CAR REVIEW: Hyundai Santa Fe Has Something for Everyone

“Oh? You need a bigger car because you’ve got another kid on the way? Get the Santa Fe.”

“Your sedan’s getting cramped now that you’re getting a helper? Get the Santa Fe.”

“Oh, you want a people-mover but can’t stand the look of a boxy, boring MPV? Get the Santa Fe.”

“You’re a motorhead who prefers a proper automatic transmission over a CVT? Get the Santa Fe.”

These are real conversations that I’ve had over the last three months.

I’ve found myself recommending the new Hyundai Santa Fe to almost everyone who’s asked me about their next car. No, I don’t represent Hyundai or Komoco, the local distributor; I’m definitely not paid to sell their cars and this is not a sponsored post. The Hyundai Santa Fe is genuinely a car that ticks nearly every box (nothing is perfect, but this comes close), with something for just about everyone.

Beauty on the outside

The Koreans care about aesthetics, and it shows. They have taken the well-loved look of the Land Rover, and in my opinion, gave it a massive upgrade.

The front of the Santa Fe is adorned with headlights shaped like the letter ‘H’—a truly iconic touch. It’s the first time Hyundai has done this, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s the start of a bold new signature design language. Think BMW’s double-angle headlights or Lexus’ checkmark lights. Now, we have Hyundai literally spelling out who they are. Subtle? Not really. Cool? Absolutely.

Now, if you look a little closer, you’ll notice the ‘H’ motif repeated multiple times across the front of the car—it’s not just in the headlights. It’s like a little design scavenger hunt! So, how many ‘H’ can you spot?

The side profile of the Hyundai Santa Fe is imposing, sleek and undeniably classy. In fact, if you squint a little (or just convince yourself hard enough), it almost looks like a Land Rover Discovery. Yes, you heard me right—the Santa Fe is kind of like a Land Rover Discovery – at a lower price of more than S$100,000, in fact.

The Santa Fe has got that boxy yet elegant vibe that says, ‘I can handle Bukit Timah slopes and terrains, but I also look macho parked at Old Airport Road hawker centre.’ Sleek lines, a refined stance—it’s like Hyundai snuck into the Land Rover design meeting and took notes and made everything even better.

Jokes aside, the Santa Fe’s design strikes a nice balance between luxury Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) aspirations and practical Singaporean sensibilities.

I’ll be honest—I’m not a huge fan of the Santa Fe’s rear design. To me, it looks like a box that had one too many buffet, resulting in a slightly curved and bloated look on the sides. It’s not exactly what you’d call sleek or graceful.

That said, this shape isn’t just for show—it’s all about practicality. The design allows for an impressively large cargo storage space and easy boot access, making it perfect for hauling everything from groceries to luggage (or even those truly long flat-pack furniture from IKEA if you knock down the second and third row seats).

Hyundai even shared with me that they started designing the new Santa Fe with the shape of the boot opening first before working on the rest of the car. It’s a form-follows-function approach, and honestly, it pays off if practicality is your priority.

What about the inside?

The interior of the Hyundai Santa Fe is where thoughtful design and modern touches really shine.

One standout feature on the highest trim is a UV sanitiser built into the car—perfect for sanitising your mobile phone in this post-COVID era. The germophobe in you would love it.

Creature comforts abound in the Santa Fe. The three rows of seats are incredibly spacious, though legroom does get a little tight if you’ve got tall adults in both the second and third rows.

Built-in sunshades on the passenger windows are another thoughtful addition, showing just how seriously Koreans take user experience—and, of course, sun protection.

Both the driver and front passenger benefit from seats with excellent adjustable thigh support, ensuring a more comfortable ride, especially on long journeys. And for added convenience, the dual Qi wireless chargers mean no messy cables cluttering the cabin—both driver and passenger can keep their devices powered with ease.

Here’s a fun fact: there are a total of 18 cup and bottle holders throughout the car. Yes, 18! No one’s going thirsty on a long road trip in this car. This is achieved with multiple holders located in the car doors, something rarely seen in other cars.

The second row gets a clever slide-out drawer in the centre console, something that’s surprisingly uncommon in other cars. It’s a handy feature that shows Hyundai understands passengers need storage too.

For families, the Santa Fe’s practicality goes even further with ISOFIX available in the third row—a rarity in 7-seaters. This makes it a great option for families with multiple booster seats.

Another thoughtful touch is the electronic rearview mirror. It’s a game-changer when passengers’ heads or cargo block your rear visibility. With just a switch, you get a clear digital view of what’s behind you, solving an age-old problem in 7-seaters.

Finally, Hyundai has taken a refreshing step back from the overwhelming touchscreens found in many new cars. Most common functions, like aircon, fan speed, and heating, are still controlled by traditional buttons, making them easier and more intuitive to use. It’s a welcome break from overly complex, screen-heavy interiors.

The Self-Charging Turbo-Hybrid Drivetrain

There’s a lot to love about this drivetrain. Hyundai has clearly designed it to appeal to the widest audience possible.

It features a 1.6L turbo hybrid engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission—a combination that strikes a great balance between performance and efficiency. We’ll dive into what the 1.6L engine brings to the table a bit later, but for now, let’s just say it’s a setup that ticks many boxes

The Hybrid that drives better than most

I’ve always been a hybrid otaku. So expect me to ramble little more here.

I’ve read the book about the invention of first mass-produced hybrid car in the world – “The Prius That Shook the World” back to back three times. I love the idea of a self-charging  hybrid system – one that magically recovers energy seemingly out of thin air, and magically boost your fuel economy. So I do know a thing or two about hybrids specially, and I think the hybrid system in the Santa Fe is one of the better driving ones out there.

The fundamental principle in a self-charging hybrid is that it doesn’t require any charging (self-charging, get it?). Instead, electricity is generated as you drive through regenerative braking and from the operations of the internal combustion engine.

Nissan’s version fully converts all fuel into electricity, and only the electric motor drives the wheel. In Toyota’s system, there is a coupling of two electric motor-generators and one internal combustion engine together with a mechanically simple three-way differential to switch multiple permutations of operations, including pure electric drive, pure internal combustion engine (ICE) driving, recharging while driving via torque conversion, ICE driving with electric motor boost, etc.

Hyundai started off first with a rather exciting exciting 1.6L turbo charged engine that gives you that engine performance and sound that most people crave, mate it to a rather well sorted 6-speed automatic transmission to give you that distinct gear shift and excitement, then augment that with a 47.7kW electric motor to give a total of 215 bhp. Conceptually, this is less complex that Toyota’s system, but mechanically this is more complex with more components.

The end result is a hybrid system that’s actually exciting to drive. It delivers proper engine noise you can enjoy, discrete gear shifts that motorheads will appreciate, and a fuel economy of around 14km/L—allowing you to cruise this 2-tonne vehicle without burning through fuel unnecessarily.

The engine’s 1.6L only for a car this big?

Some friends scoffed when I mentioned that this car comes with just a 1.6L engine. But let me tell you, this engine is no slouch. Thanks to the turbocharger and the hybrid motor, the Santa Fe can really move.

From a standstill, you can feel the electric motor giving the Santa Fe an initial push, providing smooth and swift acceleration before the engine takes over. This results in a much quicker takeoff compared to most ICE vehicles. As you keep your foot on the pedal longer, the turbo kicks in, delivering an extra surge of power. The entire process is impressively smooth, with minimal vibration and an engine note that doesn’t sound strained in the slightest. Although the claimed 0–100 km/h time is 9.6 seconds, the car feels faster in real-world driving—giving you a sense of confidence behind the wheel.

That said, there are some things to consider.

Unlike the mechanical simplicity of Nissan’s e-Power system or Toyota’s tried-and-true hybrid setup (which lack traditional starter motors, transmissions, or high-heat turbos), Hyundai’s hybrid system is mechanically more complex. With more moving parts (transmission, turbo, engine, alternator, hybrid motors, etc), there’s greater potential for things to fail and require replacement. And while the system is undeniably impressive, its relative newness means its long-term reliability hasn’t been fully proven yet. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to keep the car for the long haul.

Secondly, in my tests, the fuel economy of this hybrid isn’t quite as strong as Nissan’s and Toyota’s more mature offerings. Over three days of mixed driving, I achieved a fuel economy of around 10 to 12 km/L. While this is definitely impressive for a vehicle of this size and weight, it’s not class-leading when it comes to hybrid fuel efficiency. Hyundai’s system delivers a good balance between performance and economy, but if maximum fuel savings are your top priority, there are more efficient options out there.

And then, there are Paddle Shifters

Anyone who loves cars will be delighted to know that the Santa Fe comes equipped with paddle shifters. But here’s the interesting part—they serve different purposes depending on the drive mode.

In Eco mode, the paddles adjust the level of regenerative braking, letting you fine-tune how much energy you recover. In Sport mode, they switch to controlling the gears, giving you that extra level of engagement for a more dynamic driving experience. It’s a clever dual-function design that adds a layer of versatility to the driving experience.

Steering this 2-tonne monster

At no point during my drive did I feel like I was wrestling a bull. The steering is light, precise and responsive. Yes, it feels vaguely numb, but in a family SUV like this, I’d much rather have an easier, more relaxed drive than deal with a heavy, weighted steering wheel.

The result of this steering setup is that the Santa Fe feels surprisingly nimble for its size—almost like you’re driving a mid- to compact-sized SUV. It’s a welcome trait for navigating tight city streets or making quick manoeuvres, which is exactly what you want in a family car.

But, is it comfortable?

One word: yes.

You’d typically expect a stiffer suspension on a 7-seater people mover, which often makes the car feel too bouncy when not fully loaded. On the other hand, non-continental SUVs tend to have softer suspensions with more travel, leading to noticeable body roll.

The engineers behind the Santa Fe have managed to strike an almost perfect middle ground. The result is a ride that’s firm enough to handle corners with ease yet not overly bouncy, comfortably absorbing most road imperfections. Whether you’re seated in the first, middle, or last row, the ride quality feels consistently well-sorted, making it easy to just sit back and enjoy the drive. And when you decide to take a corner a little harder, the suspension steps up without breaking a sweat.

Have I said this already? I really like the comfort and ride quality of this car.

Should you buy it?

The elephant in the room is, of course, that hefty price tag. The Santa Fe is one of the most expensive Hyundais available in Singapore right now, second only to the Palisade.

That said, this car offers insane value for money, catering to a wide range of potential buyers and excelling at everything it sets out to do.

If you’re looking for space, fuel efficiency, an engaging drive, a comfortable ride, extra passenger-carrying capacity, a large and imposing stance, and a price tag that feels fair for the value you’re getting—then the Santa Fe ticks all the boxes.

In fact, it’s likely your car-buying criteria have already led you to consider the Santa Fe (and landed you here, reading this review). If that’s the case, I’d say go for it. Schedule a test drive. Step inside and experience the interior’s practicality. Walk around the car and take in the bold design.

Chances are, you’ll end up buying it. Because, as I said in my title, there’s truly something for everyone in this car.

To schedule a test drive, visit the Hyundai Showroom at 253 Alexandra Rd, Singapore 159936.