Overview
We don’t know what Hyundai’s design department had for breakfast when they formulated the new boldly boxy look of the next-generation Santa Fe, but we hope there’s more of it out on that buffet. The upcoming Santa Fe is as wildly different from the old model as granola is from scrambled eggs. The new one gains a third row, with more rear cargo space and legroom. The Santa Fe’s recent enlargement is to attract outdoorsy folk, which is why the new SUV is built to accommodate roof-top tents, and why its wide tailgate allows larger adventure gear. The new Santa Fe is powered by a turbocharged 277-hp 2.5-liter inline-four with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. There’s also a Santa Fe Hybrid, but we review that model separately. We’ll update this space with pricing—and whether the Santa Fe’s newness has wrought better driving dynamics—once we’ve driven one.
What’s New for 2024?
If you can’t already tell just by looking, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is a vastly different SUV. The dramatic transformation results from both an all-new interior and reimagined exterior design; the Santa Fe’s wheelbase has been extended, its front overhang has decreased, and now that it has three rows of seating, there’s far more room than before. The new Santa Fe goes on sale in August, 2023.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Actual pricing details aren’t available yet, but we expect the new Santa Fe’s bold look to be accompanied by a significant increase in starting price from the aging outgoing model. Even with the price rise, we expect the two-row Santa Fe to remain more affordable than the larger three-row Hyundai Palisade. We expect a generous offering of standard features for the base SE trim and, given the outdoorsy attitude of this new model, the mid-grade XRT will get some pretty rad available packages and accessories.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Under the hood of every non-hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe is a turbocharged 277-hp 2.5-liter inline-four engine with 311 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic are standard, but all-wheel drive is available. That means the former Santa Fe’s 191-hp base engine has been thrown out, giving Santa more oomph at the entry-level trim. We haven’t driven the new Santa Fe yet to determine if its new size and familiar 277-hp powertrain are a good match, but we’d guess Hyundai hasn’t disturbed the relaxed yet agile driving formula of the old model. Hyundai lists the weight of the larger three-row Santa Fe at roughly 4750 pounds, which is significantly more than the last-gen we had on our scales that weight 3858. We expect that to have a significant effect on its performance.
Towing and Payload Capacity
Hyundai hasn’t revealed how much the new Santa Fe will be able to tow. We expect it to match or improve upon what the last-gen model was capable of, which was 3500 pounds of maximum towing capacity. We’ll update this space when that information becomes available.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA hasn’t estimated fuel economy ratings for the new Hyundai Santa Fe yet. Once we’ve tested one, we’ll update this space with the results from our real-world 75-mph highway driving test. For more information about the Santa Fe’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
To keep with its exterior design theme of strong-and-boxy, the only thing round within the guts of the new Santa Fe is the steering wheel and a few knobs. The rest of the space is encapsulated by dramatic rectangles. On the off-roady Santa Fe XRT trim, there’s an obvious influence of boxes and ruggedness from the Land Rover Defender’s cockpit. The front row has numerous places to store things. There’s even enough room for the available dual wireless smartphone charger, that juices-up two phones in the center console. A wide mouth passthrough under that space looks perfect for a large purse; big cubbies line the bottom of the door panels. Second- and third-row seats fold flat and there’s even a climate control knob to adjust HVAC for those sitting all the way in the back. Hyundai says there’s 26 cubic feet of space behind the third row while it’s in use, which is impressively more than other three-row SUVs such as the Mazda CX-90 and Toyota Grand Highlander offer.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Covering more than half the dashboard are two 12.3-inch displays. The gauge cluster is fully digital, but the infotainment screen does retain physical knobs for things like climate and audio volume. The dual wireless smartphone charging pads can repower two phones at once, but there are also USB-C ports for wired charging. We expect to see wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard features but won’t know for certain until closer to the Santa Fe’s on-sale date.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Santa Fe comes with a ton of standard driver-assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. For more information about the Santa Fe’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- ● Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- ● Standard adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology
- ● Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Hyundai has one of the best warranty plans on the market highlighted by lengthy powertrain coverage. The company also now offers complimentary scheduled maintenance that bests mainstream rivals such as Toyota.
- ● Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- ● Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
