• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe.
Seoul, South Korea - If there has been a more obvious transformation between two generations of a model than what the Hyundai Santa Fe has gone through for 2024, I haven’t seen it. What used to be a fairly round, well-mannered and accessible mid-size crossover has morphed into something entirely different. This looks unlike anything else Hyundai is producing today. It looks unlike anything else on the road today except maybe – maybe – the Land Rover Defender or forthcoming Toyota Land Cruiser.
It’s a brave new world over at Hyundai. To get a first taste of the transformed Santa Fe, we went all the way over to East Asia, where Hyundai is as ubiquitous as bread and milk.
Design of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe – 8.5/10
The most obvious change is the switch to a square-shouldered, robust shape. The fenders have been flared so they appear to blister out from the bodywork, while the roof and rear tailgate meet at such a right angle, it looks like they’ve sliced off the end as if it were a glass-and-metal loaf of bread. It’s muscular and modern and massively eye-catching.
There are standard LED taillights with some bulbs aligned in an “H” motif, headlights with DRLs following the same approach and wheels that, for the first time on a Santa Fe, stretch all the way to 21 inches. The only other vehicle in the lineup to feature rolling stock that huge is the Palisade, which is quite the leap for the Santa Fe. Not only are they big, but they look very upper-class with their turbine-like spoke design and dark black finish. There are no plans to bring the silver wheels pictured here to Canada for now, though, which is a bit of a shame.
Another neat is the way designers framed the rear side windows with silver accents. It’s reminiscent of the Defender, of course, but that’s OK because it’s a cool look.
The best angle for me is the rear three-quarter view. The long roof and its squared corners coupled with those flared fenders create an impression of squat purposefulness normally seen on vehicles in the more luxurious segments.
From there, you also catch an eyeful of the full-length light bar and the jury’s still out on it. It’s mounted low on the very large front fascia and while there’s big SANTA FE scripting above it, it seems a little lost in the sea of steel around it. It’s a bold design choice, in keeping with the Santa Fe’s design as a whole, but it does take getting used to.
Interior of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe – 9/10
If you thought the Santa Fe’s huge windows and tall roof meant headroom for days, well, you’d be 100 percent right. All three rows – your only seating configuration – have more headroom than any vehicle in this segment should have. Even in the second row with its stadium-style seating and even with the optional panoramic moonroof, I felt there was a foot of space above my head. It’s incredible, really.
Second-row occupants have access to the front storage bin as it can be opened from the front or back seats. Clever. And the third row is accessed thanks be sliding for ward the second-row seat and folding the seatback.
Styling-wise, while there are some more allusions to the Defender, the Santa Fe cuts its own styling swathe through the competition with dual curved 12.3-inch displays for your gauge cluster and infotainment display for better viewing and reduced glare and a centre stack that includes both a haptic feedback panel and more traditional physical buttons for some media controls, The drive mode selector and shift lever sprouts from the steering column. We’ve seen that on the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Kona and we can expect it to migrate to other models going forward.
Technology in the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe – 8.5/10
2024 sees the arrival of Hyundai’s latest infotainment tech to the Santa Fe, which means a faster OS, better graphics and a larger display. The buttons are larger but that does mean fewer of them fit on the screen than before, so it takes a little more swiping to get to where you need to go.
The curved shape of the display does make it easier to reach from the driver’s seat. Also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both work wirelessly (even if you opt for the navigation system, which isn’t the case for the Kona). There are not one but two wireless charge pads included standard.
The Santa Fe’s tall windows and squared-off corners make it easier to park, but if you’re looking for better visibility still there’s a multi-angle backup cam that includes a 360-degree view as well as an over-the-wheel view so you don’t ding those great 21-inch wheels. There’s also a digital rear-view mirror for when you need to make rear seat foreheads and tall loads disappear.
Driving the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe – 8/10
Power comes courtesy of two engine choices: a 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder good for 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque and a 1.6L turbo hybrid (232 hp, 271 lb-ft). Other markets will be getting a plug-in hybrid version but alas, that’s not for Canada. Why? Largely because Hyundai is beginning to transition to full-EV options in our market as opposed to PHEVs. A sign of the times.
The 2.5L engine pulls gamely from throttle tip-in; it comes paired with an 8-speed dual clutch transmission which pre-selects the next gear before you even need it, making the transition that much quicker and acceleration that much more robust.
While there’s lots of extra space inside, the new Santa Fe isn’t that much bigger or heavier than the outgoing model, and you can feel that as you accelerate.
The hybrid isn’t quite as game – it’s heavier but makes less power and torque, after all – but having the turbo engine there (as well as a 6-speed auto; no CVTs here) is a nice bonus. You will hear strain as you really dip into the throttle – especially on a climb – but I wouldn’t be concerned making a pass at speed.
Both versions get new suspension tuning and geometry, which makes or some very comfortable riding (you will feel the bumps with the 21s, though). There’s little body roll even though the Santa Fe is a very tall vehicle that has ground clearance enough to do some light off-roading. While it’s boxier than before, the SUV now has a lower coefficient of drag for a smoother ride but also a quieter one.
Canadian Santa Fes get off-road drive modes in addition to the three drive modes Sport, Eco and Custom, so drivers can select from Snow, Mud and Sand. Hyundai wants Santa Fe owners to take their vehicle off-road. Mostly to campsites or trailheads, because the tailgate opening is so wide that Hyundai sees occupants using it as kind of a hangout spot. There’s no table or bottle opener like Ford’s Bronco Sport, but the floor is nice and flat and the tailgate is large enough to create a bit of a canopy under which you can tie on your boots and so on.
Some of your questions about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
Will the Santa FE PHEV be available in Canada in the future?
It’s possible, but with the Ioniq 7 EV on the horizon, there’s a good chance that’s what Hyundai will be suggesting to buyers who want a three-row SUV with electric power.
How much larger is the 2024 Santa Fe?
It is larger in almost every way: it’s 45 mm longer than before, 35 mm taller, has a 50 mm longer wheelbase and has 100 more litres of storage, for a total of 1,148.
The final word
The real takeaways from our first encounter with the transformed 2024 Santa Fe? The styling and the interior space. I had to keep reminding myself that the Santa Fe is actually a midsize d-segment SUV as opposed to an e-segment entrant like the Palisade. It has all that headroom, great rear seats and a standard third row, not common traits for a vehicle in this segment. Add two good, strong powertrains and you know this Santa Fe is going to sell in droves, and turn heads while it’s at it.
Strong points
- Very unique styling
- Interior space is more than generous
- Good tech
Weak points
- Hybrid feels strained under heavier loads
- PHEV model not available in Canada
Competitors of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
- - Chevrolet Traverse
- - GMC Acadia
- - Honda Pilot
- - Kia Sorento
- - Volkswagen Tiguan
