The new 2.5-liter engine produces a brisk amount of power. It feels like a bit of a tease because the ride and handling fall short of the powertrain’s potential. Additionally, the Santa Fe’s 19-inch wheels cause some highway shimmying, so switching to 20-inch wheels could make things even shakier when traveling at high speeds.
In This Article...
Overview
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is attractive, functional, and has a somewhat posh air. It provides families a big cabin, appealing features, and a lot of curb appeal. Customers have a choice of two four-cylinder engines, one of which is a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, and front- or all-wheel drive; a hybrid powertrain is also offered. However, the Santa Fe is generally enjoyable to drive and offers respectable fuel efficiency in any configuration. The Santa Fe boasts a lot of the newest infotainment technology, which will please those interested in safety features. Hyundai also offers a number of driver-assistance technologies as standard. The Santa Fe looks incredibly alluring and won itself a 2021 Editors’ Choice award. Add to all of this Hyundai’s unrivaled guarantee, a smooth and controlled ride, and a more striking exterior design.
Getting in and Making Yourself at Home
The 2021 Santa Fe has ample of room for five adults and their cargo, despite the fact that there are roomier midsize SUVs on the market. The interior has a light, airy vibe, and the front and sides are well visible from outside. Also, it’s silent.
The Santa Fe’s inside is lavishly furnished, featuring soft, Nappa leather-covered seats and copious amounts of embroidered, quilted, and wrapped soft-touch materials on the instrument panel, console, and door trim, especially in the new, range-topping Calligraphy trim. Front buckets that are heated, vented, and lumbar adjustable provide luxurious luxury while providing strong lateral thigh and lower torso support.
The driver controls the new 12.3-inch reconfigurable instrumentation display while gripping the heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The instrumentation display’s color changes in accordance with the driver’s chosen drive mode. A live view of the blind spot on the side of the SUV matching to the driver’s intended action appears on one of the two virtual analog gauges in a Santa Fe Calligraphy when the turn signal is activated by the driver.
The instrument panel, footwells, and some portions of the Calligraphy’s doors are highlighted by a soft ambient light with 64 changeable colors. The cabin receives vitamin D from a standard panoramic sunroof, and the temperature control system is an automatic dual-zone set-and-forget model.
The electronic pushbutton gearbox gear selector is housed in a brand-new, high-mounted center console that has the look and feel of something from Hyundai’s luxury Genesis division. In the area of the console that would normally be the transmission tunnel in older-style SUVs, the arching console creates storage space for a bag or tablet.
Additionally, the glovebox, covered console cubby, open shelf above the glovebox, and door side pockets all offer plenty of storage space. A vertical mail-slot-style phone charger, a small covered container for key fobs, candy bars, USB ports, and other small items are all located in the console. Unfortunately, the cup holders in the console are too small to hold large beverage containers or even squared-off 16-ounce Pure Leaf iced tea bottles.
The backs of the rear seats are divided 60/40, with individual reclines, and a fold-down center armrest with cup holders. The Santa Fe has more legroom in the backseat than the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Nissan Murano, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport combined. Hyundai resisted the urge to shoehorn a tiny third-row seat into the Santa Fe (as corporate stablemate Kia did with the Sorento).
A hands-free power liftgate with variable opening speeds makes loading cargo simple. Hyundai’s hands-free system doesn’t function unless you wave a leg beneath the bumper, in contrast to similar concepts from other automakers. However, if you have the key fob on your person and are standing close to the back of the Santa Fe, it can suddenly open.
greater than anticipated.
Our 2021 Santa Fe has operated without a hitch. It has powerful acceleration and very good fuel economy (23 to 26 mpg in suburban travel). Additionally, it is quieter than our other luxury-brand vehicle. Although the ride is gentle, the handling is agile. And it features a lot of helpful driving aids. The best part is that there have been no issues at all, and everything works wonderfully.
Pros * KBB’s 2-Row Midsize SUV Best Buy winner for 2021 * Significant revamp delivers two potent gasoline engines and a gas/electric hybrid powertrain
Cons
From the profile and rear, Hyundai’s extensively updated Santa Fe midsize SUV resembles its predecessor almost exactly. However, that front appearance. The new scornful jack-o-lantern visage, in the words of one judge, “is neither friendly nor beautiful.”
Thankfully, things continue to get better for Hyundai. Two of our models, one with a 2.5-liter turbo-four and the other with a traditional hybrid drivetrain, were on hand at SUVOTY. Both were uplevel trims, which was evident the moment we stepped inside (a plug-in variant is also available, but it didn’t make an appearance). An extremely well-designed vertical wireless charging station, heated and ventilated seats, and thick, quilted leather all testify to a degree of quality, consideration, and feature content that wouldn’t be out of place on a genuine luxury nameplate. There are also some ingenious storage options, such as a substantial shelf beneath the shift paddles and another in front of the passenger.
The overwhelming field of buttons beneath the sizable central infotainment display was brought up by a number of judges. Thankfully, the layout is rather simple, and generally speaking, we prefer packed controls to ones that are difficult to use. Hyundai offers a ton of digital space as well, including head-up displays, instrument clusters, and high-resolution infotainment. The Santa Fe also gets credit for its roomy cargo area and second-row motorized folding seats that can be operated remotely.
Although the cabin is impressive, driving a Santa Fe is decent but unremarkable. The midsize Hyundai boasts considerable ground clearance and off-road performance, as well as relatively low body roll on paved corners, however in terms of the latter, the traction and stability control systems severely restrict power when traction is restricted. Alisa Priddle, editor for Detroit, added that there were “a lot of body jiggles on uneven terrain.”
Several evaluators cited the dual-clutch automatic coupled to the potent 2.5 liter turbo-four of the Santa Fe Calligraphy as having low-speed refinement difficulties, most notably harsh shifts. That being said, of the two powertrains present at our event, we would choose the hybrid because it is quiet, efficient, and quite speedy. We even considered that some customers would be better off with the base engine and its traditional eight-speed automatic due to the turbo powertrain’s clumsy dual-clutch.
The Santa Fe’s standard active safety features, including as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and automated emergency braking, are something we really appreciate. Hyundai’s outstanding Highway Drive Assist adaptive cruise control/lane centering technology was also installed in both of our test cars.
Although the Santa Fe is a well-designed, affordably priced, and tastefully equipped SUV that provides good value, it simply doesn’t stand out in crowded, competitive environments like its sector or our SUVOTY rivals. Except for that grille, that is.
In spite of this, the 2021 Santa Fe performs admirably in day-to-day driving because to its light steering, calibrated brakes, and good overall ride quality.
Reliability
The Santa Fe is anticipated to be less dependable than the typical new car by 2022. Based on information from 2021 model data, this forecast. To view reported concerns with earlier models that are similar, select the model year of the used automobile.
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How dependable is the Hyundai Santa Fe for 2021?
The reliability of the Hyundai Santa Fe The estimated reliability rating for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is 86 out of 100. J.D. Power predicts that reliability scores will range from 91 to 100, with 91 to 100 being the best, 81 to 90 being great, 70 to 80 being medium, and 0-69 being fair and below average.
What about the Hyundai Santa Fe’s reliability?
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Hyundai Santa Fe is ranked second among 26 midsize SUVs. It has lower ownership costs than the national average due to the $515 average annual repair cost. The Santa Fe is one of the more dependable automobiles on the road since its maintenance are less severe and more seldom than those for other vehicles.
Are Hyundai Santa Fe fuel-efficient?
Models of the Santa Fe with turbocharged engines achieve excellent 22/28 mpg in the city and on the interstate. Ratings for all-wheel-drive cars marginally decline.
How much does a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe cost?
The base SE variant with front-wheel drive for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe costs $26,850. These prices will increase by $1,700 when all-wheel drive is added. The most expensive Calligraphy trim, which comes included with all-wheel drive, costs $42,100. For a Hyundai Santa Fe, additional destination fees total $1,175
How long does a Hyundai Santa Fe last in 2021?
If properly maintained and prudent driving practices are applied, the Hyundai Santa Fe is a tough car that can travel between 200,000 and 250,000 kilometers. The Santa Fe can endure 13 to 17 years before needing expensive repairs or breaking down, based on an annual mileage of 15,000 miles.
Where is the Hyundai Santa Fe produced in 2021?
When it leaves the automaker’s Alabama assembly line, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV will have a brand-new design, cutting-edge front and rear lighting signatures, and new driver safety and convenience features.
The SUV, one of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama’s flagship vehicles, will undergo a number of improvements for the 2021 model year, including:
- A new exterior with updated bumper, grill, headlight, and taillight designs, power-folding side mirrors, puddle lamps, front and rear skid plates, new alloy wheels, and LED lighting signature.
- An interior includes choices such a larger rear storage room, quilted premium nappa leather seating surfaces, soft-touch padding, premium door panel accents, an eco-suede headliner, a revised lower instrument panel in the center stack, and console design.
- a drivetrain with a new shift-by-wire transmission mode choice, a trailer sway control feature, and either a standard Smartstream 2.5-liter engine or an optional Smartstream 2.5-liter turbocharged engine.
Which model, the Hyundai Tucson or Santa Fe, is superior?
While the Hyundai Tucson models have superior predicted highway fuel economy, the Hyundai Santa Fe lineup has more horsepower capacity. Although the Hyundai Tucson has more cargo space than the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers better passenger space.
The Hyundai Santa Fe’s lifespan
- Midsize Santa Fe SUVs from Hyundai are well-known for their dependability. Owners frequently write off between 150,000 and 200,000 miles just for routine maintenance.
- The easiest approach to increase the likelihood that a Hyundai Santa Fe will last 200,000 miles is to regularly service it. Every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, oil and filter changes are also included.
- Santa Fes from the first generation are incredibly dependable. In later years, reports of engine and gearbox failure, particularly with the 2.4L powerplant, were a problem.
- From 2013 through 2018, a new 2.0L turbocharged engine was installed in Santa Fe SUVs. Too many reports, too, describe failures prior to 100,000 miles.
- The newest Santa Fes, which go on sale in 2019, are the most trustworthy models yet. A fourth-generation Santa Fe should last a very long time based on the limited powertrain concerns.
The Hyundai Santa Fe was retired for what reason?
Hyundai Motor has just released a teaser image of a revamped Santa Fe SUV, which will include new hybridized powertrains and a fresh new style. The mid-size SUV from Hyundai, which is positioned between the Palisade, Grand Santa Fe, and Tucson, is called the Santa Fe. In India, the Santa Fe’s second and third generations were released, however they were quickly abandoned due to weak sales.
Since 2018, the fourth-generation Santa Fe has been offered for purchase globally. Hyundai will now launch an updated Santa Fe for the European market, and to tease its impending arrival, the company has unveiled a teaser image. Too little of the changes is revealed by the image. The primary headlight cluster and new T-shaped LED DRLs are merged within a new, taller and broader front grille, though. The image’s entire front end demonstrates how the latest changes are intended to give the Santa Fe a more athletic appearance as an SUV.
According to Hyundai, the interior will also get improvements that will “offer superior sensibility and comfort.” The Hyundai Santa Fe will be the first vehicle to feature a plug-in hybrid and a self-charging hybrid from the company’s new electrified powertrain lineup. The Santa Fe will be the first Hyundai model to be built on a brand-new third-generation vehicle platform in Europe and the first Hyundai SUV worldwide. Hyundai asserts that in addition to supporting its new electrified powertrains, the new platform will enable major enhancements in the Santa Fe’s handling, performance, and safety. The new Santa Fe is scheduled to be on sale in Europe in September 2020, and its public premiere is anticipated to happen soon.
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