Is Our 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Delivering Luxury on a Budget?

• Hyundai's Calligraphy trim promises luxury on a budget.
• It helps the Santa Fe punch above its weight.
• But does it hold up over time?

Hyundai offering a luxury trim might seem a little incongruous considering the same company has a legitimate luxury brand known as Genesis. However, Hyundai isn't alone in this. Think about the Chevy Tahoe and its High Country trim, which offers a ton of luxury features even though the mechanically similar Cadillac Escalade exists. It's because the brands appeal to different kinds of buyers, and along the same lines, some Hyundai shoppers would never think of shopping at a Genesis store. It also lets those who have fallen in love with the Santa Fe's blocky styling get a few extra bells and whistles.

What does the Calligraphy add?

Our Santa Fe cost us $51,425 with the $1,415 destination charge included, with the only options being the $1,000 matte-finish paint job and $210 carpeted floor mats. Opting for the Calligraphy gets you Nappa leather seats, which are softer than the regular leather you get in a Santa Fe Limited, and they feature eight-way adjustability for the passenger. There's also a "relaxation" setting for the driver and front passenger, which reclines and adjusts the seat into an optimal napping position when you're parked. You also get two wireless charging pads instead of one, a head-up display on the windshield, two-tone leather on the steering wheel, a faux suede headliner, and a more advanced driver assist system. In the rear, the second row gets a pair of ultra-comfy captain's chairs instead of the three-across bench in the rest of the lineup.

OK, so it definitely adds some nicer interior trim and more substantial upgrades as well. But is it just a veneer, or does the Calligraphy trim really up the ante ... and withstand the test of time? Durability is a bigger concern here than in a luxury brand because, despite the fancy trim level, the Santa Fe is still very much a mainstream vehicle, destined for car seats, crushed cereal bits from toddlers, and more miles and less care than is usually afforded something from a luxury brand. It has to look nice, sure, but it has to hold up to abuse as well.

Positive first impressions

When we first took delivery, we were immediately impressed with the quality of the interior. "What a lovely place to spend a little (or a lot) of time," said senior news editor Nick Yekikian. "I spent around about two weeks with this thing at the end of 2024, and I gotta say, there was very little I didn't like about it." The faux open-pore wood came in for praise as well, along with the overall comfort of the seats. 

Individual bits of trim were also praised, especially in comparison to other vehicles from the same parent company. Our video manager, Will Kaufman, said, "There's some interior stuff I like more and that looks nicer in the front seat of our Santa Fe compared to our $75,000 Kia EV9. Some of it's really little stuff, like the bit on the gearshift stalk that you twist is a faux metal finish in the Santa Fe and just a standard black plastic in the EV9. The steering wheel in the Santa Fe is nicer, and the cupholders are better."

The luxurious surroundings mean the comfy Santa Fe quickly became a top choice for road trips. "I drove our long-term Santa Fe up to Yosemite, and the drive was very pleasant," said vehicle testing coordinator Albert Hernandez. "The cushy seats in every row made the long drive easy." 

But what about now?

Today we have more than 10,000 miles on the Calligraphy interior, which should be more than enough to start showing its flaws. After all, softer leather usually means less durable leather. And that near-white color? It MUST be a magnet for stains or the ever-present threat of turning blue from so many jeans. 

And yet that's not the case. The leather looks near-new for the most part, with very little wrinkling or other signs of wear. The seats have retained their original color and show no signs of picking up residual dye from anybody's pants. There are a couple of darker spots here and there on high-wear areas, such as where you'd slide in and out of the driver's seat. But even that's minor and wholly acceptable considering the heavy use. Most importantly, the seats remain as comfy as ever, and the Santa Fe remains a popular choice on our staff for long trips.

Is the Calligraphy worth the extra cost? That's an individual call, of course, and the one-tier-lower Limited is no slouch. It comes with the same audio system and 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, leather seats that are still pretty nice even if they aren't Nappa, and a bench rear seat that makes the Santa Fe a bit more useful. However, if you do decide to splurge, the step up gets you an interior that not only looks the part but holds up over time too.