The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe made an official splash at Automobility LA 2023, the much-awaited fifth-generation model of the South Korean automaker’s legacy SUV. The original Santa Fe that went on sale in 2001 was the brand’s first-ever SUV for the North American market. It made quite an impression with its quirky styling, spacious interior, and affordable base price.
Hyundai gave us an initial glimpse of the 2024 Santa Fe last September, and we were right on the money when we assumed it’d carry a familiar set of gasoline turbocharged and hybrid powertrains. However, we didn’t expect its modernized, boxy design. In some ways, the 2024 Santa Fe has learned a thing or two about why the Kia Telluride remains a best-seller since debuting in 2020.
“With the 2024 Santa Fe, we continue our impressive transformation of the Hyundai brand and the broader SUV landscape,” said José Muñoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “Our newest Santa Fe will attract even more customers with its bold, distinctive design identity, spacious interior design, and unique ability to fuse urban customer lifestyles with the natural outside environment.”
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Powertrain Lineup
The all-new Hyundai Santa Fe has a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (Theta III) with direct injection, producing 277 horsepower and a healthy 311 lb-ft. of torque from 1,700 to 4,000 rpm. It’s the same engine you’ll find in the 2023 Santa Fe with the same output. The turbo engine mates to a standard eight-speed automatic.
Hyundai mentioned nothing about the driveline, but we’re sticking with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive across the lineup.
What’s official is the 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid, now with six more horsepower than before. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (Gamma III), a hybrid system, and a six-speed automatic transmission, good for 232 horsepower and 271 lb-ft. of torque.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT (left) and Calligraphy (right).
Controversial Styling & Color Palette
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is precisely what the three-row SUV segment desperately needs: A breath of fresh air. The new Santa Fe’s outdoorsy yet posh countenance is an attempt to blend seamlessly in Range Rover territory, and what’s inside will surely delight fans of the longstanding British SUV.
The new Santa Fe has grown a 1.9-inch longer wheelbase to accommodate third-row seats that Hyundai claims are roomy enough to fit a pair of medium-sized adults. The most stylistic features are its low-set H-shaped rear taillamps, squared haunches, available 21-inch wheels, and a six-inch wider liftgate.
The exterior color palette for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe includes 11 hues, including Earthy Brass Matte, Rockwood Green Pearl, Terracotta Orange, Ecotronic Gray Matte, and Ultimate Red Metallic.
There are four interior colors to choose from (Obsidian Black, Supersonic Gray, Pecan Brown, and Forest Green), and the cabin is bristling with soft-touch surfaces derived from Earth-friendly materials, including the headliner, door trim, and the seats. Meanwhile, the dashboard emphasizes the new Santa Fe’s bold stance with its mixture of vertical and horizontal design themes.
Upscale Amenities
Highlighting the new Hyundai Santa Fe’s premium cabin are dual 12.3-inch panoramic curved display screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system.
It has dual wireless smartphone chargers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 27-watt USB-C charging ports, an available UV-C sterilization compartment in the glove box, over-the-air (OTA) updates, a digital key, and optional Relaxation Comfort front seats with leg rests to deliver “weightless comfort.”
Furthermore, Hyundai claims the 2024 Santa Fe is the world’s first three-row SUV to have cushion-angle adjustability for the second-row seats, while the multi-console center bin offers bilateral openings that the front or rear passengers could access easily.
XRT Trim Level
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe has a brand-new XRT trim grade to “satisfy adventure-oriented enthusiasts with confident capabilities,” said the automaker. The Sante Fe XRT has dark chrome and black trim pieces, rugged body cladding, and 18-inch off-road wheels wrapped in 30-inch all-terrain tires.
The Santa Fe XRT offers an additional 1.5 inches of ground clearance when equipped with the optional tow package. With the package, the Santa Fe XRT could tow up to 4,500 lbs., a 1,000 lbs. increase over other 2024 Santa Fe trim levels.
Expect the starting MSRP for the 2024 Santa FE XRT to land in or near the $42,000 neighborhood (with the $1,395 destination fee). Every XRT model is standard with all-wheel drive.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Safety Features
The 2024 Santa Fe has a boatload of standard and available driving aids befitting a modern family SUV. It has intelligent speed limit assist, a digital rearview mirror, rear cross-traffic avoidance, front and rear parking sensors, navigation-based cruise control, highway driving assist, forward attention warning, driver attention warning, and lane following assist.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Starting MSRP
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe has a wide range of starting MSRPs, depending on the trim level, powertrain, and if you opt for all-wheel drive. For example, the entry-level Santa SE with front-wheel drive starts at $35,345, while the Calligraphy Hybrid with all-wheel drive starts at $50,195.
If you have questions about new vehicle financing, this Auto Loans 101 guide will point you in the right direction.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Hyundai Motor Company.
