ummm, a Land Rover?
By now, the hanging design of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe has began to look on metropolis and suburban streets. It’s an enormous departure from earlier generations, with its sq., slab-sided strains incomes comparisons to Land Rovers and different bluff SUVs. Even in car-jaded California, it will get appears in site visitors. Remarkably, Hyundai claims a drag coefficient of 0.294, exceptional for such an upright and blocky form—the Subaru Outback is available in at 0.34, Hyundai stated—proving that fuel-sucking air drag could be tamed in several methods.
Inside, it’s ethereal and open, with the brand new Hyundai normal dashboard design of twin 12.3-inch screens on a large horizontal tray. It’s an association first seen within the Ioniq 5 battery-electric hatchback utility. Now it seems in a rising variety of Hyundai fashions, from the Ioniq 6 EV sedan to the refreshed 2025 Tucson compact crossover.
The brand new hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.6-liter direct-injected inline-4, paired to a standard 6-speed computerized transmission. Between engine and transmission sits a 47.7-kw (64-hp) electrical motor, which takes its energy from a 1.5-kwh lithium-ion battery. Complete output of the mixed powertrain is 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. Not like the smaller Tucson, although, there’s no plug-in hybrid variant provided.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
Acceleration: feels peppier than gasoline model
The Santa Fe Hybrid shares its powertrain with the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, nevertheless it’s an even bigger and heavier car. Whereas the Tucson Hybrid is comparatively fast in most driving circumstances, the Santa Fe Hybrid is much less of a velocity demon. We’d name it common for a three-row SUV—whereas the gasoline-only model felt common to gradual when this reporter drove it again in March. Hyundai didn’t present acceleration figures; we couldn’t check that appropriately throughout our drive.
The brand new Santa Fe design consists of very efficient noise suppression, and powertrain sounds are properly muted—to the purpose that passengers could not notice they’re touring in a hybrid in any respect. Engine noise when switching on is mostly imperceptible, and the transitions amongst energy sources largely go unnoticed. It speaks to the massive effort Hyundai engineers have exerted to refine their single-motor hybrid system over the 12-plus years because it hit the market.
Feeling the large utility car upshift or downshift whereas the “EV” sprint mild stays illuminated will probably be jarring to these used to battery-electric automobiles, which after all don’t have any gears to shift. Matching motor velocity to highway velocity is a needed disadvantage of Hyundai’s system, however crucially, it lets the Santa Fe Hybrid run electric-only in mild higher-speed or freeway site visitors. That provides one of the best steadiness of efficiency and effectivity in typical highway-heavy U.S. driving cycles, Hyundai says. We had been typically shocked to look down and see the hybrid Santa Fe operating in “EV” mode, even at freeways or on mild uphill slopes.
The fitting-hand paddle behind the steering wheel could be pulled to extend regenerative braking when coming to a cease, and there’s an “Auto” regen mode as properly. That makes use of the Santa Fe’s current sensors (cameras, radar, and so forth.) to regulate the regeneration stage based mostly on what the automotive senses forward—a slowing car, as an example. California freeway site visitors saved it busy adjusting.
Hyundai suspensions are typically tuned for consolation over roadholding, and the Santa Fe isn’t any exception. Drivers and passengers ought to discover it quiet and comfy in typical use. Tossing it by curving canyon roads with irregular surfaces, we discovered it bounced a bit greater than anticipated. However suburban households doing college runs or mall visits gained’t be affected by that, almost definitely, and even expertise it.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
EPA rankings: 34 or 36 mpg mixed
Our Santa Fe Hybrid, in-built Montgomery, Alabama, was properly screwed-together and an altogether nice place to spend time. Full particulars and specs for inside quantity, seating choices, security rankings, and the number of normal and non-compulsory options could be present in our evaluation of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe vary.
As for gasoline effectivity—normally the principle cause to go for a hybrid—the EPA mixed rankings for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid are 36 mpg for the front-wheel-drive model, or 34 mpg with the non-compulsory all-wheel drive. That’s a considerable increase over rankings for the varied gasoline fashions, which vary from 22 to 24 mpg mixed.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is available in three trim ranges: SEL, Restricted, and Calligraphy. The SEL comes normal with 18-inch alloy wheels and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The Restricted upgrades to 20-inch wheels and provides rain-sensing wipers, a dual-pane sunroof, power-operated entrance passenger seat, heated rear seats, and ambient inside lighting, amongst an extended record of niceties. The highest-of-the-range Calligraphy options nappa leather-based seats with a massaging “rest” perform, an ultraviolet sterilizing tray (“Are you able to inform this was designed through the pandemic?” one exec requested), a head-up show, and a number of look objects that embellish the design.
The Santa Fe Hybrid SEL begins at $38,615, with the Restricted including one other $6,900 on high of that. A Hybrid Calligraphy model stickers at $48,665, plus choices. All-wheel drive is an $1,800 choice on any trim. All costs embrace the obligatory $1,415 supply payment.
Hyundai offered airfare, lodging, and meals to allow Inexperienced Automobile Experiences to deliver you this check drive evaluation.
