Hyundai’s Santa Fe Hybrid gives the brand a hybrid-electric rival to the Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento. We test the model ahead of local deliveries commencing and see how it compares.
Introduced in 2021, the latest Hyundai Santa Fe has been brought more in line with the brand’s smaller SUV models, the Kona and Tucson. Thanks to the addition of hybrid powertrains, this revised version of Hyundai’s largest car which is due to hit Australian roads very soon is a strong challenger to the likes of the Kia Sorento Hybrid and Toyota Kluger Hybrid.
These new petrol-hybrid models sit on a new platform so, while the Santa Fe doesn’t look all that different to before, it’s heavily updated underneath. Styling-wise, the most obvious way to mark out the latest Santa Fe is a reshaped and enlarged grille that dominates the front end, plus T-shaped daytime running lights that connect the two front lamp clusters. Around the back, a light bar now connects the tail-lights, above a cleaner bumper design. But inside is where you’ll notice the most difference; the cabin feels more plush than before and features a new, sloping design for the dashboard.
This is also where you’ll find the flurry of buttons used to control everything in the car from the climate control to the infotainment screen and the gear selector. In an age of haptic feedback glass panels and voice commands, at first it looks very fussy, but you quickly learn where the key switches are. Happily, they’re all within easy reach, so there’s little need to stretch to the touchscreen while you’re driving.
Interior quality overall is exceptional, as everything feels solid, with the optional Luxury Pack on our test car adding Nappa leather seats, suede headlining and a faux-leather-wrapped dashboard. The infotainment isn’t quite as good as those of rivals, but it’s still decent, as the 10.25-inch touchscreen on top of the dashboard loads quickly and is easy to navigate. The Santa Fe also features smartphone connectivity as standard (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), with clever vertical spaces in the centre console for you to store your device.
Second-row passengers in the current Santa Fe also get 34mm more legroom than they did in the previous generation, which has the added benefit of providing enough room for adults to sit in the third row as well. Accessing the sixth and seventh seats is easy thanks to a switch that moves the middle row forward. There are separate air-conditioning controls back there, and each seat gets a cupholder, too. But if you don’t need all seven seats, you can fold the rearmost down to have full use of a vast 571-litre boot – that’s on par with the Kia Sorento Hybrid, and over 100 litres larger than the electric Mercedes-Benz EQB’s boot. The 1650kg towing capacity is decent for a hybrid as well.
The changes continue under the bonnet with the 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine paired with a 1.49kWh battery for a total output of 169kW. The battery sends energy to a 44kW electric motor, and uses regenerative braking and the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine to recharge itself. And it’s that engine that is the biggest flaw of the otherwise superb Santa Fe. It’s not the amount of power on tap but rather the fact that it sounds coarse no matter what you’re doing. Other than that, there’s a slight fidgetiness to the ride and some wind noise courtesy of the sheer size of the Santa Fe but, overall, the refinement of this hulking, 1.9-tonne seven-seater (or six seats with captains chair configuration) is impressive.
Hyundai claims the Santa Fe Hybrid should return 7L/100km around town and this seems realistic for a large SUV; the Toyota Kluger Hybrid returns similar figures.
Because of the size and weight of the Santa Fe, you don’t expect it to be fun to drive, but it does feel planted and grips the road well. A major contributor to that is the all-wheel-drive system which is standard on the hybrid. If you do approach a corner too quickly, you’re likely to feel the torque distribution system working to keep the car in line.
Prices for the Santa Fe Hybrid range start at $63,000 for the Elite trim and $69,550 for the Highlander flagship before on-road costs. No matter which of the trim levels you choose, standard equipment is excellent.
Our test car which we drove ahead of Australian deliveries was the equivalent to the Highlander, which has everything Hyundai can throw at it, including a panoramic glass roof, ventilated front seats, a head-up display and semi-autonomous driving capability. There’s also a 360-degree camera, images from which are displayed on a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel when turning or changing lanes to eliminate blind spots.
The latest Santa Fe is a very worthy contender in the seven-seater SUV market and it represents excellent value for money, especially when compared to a similarly specced Kia Sorento. If you’re in the market for a comfortable, stylish and practical large family car, the Santa Fe deserves to be high up on your shortlist
Ben Custard