The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe gets a bold makeover

There is even a limited NHL Edition of the Santa Fe, which comes with the logo of your favourite team and a signed Connor Bedard jersey

A hybrid drivetrain is standard on the new entry-level Hyundai Santa Fe Preferred.

Hyundai’s latest version of its long-running, mid-size SUV – the Santa Fe – is bigger and boxier than the previous version.

The exterior styling of the Santa Fe – which Hyundai refers to as “rugged design” – now is squared off with lots of straight lines, replacing the more curvy body of the previous model. The new styling is conservative and very modern but not overdone or unusual. The new Santa Fe could be mistaken for Land Rover Defender.

The new Santa Fe is the latest example of Hyundai styling.

“In the last couple of years you’ve seen some very interesting designs from Hyundai, starting with the IONIQ 5, then the IONIQ 6, and later the new Kona. So now the Santa Fe gets a new personality that the previous generation probably lacked. The previous generation was a very good product, although it might’ve been under the radar a little bit,” explains Frédéric Mercier, Manager of Product and Quebec Public Relations with Hyundai Canada.

Dashboard controls are easy to read and select.

There’s a larger hatch opening, and lots of hauling capacity when the two rear seats are folded flat.

The Hyundai Santa Fe has been restyled, with a boxier, more aggressive appearance,

The new Santa Fe sits on a longer 2,815 mm (110.8 in) wheelbase, up from 2,766 mm (108.9 in). And it’s been stretched to 4,830 mm (190.2 in), up from 4,785 mm (188.4 in). That extra length – along with a squared-off back end and larger hatchback opening – leaves room for adding a third row of seating. Previously, the Santa Fe was a five-seater; now it can accommodate seven people.

The Santa Fe is in the middle of the Hyundai SUV lineup. It’s bigger than the five-seater Tucson – which sits on a 2,755 mm (108.5 in) wheelbase and is 4,630 mm (182.3 in) long – but smaller than the three-row, eight-seater Palisade, which has a wheelbase of 2,900 mm (114.2 in) and is 4,995 mm (196.7 in) long.

A hybrid powertrain (with a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder engine) is now standard. A more powerful 2.5-litre turbo-charged gas engine is available for those looking for more speed and towing ability.

The Santa Fe is in the crowded mid-sized SUV segment: among its competitors are the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Bronco, Honda CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Sorrento, Mazda CX-90, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rouge, Toyota Land Cruiser and Toyota RAV 4.

I recently drove the hybrid version, which has 231 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic. Fuel economy is rated at 6.8 litres per 100 km in the city and 6.9 litres per 100 km on the highway. By comparison, the 2.5 gas-only turbo produces 277 hp and 311 pound-feet of torque, with fuel economy rated at 12.1 litres per 100 km in the city and 8.8 on the highway.

The interior design, featuring straight lines and squares, gives a sense of spaciousness. Despite its large feel, the vehicle is not awkward to drive and maintains ease of handling.

There’s plenty of headroom, and the windows are very tall. The two main gauges are in front of the driver, with the navigation screen in the middle at the top of the dash. The heating and air conditioning vents stretch right across the dashboard, adding to the feeling of width. Below these vents, you’ll find the HVAC controls. One thing that hasn’t changed – thankfully – is the excellent system of real buttons to select such things as mapping and media. That makes operating the ventilation, navigation, and sound systems much easier than in some competitors’ vehicles, which rely too much on controlling these functions through the infotainment screen.

The Santa Fe’s base model, Preferred, has a starting MSRP of $40,999. It comes with a hybrid drivetrain. Next are the gas-powered XRT and Luxury models, followed by the Ultimate Calligraphy, which starts at $53,499.

There’s also a limited edition Hyundai Santa Fe NHL Edition with a hybrid drivetrain, priced at $56,988. Buyers can add their favourite NHL team logo to their Santa Fe. Each buyer also receives a signed jersey from Connor Bedard, the 2023 NHL top draft pick and rookie of the year.

Dale Johnson is an award-winning author, broadcaster and journalist who has worked in TV, radio, print and online. While the manufacturer provided Dale with a vehicle to test drive, the content of this review was not reviewed or accepted by the manufacturer.

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