The radically redesigned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: The 3-row SUV is roomy with a minimalist interior

The new Santa Fe will offer three rows of seats as standard equipment, a change from the outgoing model that was only offered with seating for five.

What’s new?

The Hyundai Santa Fe enters a new generation for 2024. It has an angular new design with a bigger interior and 3-row seating.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe pricing

The 2024 Hyundai
HYMTF,
-1.05%
Santa Fe starts at $33,950. That’s for the base SE trim with front-wheel drive. The mid-range SEL model starts at $36,450, and the top Calligraphy trim begins at $46,500. All-wheel drive is standard on the XRT model and a $1,800 option on every other trim.

The Santa Fe is on the more affordable side of midsize 3-row SUVs. Its starting price is similar to the Kia
000270,
-3.21%
Sorento and Subaru Ascent, while the rest of this class tends to be bigger and pricier.

These are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and don’t include the $1,395 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

Before buying a Santa Fe, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Hyundai Santa Fe resale value is great for the segment.

Check out: The cars, trucks, EVs and SUVs with the best resale value in 2024

Roomy interior

The radical new design of the Hyundai Santa Fe yields a roomier interior, which now has 3-row seating. The interior will offer what Hyundai calls a Panoramic Curved Display, which integrates the infotainment screen and digital gauge cluster in one seamless display. It works well in other high-tech Hyundai SUVs, and we look forward to using it in the new Santa Fe. This roomy cabin also boasts dual wireless charging pads, recycled plastic in the seatbacks, floor mats, and headliner, and available Nappa leather seating.

We’re impressed with the new model’s features, roominess, and design. A twist-to-drive column shifter on the steering wheel opens up the center console where a traditional shift gear would reside, and other innovations abound. A design that came out of the pandemic, Hyundai says the 2024 Santa Fe has a first-of-its-kind UV-C sterilization tray on top of the glove box.

We’re also pleased to see premium touches such as a power-adjustable steering column on offer. Materials are of impressive quality and we found good room in the second and even third row. Truly impressive is its cargo capacity. The second and third rows truly fold nearly flat, and the huge tailgate is designed for maximum aperture. The result — and intention, according to Hyundai designers — is a rear area where Santa Fe owners can tailgate or even sleep.

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Boxy exterior

This year’s redesign of the Hyundai Santa Fe brings a radical new aesthetic. This major aesthetic update makes the Santa Fe a boxy SUV while appearing to retain midsize dimensions. Sharp angles, straight lines, and a floating roof design give it a rugged yet modern look, and an “H” motif in the light signature is unique to the Santa Fe. It will continue to be slotted between the compact Tucson and the bigger Palisade in the Hyundai lineup.

Read: The 2024 Hyundai Tucson: The boldly-styled compact SUV is practical and roomy

Hyundai designers told us they actually started at the back. And the tailgate is impressively huge. A bigger tailgate means a bigger opening, leading into what Hyundai calls a “terrace-like” space inside. Hyundai seems to have the destination in mind as much as the journey for the new Santa Fe, highlighted by one model outfitted with a large roof-top tent.

Engine and transmission

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe will debut in the U.S. with the choice of a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine or a gas-electric hybrid using a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. The standard gasoline model uses an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrid is connected to a 6-speed. In 2023 Santa Fe models, they make a respective 281 and 226 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid model will be available in other parts of the world, and one could easily presume it will eventually make its way to the U.S.

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5-year/60,000-mile warranty

We can say with confidence that the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe will continue with a class-leading warranty. Hyundai’s excellent coverage includes a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan.

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.