If you haven’t seen one of these boxes out on the local roads yet, let me introduce you to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. Yes, it really is a Santa Fe, and, no, to answer my five-year-old’s question, Santa didn’t make it. It’s an entirely new Santa Fe that pretty much changes everything from the ground up and inside-out. It looks absolutely nothing like the previous generation, and to be honest, I’m still trying to figure out if that’s a good thing or not. Regardless, I’m sure consumers are adding this new Santa Fe to their test-drive lists because it’s got a lot going for it, including a hybrid variant.
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During the first drive of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, I really loved the gasoline model of this all-new Santa Fe, but after driving some of the higher trims, it left me with tons of questions. First and foremost, I wanted to know more about the hybrid models, and, fortunately, that’s what we’ve got for an in-depth, long-term test over the next couple months.
What powers the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid?
My first impression while in the driver’s seat of this all-wheel-drive hybrid is that it doesn’t feel as powerful as the non-hybrid; however, unless you yearn to feel the power, it’s really not a deal-breaker. For someone like myself, most drives consist of school pick-ups and drop-offs, and other kid-related drives that don’t require intense amounts of power (whether it’s something that’s wanted or not).
The hybrid powertrain is a 1.6L I4 with an electric motor that delivers a combined 231 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque. The non-hybrid uses a turbocharged 2.5L engine, good for 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque.
2024 Santa Fe Hybrid fuel consumption
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid should consume an average of 6.9 L/100 km (6.8 city, 6.9 highway) per NRCan. We’ve only been driving it for a few days, but the lowest numbers seen so far hover around 7.8 L/100 km, so we’ll be sure to keep an eye on that and see if it changes. The hybrid Santa Fe, however, gets much better fuel economy than the non-hybrid, which is rated at almost double the hybrid’s city averages. The non-hybrids average 10.6 L/100 km (12.1 city, 8.8 highway).
How much is the Hyundai Santa Fe in Canada?
However, opt for the hybrid trims and you’ll not only save money on gas, but also on the SUV itself, which I thought was by far the most interesting thing about the Santa Fe. The hybrids are cheaper and only available in the two lowest trims, starting just over $40,000 for the base trim; and $45k for this tested model with the Trend package. If you’re hoping for a fully-loaded Santa Fe, then you’ll have to forfeit the hybrid powertrain. Well, that, or you’ll need to go for the Canadian-exclusive NHL Edition, which is technically above the trim ringing in at $56,998 (plus fees). On the flip side, you can’t get a base Santa Fe with the 2.5L engine.
I thought this was an especially interesting move by Hyundai in not giving that hybridized option to higher trims, but just as interesting is making the hybrids cheaper when other companies put them on the higher and more expensive trims. Notably, during a recent first drive of sister company’s Kia Carnival Hybrid, the hybrids are offered across the trim lineup in lower and higher versions of the gasoline models, as well. I guess time will tell which is the better pricing strategy.
Hyundai has also released pricing for the 2025 models, which all get a slight bump up in price. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid will start at $42,499 (plus fees) while the tested trim increases to $46,499. The top Ultimate Calligraphy trim has a price tag of $54,799, where it was previously $53,499 for the 2024 model year.
Granted, despite being on the lower end of the trim lineup, this tester is actually pretty loaded, and even though it’s missing some things the Ultimate Calligraphy gets, those things aren’t actually missed. Okay, maybe just some memory seat settings, but that’s not even a deal-breaker (especially since I don’t currently have memory seats in my minivan). There’s even a wireless phone charger in the tested model, and it wirelessly connects to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, something the 2025 Genesis GV80 didn’t do when I recently tested it.
How different is the new Hyundai Santa Fe from the previous generation?
This fifth-gen Hyundai Santa Fe looks absolutely nothing like the previous model. From the boxy body to these H-shaped headlights (someone remarked they look like a dog’s chew-bones, and now I can’t unsee it).
I previously questioned why, when this is so far gone from the older models, did Hyundai not just call it something new and enter the playing field with a new three-row? According to a rep at the first drive, the “Santa Fe” name is huge, and it didn’t make sense to start from scratch instead of running with this well-known badge. I guess time will tell whether that was the right move. Though I can’t help wonder how many people prefer the older models’ typical SUV looks to the new one’s bold appearance. And if the people in that camp now feel forced to look elsewhere.
The new Santa Fe also has an additional row, which now puts it in a different class of three-row competitors, which can be good or bad depending on the buyer. I previously noted the while the Santa Fe is a three-row SUV, it should be considered a two-row with tons of cargo space, with the option of third-row seating, if absolutely necessary. I won’t get started on limited cargo space behind the third row yet—we’ll save that for an update.
The Santa Fe may not be made specifically for frequent third-row use, but adding that third row forces it into an extremely competitive segment. So be sure to check back here in the coming weeks as we’ve got a few comparisons planned that include putting it up against the Honda Pilot, as well as Hyundai’s own Palisade.
We’ve got this 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe for the upcoming winter months, and my kids and all their winter gear will definitely be putting that third row and cargo area to the test. Of course, we’ll be sure to report back on its winter driving capabilities and fuel economy. If there’s anything you want to know about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, let us know in comment section and we’ll be sure to look into it.
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