Hyundai Santa Fe: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?
Most significant changes: A new XRT trim aims at drivers who want to take their Santa Fe off-roading, or at least look the part. A new plug-in hybrid powertrain also joins the lineup, while the base SE trim gets more standard safety features.
Pricing: Prices start at $28,425 for a base SE with front-wheel drive, up $240 compared to 2021. Other gas-only trims jump $240 to $250, depending on specifics, but $40 of that comes by way of a bump in destination, up now to $1,225.
On sale: Now
Which should you buy, 2021 or 2022? With relatively minor changes and modest price increases for 2022, a 2022 Santa Fe is probably your best bet. That’s especially true if you’re considering an SE model, which adds more standard safety features. If your plans include a plug-in hybrid or the rugged looks of the new XRT, a 2022 model is your only option.
The Hyundai Santa Fe compact SUV comes into the 2022 model year with fairly modest changes and a slight price bump. The highlight is the addition of some added safety features to the base SE trim level and the introduction of the new XRT trim.
Related: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Gets More Aggressive Looking With New XRT Appearance Package
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Shop the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe near you
XRT Package
Aiming for a more rugged look, the XRT slots in the middle of the Santa Fe’s five trims. It gets skid plates, 18-inch dark-alloy wheels and a blacked-out treatment for the grille and lower cladding, among other styling changes. The XRT is available for gas-only models; you can’t get the Santa Fe Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid with this treatment.
Features and Safety Tech
The SE comes with a standard 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 4.2-inch gauge display, 18-inch alloy wheels and manual climate control. Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control and hands-on lane centering, blind spot and rear cross-traffic alerts with collision intervention, driver attention warning and a rear seat reminder.
Options include a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, dual-zone automatic climate control, a navigation system, head-up display, wireless device charging, a power moonroof, power tailgate and power-folding rear seats. Optional safety aids include a 360-degree camera system, remote parking assist and Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist, which adds a few more capabilities to the lane centering and adaptive cruise control.
Engine
SE, SEL and XRT trims are powered by a 191-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive. Limited and Calligraphy trims get a 281-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and FWD or AWD. Hybrid and PHEV variants use a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor and six-speed automatic for respective total system output of 226 and 261 hp; both exclusively use AWD.
Interior
Base models of the Santa Fe are well finished and comfortable, with cloth upholstery, ample passenger room and good cargo capacity for the category. Higher trims add leather seats, a larger (12.3-inch) touchscreen and more features, but they lose the wireless device connectivity and require a cable.
Pricing
Pricing for the Santa Fe is as follows:
- SE: $28,425 (up $240 versus 2021)
- SEL: $30,225 (up $240)
- XRT: $33,525 (new)
- Limited: $40,185 (up $250)
- Calligraphy: $42,185 (up $250)
AWD adds $1,700 to any of the above trims, the same charge in almost all cases versus 2021.
Trim levels for the Santa Fe Hybrid ($34,975 to $41,385) and Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid ($40,575 to $46,585) run on the higher end of things. Anyone shopping the latter may recoup some of that through a federal plug-in tax credit, but as of this writing, exact amounts have yet to be published.
More From Cars.com:
- Is the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe a Good Car? 5 Pros and 4 Cons
- 2021 Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick, Lower Trims Miss Out
- 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Review: The Rich Get Richer
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe?
- 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and 2022 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Add Efficiency to Updated Santa Fe
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