The Hyundai That Shows What Happens When A Sensible SUV Gets Seriously Ambitious
Today, the Hyundai brand is known for value-packed vehicles that undercut competitors on price while offering more style and features. In the past, however, style wasn’t a unique selling proposition (USP) of any Hyundai. The sole purpose of getting one was because it was affordable and not much else.
This brings us to the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, because this crossover SUV was one of those models that offered a lot in terms of value, but there was no way you would consider a Santa Fe for emotional reasons. Today, the Santa Fe’s boxy styling, which may be polarizing to some buyers, is a showcase of how mainstream SUVs are evolving. Here’s how.
From Bargain Appliance To Design Statement: 26 Years Of Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe was first unveiled in 2000 for the 2001 model year in the United States. The Santa Fe spans five generations within its 26-year lifespan. The moment it went on sale in the United States, the Santa Fe was a sales hit.
The Sensible Years
The first-generation Hyundai Santa Fe was still truly a compact crossover SUV. A facelift for the 2004 model year improved its looks, while also giving it a 2.7-liter or 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 173 or 200 horsepower, respectively, which were powerful at the time.
2005 saw the Santa Fe transition into its second generation, now embracing a rounded look but with edgier surfaces. As it pushed into more upmarket territory, it became a midsize SUV that came with either a 185-horsepower 2.7-liter Mu V-6 as standard, or a potent 3.3-liter Lambda V-6 with 242 horsepower. A facelift was introduced in 2010, which further pushed the Santa Fe more upmarket as it gained a generous number of features, though third-row seating was removed.
The Massive Glow Up
In the 2013 model year, the third-generation Hyundai Santa Fe finally received the brand’s recently established Fluidic Sculpture design language. It turned the Santa Fe into a stylish crossover that’s available in a short-wheelbase Sport version, while the Santa Fe grew in size once again to become a true midsize crossover SUV.
The fourth-generation Santa Fe debuted in 2018 for the 2019 model year. More modern, more stylish, and even more upscale, the Santa Fe has now been positioned as a five-seat midsize crossover to respond to growing demand in the segment. A facelift arrived in the 2021 model year, using a new platform to accommodate plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrains. The Santa Fe went further upmarket with the introduction of the Calligraphy trim.
How Hyundai Designed The Fifth-Generation Santa Fe From The Trunk Forward
In 2023, the fifth-generation Santa Fe was unveiled for the 2024 model year, and it was reinvented once again to meet evolving customer demands. How we ended up with the boxy Santa Fe today is based on what Hyundai thinks customers want from SUVs.
Designed From The Inside Out
If you’re wondering how we ended up with a boxy Santa Fe that looks completely unrecognizable from anything before it, it is all because of an “Inside Out” design philosophy. Rather than carving out a face first, the Santa Fe’s design team began working from inside the tailgate, with the exterior following after. This is how we ended up with a boxy SUV that has plenty of space, combined with a large tailgate opening and a highly flexible layout. Despite the boxy shape, the smooth lines and active grille shutter enable the Santa Fe to have a drag coefficient of 0.29, lower than the 0.33 of the curvaceous previous model.
The Parallel Hybrid Strategy That Keeps The Santa Fe Feeling Like A Real Car
The Santa Fe has also evolved with the times in terms of what powers it. Gone is the V-6 since the 2021 model year, and in its place is a turbo hybrid that combines a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with an electric motor and a six-speed automatic. It is a parallel hybrid versus the series-parallel hybrid systems that Toyota usually prefers. The upside is that the parallel hybrid layout enables the Santa Fe to still have the traditional mechanical feel of having a traditional six-speed automatic, along with its associated linear power delivery. I’ve reviewed the Santa Fe Hybrid in Calligraphy trim, and I was impressed with its efficiency whilst preserving a linear driving feel.
It is, however, not the most potent powertrain. With 231 horsepower, it’s just right for the Santa Fe’s girth and weight. The 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder offers more grunt, and I’ve also reviewed one with this engine. With the previous dual-clutch, it was alright, but I’m concerned about its longevity. Since the 2026 model year, the 2.5-liter turbo already uses an eight-speed automatic that’s smoother, though less snappy—but perhaps that’s to its advantage, since it has overall made the Santa Fe an even more adept cruiser.
How The Santa Fe Became A Lifestyle Statement Without Sacrificing Pavement Manners
With the Santa Fe being engineered from the inside out, it is clear that Hyundai has made it a goal to turn this vehicle into more than just a mode of transportation. The Santa Fe’s design brief was in direct response to the growing trend of SUVs and crossovers becoming lifestyle vehicles.
Designing For Just-Right Off-Road Capability
Camping, or as some call it “overlanding,” is a growing lifestyle not just in North America, but globally. A crossover is popular because it has just the right off-road capability while still having car-like driving dynamics. This happy middle ground has made crossovers popular worldwide, where families enjoy their on-road comfort while having just the right off-road capability for the occasional light off-roading to enjoy the outdoors.
This shift in demand for SUVs and especially crossovers with enhanced off-roading capability is reflected in the Santa Fe XRT. As a crossover, the Santa Fe won’t match the capabilities of a traditional body-on-frame SUV with true four-wheel drive (4WD) capability and other off-roading hardware like a locking differential, but for those who drive on paved roads more than 90 percent of the time, the Santa Fe XRT’s modest enhancements are enough for the less than 10 percent of off-roading that it’ll likely face during its lifetime.
From Kia To Subaru: How The Whole Industry Is Following The Santa Fe’s Lead
The Santa Fe and its accompanying XRT variant are right in tune with the market’s preferences in 2026. Sister brand Kia has also jumped onto the bandwagon with its X-Pro trim for its crossover SUV lineup, while Toyota also has crossovers with additional light off-roading capability with the Woodland lineup. Honda also isn’t sitting out, as it has introduced TrailSport versions of most of its crossover SUVs. Finally, who could ignore Subaru’s Wilderness line and Nissan’s Rock Creek line—clear signs that this trend isn’t stopping anytime soon.
At the same time, these SUVs and crossovers are also keeping up with the increased demand for hybrid vehicles. Automakers are also taking advantage of the hybrid system’s battery to offer additional features. Hyundai, for instance, introduced vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability for the new Palisade Hybrid, which lets you use the hybrid battery to power appliances and your camping gear.
Sources: Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Kia
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