Key Points
- The Hyundai Santa Fe gets additional standard safety equipment for the 2026 model year, as well as a new transmission for the gas-only powertrain.
- Priced from $36,400 (all prices include $1,600 destination charge)
- Affordable hybrid upgrade available
Rolling into the third model year since its boxy reimagining, the Hyundai Santa Fe gets myriad minor upgrades for the 2026 model year — plus one big one that buyers are unlikely to notice. The latter is a new automatic transmission that replaces the dual-clutch automatic unit in gas-only models; it still has eight speeds. Likely a bigger draw for most customers, the upgraded forward collision warning tech that was previously only included on upper trim levels is now standard across the line. The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe starts at $36,400.
Related: 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Review: Don’t Knock It Till You Try It
Shoppers considering a more luxurious Santa Fe now get standard second-row captain’s chairs in the Limited (a bench is available for those who need as many seat belts as possible), and there’s a new Pecan Brown Nappa leather option for the range-topping Calligraphy trim. The adventure-oriented Santa Fe XRT now gets Terrain Mode with Mud, Snow and Sand settings to optimize traction on various off-road surfaces, and the SEL and XRT now come with USB ports for the third row.
Release Date and Pricing
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe is on sale now. Full pricing is as follows:
Santa Fe
- SE: $36,400
- SEL: $38,940
- XRT: $43,390
- Limited: $45,950
- Calligraphy: $48,950
Santa Fe Hybrid
- SE: $37,750
- SEL: $40,040
- Limited: $47,050
- Calligraphy: $50,050
Trim Levels
Other than their powertrains, there are no differences in the gas-only and hybrid Santa Fes. The SE rides on 18-inch wheels and features keyless entry and start, LED exterior lighting, heated side mirrors and a hands-free power liftgate. Its seats are upholstered in fabric and manually adjustable up front, but the SE does have a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Standard safety technologies on every 2026 Santa Fe include forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure steering assist, lane-centering steering, front and rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, a driver attention monitor and blind spot monitors.
One step up, the SEL adds synthetic leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger and Hyundai’s Digital Key 2, which allows the owner to use a paired smartphone or smartwatch as a key and to remotely monitor the vehicle.
Only available on the gas-only Santa Fe, the XRT is lifted 1.3 inches and rides on dark-gray 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. It also features a moonroof, black exterior trim, navigation and a second wireless charger.
The Limited adds 20-inch wheels, dual moonroofs and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Its cabin is upgraded with leather seating, a power-adjustable passenger seat, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row captain’s chairs, ambient lighting, rear window shades, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The Limited also adds a 360-degree camera system, blind spot cameras, side parking sensors and automated parking.
Topping the Santa Fe lineup, the Calligraphy boasts 21-inch wheels, upgraded exterior and interior trim, quilted Nappa leather upholstery, an upgraded driver’s seat, a head-up display and a digital rearview mirror that gives the driver a clear view aft even if their line of sight is obstructed by passengers or cargo. The Calligraphy also gets more standard safety equipment, including an upgraded forward collision warning system, blind spot intervention, and Highway Driving Assist 2, which combines the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions for hands-on semi-autonomous highway driving.
Read More About the Hyundai Santa Fe:
- Is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe a Good SUV? 6 Pros, 2 Cons
- Best Car of 2025
- Which Hybrid Vehicles Have All-Wheel Drive?
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe?
- What Are the Best 2025 Hybrids for the Money?
Powertrain Specs and MPG
The gas-only 2026 Santa Fe is powered by a 277-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 311 pounds-feet of torque; it’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Hybrids get a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that, with the help of an electric motor, generates a total of 231 hp and 271 pounds-feet of torque; the hybrid routes its power through a six-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard with either powertrain on all trim levels; all-wheel drive is standard on the XRT and available for $1,800 for the rest of the lineup.
The gas-only Santa Fe returns an EPA-rated 20/29/24 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD and 20/28/23 mpg with AWD. With its taller ride height and all-terrain tires, the XRT is rated at 19/25/21 mpg. The hybrid powertrain returns 37/36/36 mpg with FWD and 35/34/34 mpg with AWD.
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