Even entry-level models come with dual 12.3-inch displays, a powered tailgate, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless smartphone charging pad, keyless entry, electrically adjustable heated front seats and a suite of driver assistance tech.
Upgrading to Ultimate costs around £3,500, and adds a Bose premium sound system, a glass sunroof, head-up display, heated rear seats and ventilated front seats, plus dual charging pads. It’s also available with the optional Pecan Brown and Supersonic Grey interior themes.
Range-topping Calligraphy cars start from nearly £53,000 in hybrid guise, and feature Nappa leather upholstery. There are ‘Premium Relaxation’ front seats, plus gloss black exterior trim and wheels, while a UV-C sterilisation tray that can sanitise small items such as phones and keys with ultra-violet rays is added to the upper glovebox – the Santa Fe is the first production car to feature such a system.
We were disappointed by the driving experience in the Hyundai Santa Fe, because the ride was constantly fidgeting, and there’s a noticeable amount of road noise at motorway speeds. The full-hybrid powertrain’s lackadaisical attitude doesn’t help either. But at least Santa Fe is surprisingly easy to pilot around town – by large SUV standards, anyway. Read more about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s engines, performance and drive…
The Santa Fe in regular two-wheel drive hybrid form has an official figure of 41.5mpg, while the thirstier four-wheel drive version gets 38.7mpg. Company car drivers will be more interested in the 38-mile EV range of the plug-in hybrid version, although this is beaten by the 48-mile Peugeot 5008 PHEV, or the 75-mile Skoda Kodiaq iV. Every Santa Fe is over £40,000 when new, meaning it’ll cost more in yearly VED road tax than cheaper alternatives. Read more about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s MPG, emissions and running costs…
There probably wasn’t a protractor in sight when designing the Mk5 Hyundai Santa Fe, but the square-jawed design gives it an imposing presence and makes it stand out amongst other large SUVs. The interior design is equally impressive, with good material quality and lots of technology onboard every model. However, some of the driver assistance technology can be quite distracting while driving. Read more about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s interior, design and technology…
The Santa Fe’s boxy shape is very on trend right now, but more importantly, it provides a huge amount of cabin space for both passengers and luggage. Every model comes with seven seats as standard, including four sets of ISOFIX mounting points for child seats. Alternatively, there’s a very generous 628 litres of boot space when the rearmost seats are folded flat. Read more about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s boot space, comfort and practicality…
The latest Santa Fe is too new to have been included in the latest 2024 Driver Power Customer Satisfaction survey, but we expect it to do well on account of the Hyundai brand gaining a respectable 17th place result out of 32 manufacturers. Safety experts Euro NCAP awarded the entry-level Hyundai Santa Fe four stars out of five because the entry-level Premium lacks the more sophisticated forward and blind spot collision avoidance system that’s available as part of the optional Smart Sense+ Pack, or comes as standard to Ultimate trim and above. With the pack, the Santa Fe gains the maximum five-star rating as its main rival, the Skoda Kodiaq. There are still plenty of standard safety features fitted to the Santa Fe, such as lane keep assistance, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and speed limit recognition assistance. Read more about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s reliability and safety…
Hyundai Santa Fe alternatives
The Santa Fe is the biggest car in Hyundai’s UK line-up, and there are several large, seven-seat SUVs that it competes against. One chief rival is the recently facelifted Kia Sorento, which uses the same platform and features the same engines, but is also offered with a diesel engine, which means it has a lower starting price. Other rivals include the Skoda Kodiaq – our reigning Large SUV of the Year that comes in petrol, PHEV and diesel guises – and the latest Peugeot 5008, which is available in pure-electric form as the Peugeot E-5008.
Frequently Asked Questions
The beeps and bongs of the Santa Fe’s safety systems can be infuriatingly annoying. Most can be deactivated via the touchscreen, but you can quickly disable the speed limit and overspeed warnings by giving the mute button on the multifunction steering wheel a long press. A message will appear on the touchscreen confirming you’re successful, although bear in mind that you’ll need to do this every time you start the car.
