The New Santa Fe has come a long way

The Santa Fe has been a fundamental Hyundai model since the first edition launched in 2001. John Marcar experienced the latest iteration of the model with an adventure to Wales... and a camping trip with a difference.

First launched in 2001, the First Santa Fe was the South Korean brand's stab at the increasingly popular global SUV market, hoping to broaden its international sales horizons. Without boring you with the international market sales statistics of the early noughties, it worked, and very quickly, cars with Hyundai badges on the front and back were being seen on almost every continent.

While the sales figures were strong and the market perception was becoming increasingly positive, the one area that neither Hyundai nor the Santa Fe model were excelling in was desirability. Very few customers were walking into a Hyundai franchise and asking for the Santa Fe because of how awesome it looked or because they'd seen one being driven by the 'it girl/guy' of the times. Readers finding the context between the lines will be all too aware of the point I'm making, but in case it's not 100% obvious - early Hyundais were inherently dull and about as exciting to look at as a new set of kitchen chopping boards.

Fast forward 23 years, though, and things are very different. Hyundai has developed into a brand that people buy because they trust and desire. Customers buying Hyundais in 2024 either do so because they're looking for their third or fourth consecutive model or because they've seen that they can walk away from a familiar brand such as BMW or Land Rover to purchase a similar and exceptionally good car at a significantly reduced price.

Prices & Trim Levels: Premium vs Ultimate vs Calligraphy

The latest Santa Fe is a spacious 7-seat SUV with 2 different powertrains - Hybrid EV (HEV) and Plug-In EV (PHEV). Hyundai is launching the Santa Fe with three optional trim levels: Premium, Ultimate and Calligraphy.  

Premium is the lowest tier at £46,775 for HEV and £51,885 for PHEV before optional extras.

Ultimate is the second tier of packages, with prices starting at £50,275 for HEV and £54,335 for PHEV before optional extras.

Calligraphy is the highest-tier package, with prices starting at £52,775 (HEV) and £57,635 (PHEV).

Premium includes 20" alloy wheels, electrically operated and folding door mirrors, privacy glass, LED lighting, electronic tailgate, smart power tailgate and roof rails. Inside the car, premium rewards the 12.3" screen, in-built navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay™/Android Auto™ and Bluelink® connected car service with 3-year subscription. As standard, USB C ports are available for charging in all three rows of seats, plus wireless phone charging is available in the front row.

Stepping up to Ultimate grants everything in Premium, plus a BOSE premium sound system, dual sunroof, electrically adjustable steering column and driver's memory seat function, heated and ventilated front and heated rear seats, dual wireless phone charging in the front row, digital camera-fed rear view mirror, head-up display, assisted cruise control, remote park assist, blind spot monitoring, and 360-degree surround cameras.

The top-tier Calligraphy features 20-inch black alloy wheels, a hidden C-pillar assist handle, a UV cleaning compartment above the glove box (ideal for sterilising mobile phones), premium relaxation front seats with Nappa Leather seat trim, and black-finish styling elements including a skid plate and higher-quality exterior trim for the C-pillars and wheel arches. Additionally, the Calligraphy trim comes with an optional 6-seat configuration.

Optional Extras

Optional extras beyond the trim levels include metallic or pearlescent paint at £700, specialist paint options at £900, matt paint at £1200, a digital key (only available for Ultimate and Calligraphy) at £300 and an optional 6-seat configuration for £1000 (only available for Calligraphy trim).

Exterior Design

Hyundais' latest iteration of its stalwart SUV encapsulates the story of Hyundai's growth from being an affordable and reliable alternative brand 20 years ago to one that will be at the top of the list of considerations for buyers today. The Santa Fe model is so significant to Hyundai that it avoided losing its name when other models transitioned from names to numbers, such as the i10, i20 and i30. Some market research in the US discovered that the Santa Fe model name was actually more recognisable to consumers in some markets than the Hyundai name, so keeping the Santa Fe name alive was imperative.

For 2024, the Santa Fe has been given a serious glow-up. The 2001 model and its successors have been blobby, round and typically unexciting compared to European competitors, but the new car couldn't be more different. With its boxy profile, purposeful stance and palatial interior, the latest model has resulted in a car that will likely make casual passers-by look twice. The new styling puts the Santa Fe on par with new models from the likes of Land Rover, BMW and Jeep, and the design alone might be enough to pull brand loyalists away from what they know and push them towards their first-ever Hyundai.

Interior Design and Space

Inside the Santa Fe, the refreshed cubist design language continues. Opening the driver's door reveals a generous and elegant space with a large curved wrap-around touch screen that is easy to reach for both the driver and the passenger. A lower panel grants quick and easy adjustments to climate control, drive modes, and other quick comfort settings, such as heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel. Space around you as a driver is comfortable with plush armrest points, and the adjustability of the seats offers a premium level of comfort. The overall feel of the Santa Fe from the driver's seat is no longer 'affordable' or ‘acceptable’; it's exceptional.

As standard, the Santa Fe is available as a 7-seat SUV; however, a 6-seat option can be specified if the highest trim level is selected. The 6-seat option, if selected, grants a higher level of comfort and adjustability for the second row. In both cases, space and legroom in the second and third rows are ample for adults over 6 feet / 185cm.

Boot space is vast, with over 620L of storage space when the 2nd-row seats are up in all models. With the rear seats folded flat, you're granted almost 1000 litres of storage space in the 6 and 7-seat models.

Powertrain Options

At launch, Hyundai is offering the Santa Fe as a Hybrid EV (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV). Both powertrains have a 4-cylinder 1.6L Turbocharged Petrol engine paired with a permanent magnet synchronous motor for electric duties.

The HEV produces 215PS (212HP). While the electric motor can power the model independently for slow movements, due to the 1.49kW battery, the HEV has no electric-only driving range declared. The PHEV rewards slightly more power at 253PS (249HP) and offers an electric range of 33 miles / 54 km, which boosts the petrol engine.

Speed, Power and Driving Dynamics

The 1.6L petrol engine is best described as 'sufficient' in both power variants. The Santa Fe certainly won't be referred to as a powerful SUV, simply because it isn't, and at 2.6 tonnes (HEV) and 2.7 tonnes (PHEV), once both cars are loaded with people and luggage, the additional weight will take its toll on acceleration performance. That said, the Santa Fe doesn't feel slow and certainly not underpowered, but it's certainly not going to win many drag races - (just in case you're ever planning on taking your stylish family SUV to Santa Pod). 0-60 mph in the HEV is 9.6 seconds, and in the PHEV, it's 9.3.

Considering the Santa Fe's kerb weight, the handling is surprisingly and positively dynamic. The Santa Fe feels planted and reassuring through fast corners, and the ride, perhaps aided in part by the car's weight, is very compliant and predictable. The suspension feels perfectly tuned to the chassis, resulting in an enjoyable driving experience without compromising the driver's or passengers' comfort.

Clocking over 250 miles of driving in both the HEV and PHEV revealed almost nothing negative to remark from driving the new Santa Fe. My one and only gripe, which may improve with time and software upgrades, is that the assisted cruise control, which regulates speed according to vehicles ahead, sometimes gets confused if a leading car goes out of the line of sight for the radar mid-corner. This can result in minor speed increases on a particularly sharp corner as the radar temporarily loses sight of the leading vehicle and attempts to bring you up to the speed limit. A quick override on the brake pedal soon puts this right, but the first couple of times it happens can be a little disconcerting and result in driving on twisty roads with the cruise control switched off. On motorways and duel carriageways, though, where the system is designed to operate best, the system was flawless.

Built for Adventure

It would be unfair to deduct points on the basis of performance because that's not what the model is all about. The Santa Fe is a car designed for families, commutes, and occasional adventures. Hyundai has looked into its customers in great detail and discovered that the Santa Fe is a car purchased by people who enjoy diverting from the tarmac roads and hotel car parks.

A significant percentage of Santa Fe buyers are campers, explorers, and adventurers - ironically, they are the type of people SUV adverts often incorrectly depict on our television screens. The market research discovered that this is such a big part of Santa Fe drivers' lives that some additional features have been added as standard and others as optional extras to aid the adventures. For the top-tier Calligraphy model, an access handle has been added to the C-pillar of the car between the rear door and rear-side window. This grab handle is in place to help access the roof whilst standing on the rear tyre and has been added on the assumption that roof racks will be fitted for items such as bicycle racks, roof boxes, or roof tents.

An optional extra that would remove the requirement for a roof tent is an inflatable mattress specifically designed for the new Santa Fe, which provides a perfectly tailored bed that fits inside the car once the rear seats are folded flat. Many readers may question the point of such a feature or its relevance in my article, but I have to mention it because I put it to use atop a mountain in Wales...

A Car Designed to be Slept in?

For the 2024 Santa Fe launch, I was invited along with a handful of other journalists to experience the new model with a scenic drive from England to Wales and an overnight experience with the car called Chabak.

Chabak is a Korean term for camping in a car and is a prevalent activity in South Korea. In recent years, the trend has spread globally with a surge in popularity for wild camping and off-road exploration. As someone who has only ever slept in a car involuntarily (another story for another time, perhaps), I had mixed feelings about the idea or novelty of Chabak. And yet, there I was on the top of a mountain, looking down on the valleys of the Mach Loop, clambering into an SUV with an inflatable mattress for comfort. To my surprise, I slept like a log.

Despite nature's best attempts to disrupt my sleep with the occasional gale-force gust and a fairly relentless rainstorm throughout the night, I sleep very comfortably–and silently. The soundproofing of the Santa Fe is exceptional, with practically no wind noise at all. This isn't only noticeable when trying to get to sleep but also when driving the car on the road. Road rumble, engine noise and wind noise are all minimal in the Santa Fe and are comparable to a car listed at twice the retail price.

This quiet ride works nicely in tandem with the upgraded Bose sound system, which gives an excellent audio experience inside the car at all speeds.

Conclusion

The new Hyundai Santa Fe is exceptionally well-packaged in all trim levels. Yet, even with the most expensive Calligraphy trim and a couple of optional extras, buyers are rewarded with a car almost half the price of a top-tier equivalent BMW or JLR product. The only downfall for some may be the power output, but for the vast majority, the 1.6L will be adequate and reward excellent economy as an additional bonus.

Like its sister company Kia, Hyundai is at a significant progression point as a brand, and consumers are rightfully taking note and taking action by switching from long-term brand loyalty with European manufacturers to a new relationship with what is, for many, still a relatively new car brand. Thanks to new models such as the Santa Fe, many buyers will be cementing a new foundation of brand loyalty with Hyundai because, from here, things can only get even better.

words: John Marcar
pictures: Henry Faulkner-Smith