2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

How does the Santa Fe drive? We tested a Santa Fe XRT, which is the version that's a bit more off-road capable. With its 277-hp engine and all-wheel drive, our test model accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. That's pretty typical for a three-row SUV. The transmission shifts quickly and effortlessly, but off-the-line and passing performance suffers from turbo lag, meaning you have to wait an extra beat for full power from the engine. 

The Santa Fe is stable and composed when going around corners. The brakes also work well for smooth stops, though our XRT test vehicle's emergency braking distances were a bit longer than typical because of the all-terrain tires. If you are planning on occasional off-road driving, those tires plus the XRT's raised ride height will come in handy.

How comfortable is the Santa Fe? Front and second-row passengers will be very comfortable in the Santa Fe. The front seats have enough side bolstering to hold you securely when cornering but not so much to hamper getting in and out. The second row is also supportive and nicely padded. As for the third row, it's more comfortable than what you'll get in some other smaller SUVs, though ultimately it's still best for short trips or kids. 

Ride comfort around town and on the highway is quite good. The XRT's increased ride height also helps to soak up bumps. We blame the off-road-oriented tires for additional tire noise on the highway. Wind noise wasn't a factor despite the Santa Fe's blocky styling, which typically generates more of it.

How’s the interior? Think of the Santa Fe as a two-row SUV with an occasional third row. It's plenty spacious and easy to use, although the column-mounted twisty-knob gear selector takes some getting used to. The tall doors open wide; getting in and adjusting the driver's seat to your preferred position shouldn't be a problem.

Front and second-row occupants have plenty of headroom and legroom, and the second-row passengers benefit from seats that adjust for legroom and seatback angle. The third row is meant for occasional use. It has decent headroom, and the legroom can be expanded if your second-row passengers are willing to slide forward for the greater good. We wish the view to the rear was as good as it is to the front and sides, but unfortunately the thick rear pillars and second-row headrests make it hard to see what's behind you.

How’s the storage? The Santa Fe's blocky rear styling gives this SUV a big, wide opening that's low to the ground, making it easy to load and unload large and heavy items. There's 14.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, enough for a few grocery bags, but to really carry cargo you need to fold down the third row, opening up a cavernous 40.5 cubic feet. Fold the second row and you get nearly 80 cubic feet of space, and available power fold-down second-row seatbacks make that easy, too. If you have a bike, kayak or cargo box on the roof, the Santa Fe's built-in grab handles on the rear roof pillars make it easy to access.

Small-item storage is equally impressive, with bins and trays too numerous to count. The center console is particularly clever, with two tiers of wide, flat shelves between the seats and a big center bin. When you first open it, the bin looks small, but it's a tray; remove it and there's a much larger storage area underneath that actually slides out for rear-seat access. The lid is double-hinged, opening to the front or rear, so second-row passengers can easily access items in the tray. It's a pack rat's dream.

If you have child seats to install, the LATCH points aren't too difficult to access, though not quite as exposed as the Isofix-style anchors. There are upper tethers that can be simply accessed through the center of the headrests. You can install a child seat in virtually any spot behind the front row, though it seems some trims don't have an upper tether in the middle seat of the second, while some do.

Is the Santa Fe a good value? Materials quality and overall assembly are mostly top-notch, although we did notice a couple of areas where some more budget-minded materials were used. Lower trims like our XRT test vehicle aren't quite as feature-rich as the top-of-the-line Calligraphy of course, but the addition of a third row and built-in roof access grab handles make up for the lack of the occasional creature comfort.

Like all Hyundais, the Santa Fe benefits from the automaker's industry-leading five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and three years of free scheduled maintenance.