Hyundai Santa Fe – What you need to know

The fifth-generation seven-seat Hyundai Santa Fe family SUV is a sweeping departure from its predecessor, with a chunky new style offering unprecedented on-road presence.

Gone are the diesel and petrol engines of previous generations, replaced for now with a single petrol-hybrid lineup, although a four-cylinder turbo petrol model will arrive late this year. Both front and all-wheel drive models are available, along with six and seven-seat configurations.

Three variants make up the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe range; the entry model is known simply as the Santa Fe, the mid-spec model is the Elite and at the top of the heap is the Santa Fe Calligraphy. Pricing spans from $55,500 to $75,000 plus on-road costs.

So which one is right for you?

Entrée to the 2024 Santa Fe range is with the $55,500 entry-level model with front-wheel drive, a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine coupled to hybrid-drive components for a power and economy boost. This variant comes with the following standard features:

• 20-inch alloy wheels with a matching full-size spare
• 12.3-inch curved HD infotainment screen
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio
• Powered driver seat
• 360-degree camera
• Powered tailgate
• Adaptive cruise control
• Dual zone air-conditioning

Options are limited to colour choice, with white and orange standard and up to eight metallic and mica hues available depending on the model – adding between $695 to $1000.

Exclusive to the Santa Fe Calligraphy are two particular options: matte paint for $1000 and two captain’s chairs replacing the middle-row bench seat for $500. The latter option reduces seating capacity to six.

This latest Hyundai Santa Fe holds the latest safety and driver assist features.

Front, side, curtain airbags, along with a driver knee bag for lower leg protection and front centre airbag, together with anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control systems (for trailer and crosswind mitigation too), come standard in all models.

The Santa Fe also packs as standard: hill start assist and downhill braking control, multi-collision braking, blind spot view monitoring and collision avoidance assist, lane follow, and lane keep assist. Add to that long list: lead vehicle departure alert, forward collision avoidance assist with car, pedestrian, cyclist detection and intersection and turning functions, direct and oncoming lane change as well as evasive steering function.

Every 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is also equipped with rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control with speed limit assist and stop and go function along with reverse parking collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic alert with collision avoidance assist, safe exit assist, a 3D surround view monitor, driving rear view monitor, trailer connection mode, tyre pressure monitoring, an emergency stop signal and machine learning function based on driving style.

Helping you to park are the six-sensors with guidance display and a rear-view camera with guidelines.

Step up to the Santa Fe Elite and you get Highway Driving Assist, comprising distance control, lane follow control and lane change assist as well as remote smart parking that has a touch of the Jetsons about it, as it lets you remotely move the Santa Fe forward and backward into and out of a parking space.

There are child seat anchor points in the second and third rows and two ISOFIX restraint anchor points.

Sweeping across the centre dash is a curved 12.3-inch colour infotainment touchscreen offering voice recognition, Apple CarPlay/Android auto accessibility and an AM/FM/Digital radio playing through six speakers.

There are steering wheel mounted controls for audio and phone functions. In addition, each grade of Santa Fe has Bluetooth music and phone connectivity. In the front console is a 12V outlet and two USB-C Ports (one for charging only). Rows two and three dwellers are catered for with a 12V outlet and two USB-C charge ports in each row.

Hyundai’s Bluelink connected car service allows a plethora of services and functions including automatic collision notification to emergency services, emergency call and valet mode functions, calendar integration with Google and iCloud, and vehicle diagnostics. It also allows remote door lock and unlock, windows open and close, hazard warning activation and stop/start charging. Remote air conditioning functions include demisting operation for the front and rear windows and door mirrors.

Sign up for a Santa Fe Elite or higher and you also benefit from a premium 12-speaker BOSE sound system, connected routing navigation, sending the destination remotely to the car, find my car and a voice control system.

Also housed in a 12.3-inch colour TFT screen in front of the driver is a digital instrument display, but if you want head-up display you must opt for the Santa Fe Calligraphy.

An auto-dimming rearview mirror is only offered on the Elite and Calligraphy grades, with the latter also having a digital mirror display.

Every Hyundai Santa Fe variant has a powered tailgate, switch operated second-row seat fold down, wireless phone charging, cargo area lights, map lights, customisable ambient lighting, vanity mirrors in the sunshades, power windows with auto up/down, steering wheel paddle shifts, and armrests along with cup and bottle holders in all rows.

All models are specified with 60/40 split-fold second row and 50/50 third row seats, plus a retractable cargo blind and roof rail.

The Santa Fe has premium cloth trim, the Elite has leather-appointed seats and the Calligraphy, the softness of Nappa leather trim. All have a leather wrapped steering wheel with multi-function controls, paddle shifts and a heating function for the Elite and Calligraphy grades.

Dual-zone air conditioning is also standard fit across the range, operated through a 6.6-inch touchscreen and fan control in the third row.

Do you want power adjustable seats? A powered driver seat comes standard on every 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. It provides 10-way adjustment on the Santa Fe and Elite and 14-way adjustment for the Calligraphy. Both the Elite and Calligraphy grades boast a 10-way powered front passenger seat, with massage function standard in the Calligraphy. All models come with heated front seats and the Calligraphy gets front heated seats and outboard heated seats in the second row.

Ventilated or cooled seats are reserved for the Santa Fe Calligraphy, with the front and outer second rows sporting this feature.

From the outside every 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe has auto on/off LED headlights, LED day running lights, LED tail and fog lights. While the Santa Fe makes do with a multi-projector headlight setup, the Elite and Calligraphy rely on a dual projector beam system.

Powered door mirrors with auto-folding and heating functions and auto-dip on reverse also come standard.

How about a tilt and sliding sunroof? You can have one, and it comes with a powershade, but only if you sign up for the Santa Fe Calligraphy. If you want rear door sunshades, bypass the Santa Fe and head to the Elite grade as a minimum.

Three selectable drive modes are available: Eco, Sport and My Drive. Added to the all-wheel-drive models is multi-terrain mode in three settings: snow, mud and sand.

Is privacy glass on the list? The good news here is it’s standard across the range along with 20-inch alloy wheels and a full-size matching alloy spare.

Setting each trim level apart is the grille, with the Santa Fe wearing a silver grille and front skid plate, a dark chrome grille and silver skid plate for the the Elite, and an exclusive dark chrome grille and satin black skid plate for the Santa Fe Calligraphy. The side garnish also differs, with silver for the Elite and satin black for the Calligraphy flagship.

Until the arrival of a two-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo engine later this year, all Hyundai Sant Fe models run a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that is supplemented by a hybrid system integrated with the transmission and incorporating a permanent magnet synchronous motor and a lithium-ion polymer battery. Combined output is 172kW and 367Nm, running on 91RON (standard unleaded fuel).

Every variant has a six-speed automatic transmission and both front and all-wheel drive are available on the Santa Fe with all-wheel drive offered exclusively on the Elite and Calligraphy grades.

The Hyundai Santa Fe’s footprint measures 4830mm long, 1900mm wide and 1720mm tall. Wheelbase length is 2815mm and minimum ground clearance measures 177mm. The maximum braked towing capacity is 1650kg with a towball download of 100kg.

Cargo capacity in the seven-seater Santa Fe is 628 litres with the second row split-fold seat upright. Folded down, the cargo space grows to 1949 litres.

Kerb weight varies from 1925 to 2105kg, depending on the model. Gross vehicle mass ranges from 2640 to 2680kg.

I admit being taken back when I saw the 2024 Santa Fe in photos and in the flesh, as it looks so different. That said, the hybrid powertrain is smooth and quiet, delivering plenty of punch and great fuel economy. The previous Santa Fe was a good drive and I reckon this one is better again. Now to figure out which one.

For starters I always go for the all-wheel drive option if it’s there without breaking the bank. In this case it is only three grand more in the entry model. If I am being shrewd with my budget I’d opt for entry-level Santa- Fe AWD as it has plenty of safety and tech kit to satisfy most buyers, along with a swag of comfort and convenience features. It also runs the same hybrid driveline as its more expensive siblings.

If I wasn’t constrained and was buying more with the heart than the head I’d sign up for a Calligraphy. Nothing bests the flagship model, and you are rewarded with plush nappa leather trim, all the comfort, convenience, safety and infotainment features you’ll ever want, plus the option of six seats as well as exclusive styling cues, to make it stand out further.

How much does the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe cost?
Santa Fe FWD – $55,500
Santa Fe AWD – $58,500
Santa Fe Elite AWD – $65,000
Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD – $75,000
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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