This crossover is bigger, boxier, sure, but is it … better?
Bold new styling, roomy interior space and quiet running all add up to make Hyundai’s new 2024 Santa Fe a winning proposition for buyers of crossovers.
As I stare out through the upright windscreen over the ’s proud, boxy hood, the endless hills rise out of the low-lying clouds ahead from the sea below, their peaks rounded from years of erosion. The ocean’s bays are rarely untouched here; it seems every town has a port or ferry terminal to call its own because this is South Korea, Santa Fe’s home country, and the best way to get and send goods here is by sea.
While much of the South Korean peninsula is mountainous, the Koreans have become adept at stringing long, wide highways through the landscape, and the Santa Fe is well suited for this environment; the wind noise created by highway speeds is hardly noticeable, the ride is comfortable, compliant, but just active enough to keep the driver focused.
It’s a great start.
The Hyundai Santa Fe has been one of the brand’s bestselling models ever since the South Korean brand went through a resurgence, both stylistically and in quality, in the early 2010s. It has gone through three generations since that time, which brings us to the 2024 model, the first of its fifth generation. And, boy, what a bright new day it is!
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While styling is often the hallmark of a generation change, never has it been so vast a shift as here. With its two-box profile, squared-off fenders, wheels that measure up to 21 inches, the largest ever seen on a Santa Fe, and, yes, a unique tail light bar, it looks more or than it does Santa Fe.
There are all sorts of neat details that make for an unique take on the mid-size crossover. A mid-size it may be, but it’s bigger than the old model in every dimension, except width. “H” motifs are sprinkled throughout the exterior and the low-mount rear light bar.
The Santa Fe is absolutely striking when seen from the outside (especially in the new XRT trim, which adds chunky tires and increased ground clearance).
I have to hand it to Hyundai for designing its ultrapopular entrant in the ultrapopular crossover segment the way it has.
Inside, the steering wheel looks like something you might find in the latest Land Rover, but with a “Star Wars” ‘droid twist. The dash is dominated by dual, 12.3-inch, curved displays that serve as your gauge cluster and infotainment display. The cabin also gets Hyundai’s latest infotainment system, which is faster and more user-friendly than before and provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There’s an optional digital rear-view mirror, dual-tier glovebox — don’t see that in this segment — a strange shift lever that you twist instead of bump up or down, and dual wireless chargers that can both be used at once. Setup is good; it can be two charging pads or a single charging pad, plus a storage surface … perfect for wallets or sunglasses. Add an armrest storage bin that can be accessed from the front or second row, and there’s easily accessible storage for days in here. That’s important to car-owners.
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There’s plenty of space inside, too. Even though there’s standard three-row seating, the second row has more space than last year and feels especially generous in headroom. Which is impressive when you consider that the second row is mounted high, stadium-seating style, so the occupants there can get a better view out. The third row is also perfectly suitable for adults and comes equipped with four cupholders and a USB port on each side.
This may not be a full-size SUV, but it boasts a third row that’s meant to be used. Put simply, this is what happens when you square off the corners of a vehicle, and flatten the lines; there’s simply more room.
Of course, that broad, boxy snout must punch the air like a prize fighter, right? Actually, no; the ’24 Santa Fe actually has a lower coefficient of drag than the previous model and it is incredibly quiet in its operation. Yes, you’ll get a little more road noise if you opt for those big 21-inch rollers, but otherwise it’s an impressive feat of quiet motoring.
For power, Canadians get two choices of engine: a 2.5-litre, turbo, four-cylinder, good for 277 horsepower and 311 pounds-feet of torque as well as a hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.6-l, engine with 232 hp and 271 lbs.-ft. (Pricing has yet to be announced, but we do know the gas-only vehicle will be available before the hybrid). Each engine gets a unique automatic transmission, with the 2.5l getting an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic and the hybrid a traditional, six-speed auto. Both are fine transmissions, but if you want some proper acceleration, the eight-speed is the way to go. The hybrid’s auto gearbox doesn’t have quite as many gears to cycle through, and, coupled with its having less power and more weight, it will struggle in driving conditions that exert higher stress … for instance, while accelerating up a moderate-to-steep grade.
The ’24 Santa Fe is a comprehensive overhaul that really does hit it out of the park; from the styling, to interior space and features and the quiet running habits, this is a bold new horizon for Hyundai.
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