2024 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

NOW IN ITS FIFTH GENERATION, SANTA FE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER WITH AGE

After starting life as kind of a chubby little crossover with bulbous fenders and out-of-the-box design, the Hyundai Santa Fe has matured since its launch as a 2001 model and now features more traditional SUV styling.

The boxier profile of the fifth generation that kicked off with the redesigned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boosted passenger interior volume by just over 20 cubic feet to 152.0 cubic feet, making room for standard third-row seating and a 7-passenger capacity.

The two-tone interior has a premium feel with standard Nappa leather seats standard for the top-of-the-portfolio Calligraphy trim that served as our test vehicle. A suite of tech features that includes navigation operates off a 12.3-inch touchscreen with buttons to aid in such functions as audio and climate control. 

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard across all trim levels starting with the base SE and continuing up the line with SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy.

The Santa Fe is available with a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain, but we’re dealing with the traditional ICE Santa Fe here. It is rated at 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, enough to get its 2-plus tons moving from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, according to zeroto60times.com.

Fuel efficiency for FWD models are rated at 20 miles-per-gallon city, 28 highway, and 24 combined with AWD knocking highway rating down a notch to  27 mpg and the combined to 23 mpg, but keeping city rating at 20 mpg.

Those performance numbers are not going to match those of midsize luxury SUVs with their highly tuned engines, but the lush cabin of the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy is right up there with luxury brands that cost thousands more.

Comfort and convenience features in the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy trim include keyless entry and push-button start, dual automatic climate control with second- and third-row air vents, Nappa Leather seats, a head-up display, suede headliner, heated front and second-row seats and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, charging ports for all three rows, Bose premium audio, Hyundai Bluelink connective services, adjustable interior ambient lighting, and a dual charging pad for two wireless phones.

Other standard features include LED headlights, taillights, and daytime running lights, dual-pane sunroof, roof side rails, and a power liftgate with a wide opening.

Safety features include remote parting assist, highway driving assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, tear cross-traffic assist, parking collision-avoidance assist and park distance warning, lane following and lane keeping assist, a surround view monitor. A blind-spot monitor is activated by your turn signals.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy, which gets no significant changes from the 2024 model, is actually a bit less. SE and SEL FWD models start in the mid-$30,000 range with AWD adding $1,800 across the board.

What I liked about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy: The interior is roomy and has feel and looks of a
luxury class SUV with lots of easy to use tech features. You can even select ambient lighting from several different colors. Functions like Auto Hold and Stop/Go systems are activated by the punch of clearly marked buttons on the console. The ride itself is comfortable, and the 4-cylinder engine provides adequate power so you’re not left lagging at intersections. 

What I didn’t like about the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy: When not folded, the third-row seats leave little room for cargo space. The listed 14.6 cubic feet is mostly vertical. Adult passengers will find those third-row seats are pretty snug. Front seat-belt latches are difficult to reach, especially the driver’s side

Would I buy the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy? The Santa Fe has grown too large for my own personal preferences ,but it is a solid choice for anyone in the market for 3-row SUV.