Yes, this really is the all-new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. It is strikingly different from last year’s model. This updated crossover SUV was designed to be more family-friendly and ready for outdoor adventures.
Performance
Engine – The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is unique in that it is equipped with a turbocharged engine. Most hybrid vehicles employ a naturally aspirated engine but not this one. It’s a 1.6L 4-cylinder turbo which develops 178 hp & 195 lb-ft of torque (133 kW & 264 Nm) on its own. The electric motor provides an additional 60 hp & 195 lb-ft (45 kW & 264 Nm). Combined, the powertrain produces a healthy 231 hp & 271 lb-ft of torque (172 kW & 367 Nm).
The 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid is heavy at 2,075 kg (4,575 lbs) with the AWD system, but unladen the car gets up to speed without any fuss. You don’t experience the sensation of speed all that much but before you know it, the speedometer quickly climbs up into triple digit numbers. Furthermore, the addition of a turbocharged engine means that it builds upon the instant torque of the electric motor. This in turn keeps the engine’s rpms low thus reducing unwanted cabin noises. The default drive mode is Eco with Sport providing improved powertrain response and there’s a Custom mode with a few different adjustments such as steering firmness & powertrain response.
Fuel Economy – For such a boxy shape, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is capable of achieving 6.8 L/100km (34.6 MPG) in a city and 6.9 L/100km (34 MPG) on a highway. I managed to average 7.0 L/100km (33.6 MPG) during my time with the car. Pretty close to what it’s rated for. Also, premium fuel is not required with this turbocharged engine.
Transmission – Another unique powertrain component is the 6-speed automatic transmission. Normally, hybrids have eCVT automatic, but not this one. The 6-speed provides a more natural driving demeanor than an eCVT. You can hear when the transmission is shifting gears but, for the most part, you don’t feel them. The only times that the shifts are more noticeable is when the car is in Sport mode and you have your foot planted on the throttle pedal. But don’t expect quick shifts from this transmission and don’t expect fast response times should you want to use the paddle shifters.
Hybrid Components – The electric motor is supplied by a 1.49 kWh lithium ion battery pack. It has enough energy to allow the Santa Fe Hybrid to accelerate from a stop to city speeds all while using only the electric motor. This will be a slow acceleration, akin to a fully loaded tractor trailer. In most situations, the engine will provide most of the grunt while the crossover gets up to speed and then it will shut off allowing the electric motor to maintain speeds for brief periods. The battery is recharged automatically by the engine and through regenerative braking.
Braking – Unlike other self-charging hybrids, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid will allow the driver to choose different regenerative braking modes. There are levels 1, 2 & 3 with each providing more and more regen force. There is also a Smart Regeneration setting which automatically adjusts the regen force. Personally I don’t like any of these because levels 1 to 3 provide instant regen and it is almost impossible to control it. This makes the deceleration feel like an on/off switch. As for the Smart Regen, it constantly changes based on the vehicle ahead. I’d much rather control the regen braking through the brake pedal which is what this car also allows by default. It’s a much smoother deceleration.
As for the brakes themselves, they’re not particularly strong like the kind you’d find on a Kona N for example but they can stop the 2+ tonne Santa Fe Hybrid within a reasonable distance. Brake pedal feel is firm the harder you press on it and it is easy to module for smooth stops so long as the different regen modes are switched off.
Handling – The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is competent around corners but it will not invoke any sort of driving pleasure. This is totally fine for a vehicle such as this. The crossover feels stable through turns and unlike some other Hyundai vehicles, the ride doesn’t get upset by mid-corner bumps. In Canada, the Santa Fe Hybrid is only available with AWD while in the United States, it is optional.
Should you find yourself on loose tarmac, the Santa Fe Hybrid is equipped with a few different Terrain modes including Snow, Mud & Sand. For more adventurous families, the Santa Fe is available in the new XRT trim which adds all-terrain tires, door cladding, and a front skid plate. However, this trim is not available with the hybrid powertrain.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The Santa Fe Hybrid delivers a smooth ride over a vast variety of road surfaces. It’s not perfect as very rough roads can make the ride feel choppy but the suspension copes well with a few bumps on city streets or on highways.
I also found the driver’s seat to be comfortable. It has the traditional 8-way power adjustments along with 2-way lumbar support. The passenger has a manually adjustable seat. One thing I don’t like about the seating position is that the center armrest is positioned a little bit higher than the door armrests. The armrests are also situated quite high so it forced me to raise the seat further up than I would normally do.
Interior Space – With this new generation Hyundai Santa Fe being a big box on wheels, it has a lot more interior space than before. As per usual, front occupants are treated to the most with a tall driving position and good visibility all around the vehicle.
The 2nd row seats also provide a lot of space, even behind my tall 6’4” driving position. My knees do not touch the back of the front seats and I have just enough headroom. The center hump is shallow allowing for enough leg space for the center occupant. Captain’s chairs are available but only on the top spec Calligraphy trim which is not available with the hybrid powertrain.
The 3rd row can seat 2 occupants but I wouldn’t try to squeeze a couple of adults there. Legroom is tight while headroom is adequate. Getting into the back seats is a bit tricky as the sliding 2nd row seats don’t provide that big of a pass-through. However, the 3rd row occupants have separate climate controls for A/C, and only A/C.
The power operated liftgate along with the trunk opening are both very large & square. Behind the 3rd row seats, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has 413 L (14.5 cu-ft) of cargo space. Behind the 2nd row, it has 1,148 L (40.5 cu-ft) of space. And with the 2nd & 3rd row seats folded, maximum cargo capacity is 2,267 L (80 cu-ft). There is a tire repair kit under the trunk floor. Interestingly, the 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid does come equipped with a spare wheel underneath the vehicle in other markets. But not here in Canada.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – As I mentioned earlier, the low-end torque of the turbocharged engine along with the instant torque of the electric motor means that the engine doesn’t need to rev too high to get the car moving. This in turn keeps the cabin quieter. Of course, when you really push hard on the throttle pedal, the engine screams into life. But otherwise, it’s barely noticeable. Wind noise is surprisingly subdued considering this is a box on wheels and tire noise on highways is also well muted. The switchover from the electric motor to the gasoline engine is seamless.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Here in Canada, the Hybrid powertrain is only available on the base Preferred trim of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. It has a starting price of $40,999 CAD. The only option is the $4,000 CAD Trend Package.
In the United States, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is available in the SEL, Limited & Calligraphy trim with many more options than the one we get here in Canada. It has a starting price of $36,950 USD.
Gadgets – Though this is not a top spec trim of the 2024 Santa Fe, it still comes with all of the essential convenience features. It has heated front seats along with a heated steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, two sunroofs of which only the front one opens, a large power liftgate, 3-zone climate control with the front occupants having 2-zone automatic controls, wireless phone charging pad, dual 12.3” displays, backup camera, keyless entry & push button start.
The infotainment system is the same one that is found in the updated Kona. It has a few new graphics and an updated menu system but dig deep enough through the submenus and you’ll find that some items look identical to the previous iteration. The big update is the introduction of wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto. Once connected, my Android phone stayed connected and the system worked flawlessly.
Interior Design – The Santa Fe was designed with families in mind which is why it has a lot of little storage spaces. It has a traditional glove box along with a smaller one just above it. On the top spec trim this also includes a UV sterilization tray that can disinfect your smartphones. The center console has a big storage bin underneath it along with space to wirelessly charge two phones (again, only on the top spec Calligraphy trim in Canada). The doors have large compartments for water bottles and the center armrest can be opened either from the front or from the 2nd row seats. There’s also another storage bin underneath the center armrest for the 2nd row occupants.
The design of the cabin is reminiscent of other modern day Hyundai vehicles. It has the dual-screen layout with a steering wheel column mounted shifter and some physical controls & knobs. Some of the climate controls are displayed on the touchscreen such as air direction or fan speed. But temperature controls are two round knobs. There’s also quite a few “digital H” references throughout the cabin from the design of the air vents to the embroidery in the seats. These are similar to the digital H pattern of the daytime running lights and brake lights.
Exterior Design – Speaking of exterior lights, the 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid incorporates some of the blocky digital signatures of the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Kona. But beyond that, it looks like no other Hyundai vehicle that is on sale today. From the side profile, it almost looks like a Land Rover Defender while the back is almost perfectly flat. I personally don’t like this blocky design but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Safety – The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid comes equipped with a number of standard safety & driver aids. Some of which include automatic emergency braking, lane keep, blind spot sensors, adaptive cruise control and safe exit assist among others.
Moving up to the top-most trim will add features such as front, side, & rear parking distance warning, highway driving assist, remote parking assist, surround view cameras, and rear parking collision avoidance.
This 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe received a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS with Good grades in all but the moderate front overlap updated test in which it received a Marginal score. It also received an Acceptable grade for the headlights.
Warranty – In Canada, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is covered by a 5 year / 100,000 km new vehicle and powertrain warranty while the hybrid components warranty is 8 years or 160,000 km. In the United States, the basic warranty is 5 years / 60,000 miles and the powertrain warranty is 10 years / 100,000 miles. The hybrid component warranty is the same as the powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – Just like the Kona, Hyundai has done a thorough job in updating the all-new 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid. It’s an all-round good crossover SUV that will satisfy the needs of many families. It would be nice if the Canadian market could also choose between FWD & AWD for the hybrid powertrain and that it were available on mre trim levels here in Canada. That’s really the only blemishes on what is a good family vehicle.
Thank you to Hyundai Canada for providing the vehicle. www.HyundaiCanada.com
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Gallery
