Hyundai Santa Fe

The verdict: The 2024 Santa Fe’s wild redesign not only makes the SUV stand out in a crowd, it also offers a compelling interior and cargo package sure to entice families of different sizes.

Versus the competition: While some competitors are simply two-row versions of three-row models, the Santa Fe is a wholly unique model.

The redesigned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe was certainly a head-scratcher when we first laid eyes on the blocky, over-the-top-styled SUV. It replaced a nondescript yet value-laden mid-size SUV in Hyundai’s lineup, slotting above the compact Tucson and below the three-row Palisade. It was almost as if the Santa Fe were a little kid acting out from lack of attention. After spending a day driving gasoline-only versions of the top-of-the-line Calligraphy and off-road-oriented XRT trims (the gasoline-electric Santa Fe Hybrid wasn’t available at the time of testing), I found this wildly different Santa Fe isn’t just having a hissy fit, and I appreciated the Santa Fe’s drastic departure and all the family-friendly goodness that comes with it. (Per Cars.com’s ethics policy, we pay for all travel and lodging at such manufacturer-sponsored events.)

Related: Up Close With the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: A Radical but Promising Departure

How Its Shape Affects Cargo and Passenger Room

I say this with the utmost respect: The 2024 Santa Fe has been Ford Flexified. Sure, you may see some styling elements of the Land Rover Defender or Lexus GX in it, but the new Santa Fe’s relatively low ground clearance means it has the low-slung and blocky shape of the Flex, one of our favorite cars made in the past 20 years. The Santa Fe’s squared-off roofline is especially beneficial for space behind the second row both in terms of passenger room (for six or seven occupants) with the now-standard third row and additional cargo room.

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Weekend Home Depot warriors will surely appreciate an expansive cargo opening and low load-in height. The Santa Fe’s cargo opening has been widened by a staggering 5.7 inches, to 50.2 inches, and it’s 2 inches larger from top to bottom, at 32 inches. Hyundai says overall cargo space behind the second row has increased by 4.2 cubic feet to 40.5 cubic feet, but we’ll put the Santa Fe through our own cargo testing regime once we get one at Cars.com headquarters (though I have little doubt that our measurements of the Santa Fe’s cargo area will be any less impressive).

In practice, the cargo area is easy to use, and I could even crawl into the back with the third row folded and comfortably sit upright to take a quick snack break. While Hyundai would have you believe you could be looking at a picturesque mountainscape from this vantage point, I imagine a more common use could be backing up toward a kids’ soccer or baseball game, popping a squat in the rear cargo area and keeping tabs on the score or your wandering right fielder picking flowers during an at-bat. Either way, the cargo opening is large enough to give a good view out the cargo opening when seated back there.

For 2024, the Santa Fe comes standard with a third row, and it’s more than a third row in name only like a Tesla Model Y or the former Lexus RX 350L. The Santa Fe’s third row is usable for a 6-foot-tall adult such as myself thanks to the generous rear headroom afforded by the squared-off shape, though the low seating position significantly raised my knees. Perhaps more important, the third row has proper attachment points for child-safety seats with lower Latch connectors and top tether anchors in both seats, a pairing missing from the Lexus GX’s third row.

The most annoying aspect of the Santa Fe’s newfound versatility is the power-folding second-row captain’s chairs on the top Calligraphy trim level, which have power-adjustment controls like the front seats. Unfortunately, it’s slow and cumbersome to fold the seats to maximize cargo space from the rear doors or to simply gain third-row access because the power seatback moves slowly. On all other trim levels, the split-folding bench seats recline manually, which is a much quicker and expected operation to achieve maximum cargo versatility and third-row access, though you do lose the power-folding controls in the cargo area.

Interior Gadgets

The Santa Fe’s interior has similarly different styling and function to the exterior, working to similar effect with many features that maximize cabin storage space and versatility. One of my favorites is the center console storage, which has a removable insert for extra depth, as well as a dual-opening lid that’s openable from the front or back, allowing second-row passengers access.

A storage container pops out from the rear of the console, too, and can be used as a small trash can, which I’m excited about knowing all of the wrappers, little toys and miscellaneous junk that ends up on the floor of my family car when driving anywhere with the kids. There’s even more storage, too: The area under the center console is open for more cargo carrying because the gear selector is mounted on the steering-wheel column instead of the console, opening up space above and below the console. A device ledge on the front passenger side complements the other storage space well, making it easy to place items like a phone or key out of the way.

Speaking of devices, the Santa Fe’s standard 12.3-inch touchscreen includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, correcting a long-standing issue that omitted those features from Hyundai’s top-level screen. The Santa Fe’s screen and digital instrument panel combine in a slick uniform curve that looks like it belongs in a luxury car.

The Calligraphy trim also has a unique sanitizing compartment that uses ultraviolet light to clean 99.9% of germs on the outside of the object, according to Hyundai. While it’s difficult to verify this claim, it’s a thoughtful feature that came about when the car was designed during peak COVID-19 precautions — and even if you don’t need anything sanitized, the compartment adds another layer of storage inside the cabin.

How It Drives On- and Off-Road

You may be wondering why this “first drive” has driving impressions near the bottom; that’s because you won’t find a whole lot to talk about regarding how the new Santa Fe drives, which is more of a compliment than it seems. The standard turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission are competent without complaints, but it’s not a surprisingly quick and fun-to-drive car like the three-row Kia Sorento with a similar engine and transmission. Perhaps that’s because the Santa Fe’s 277 horsepower and 311 pounds-feet of torque are saddled with pulling a fairly heavy SUV; its base curb weight of 4,343 pounds with front-wheel drive is more than the base weight of a Palisade, nearly 700 pounds heavier than the outgoing Santa Fe and 549 pounds heavier than a Sorento. All-wheel-drive Santa Fes are even heavier.

This extra weight, combined with a more powerful engine, is reflected in the Santa Fe’s fuel economy, which at 24 mpg with FWD and 23 mpg combined for with AWD (22 mpg for XRT) is only slightly better than the Palisade’s 22 mpg with FWD and 21 mpg with AWD and worse than the outgoing turbocharged Santa Fe’s 26 mpg with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD. A Santa Fe hybrid will be available in the spring with significantly improved fuel economy of 36 mpg with FWD and 34 mpg with AWD.

Two driving characteristics stood out: The Santa Fe drives like a much larger, beefier car; it’s more solid and weightier than you’d expect from a tweener SUV that’s not as long as a Palisade and not as short as a Tucson. A lot of that came from its squared-off hood, tall windshield and windows that give great visibility, but its heft might also have an impact here.

The biggest surprise was the Santa Fe’s ride quality because Hyundais with big wheels typically don’t ride that well; the Palisade has jitteriness with the larger wheel options, for example. That’s not the case in the Santa Fe; even with 21-inch wheels, the Calligraphy showed composure and smoothness on-road. Now, I qualify that by saying my time with the Santa Fe was on smooth Tennessee roads, and I’ll reserve final judgment for when we drive a Santa Fe back home in the Chicago area with less-than-ideal roads.

The Santa Fe XRT trim level is more aggressive than Hyundai’s other off-road offerings, with a raised ride height from suspension changes and larger-diameter all-terrain tires. I’ll say that the difference between driving the off-road XRT and Calligraphy over the same gravel road was stark; the 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires and suspension on the XRT glided over a gravely path, while the Calligraphy was extremely busy and disturbed over the same terrain. On an off-road path up and down a steep hill, the XRT did the job without incident. More than its off-road proficiency, driving the Santa Fe over rocky and rutted terrain showed how solidly the Santa Fe is put together, with no creaks, groans or squeaks from the suspension or body.

More From Cars.com:

• 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: New Looks Outside and Inside, Carryover Powertrains
• Up Close With the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: A Radical but Promising Departure
• 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Unveiled, Gets Extreme Makeover
• Research the Hyundai Santa Fe

Is the Santa Fe Worth It?

Placing a value on the Santa Fe is really interesting because while there is overlap between the Palisade in many trim levels, I actually think it rivals the Palisade’s interior quality in the top Calligraphy trim level and by extension is significantly higher-quality than many options in a class that include the Honda Passport, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Toyota Highlander and Subaru Outback. The Santa Fe starts at $35,345 (all prices include destination), which is about in the middle of competitors, and offers some surprising standard features, including front and rear parking sensors, a power tailgate with kick-to-open access, plus the standard third row and turbocharged engine.

At an as-tested $50,375, the Santa Fe Calligraphy is more expensive than many rivals’ top trims, though the Santa Fe also offers a unique combination of utility, quality and family-friendliness along with Hyundai’s staple of features and warranty for the money. The bulk of what I liked about the Santa Fe, however, comes in more affordable trim levels, including the overall shape and flexibility that it presents for people and cargo (up front and in back). As a family car, the Santa Fe might be one of the most exciting considerations in recent years for those who like the way it looks — and even if you don’t, because it’s that good.

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