The Santa Fe delivers impressive acceleration and fuel efficiency as well as luxurious accommodations at a price that undercuts most of the competition. A spacious cabin and a smooth ride quality are also highlights.
Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of Edmunds' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.
Pros
Lots of standard features for the money
Smooth-operating advanced driver aids
Quick acceleration from available turbocharged 2.5-liter engine
Long warranty
Cons
Overly soft suspension dilutes driver enjoyment
10.25-inch touchscreen can be a bit slow to respond
What's new
Last year's SEL Convenience package has been discontinued
Minor shuffling of features within trims
Part of the fourth Santa Fe generation introduced for 2019
Overview
The Hyundai Santa Fe has always been a popular and well-regarded midsize SUV, but up until a couple of years ago, it was fairly bland. That changed in 2021 when Hyundai gave the Santa Fe a new grille and a refreshed interior design. It's not as distinctive-looking as its smaller sibling, the more angular Hyundai Tucson, but it's a spacious and attractive crossover you won't mind driving.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.35 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Buying a Santa Fe brings a lot of features for the money and pleasing acceleration if you opt for the available turbocharged engine. But there are some rivals you'll also want to consider, such as the Honda Passport, Subaru Outback and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. To see if the Santa Fe strikes the right balance for your life, check the feedback in our test team's Expert Rating below.
Edmunds Expert Rating
good
7.7/10
Edmunds Rating
Our VerdictThe Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
The Santa Fe delivers impressive acceleration and fuel efficiency as well as luxurious accommodations at a price that undercuts most of the competition. A spacious cabin and a smooth ride quality are also highlights.
How does the Santa Fe drive? We tested the Santa Fe with the 277-horsepower turbocharged engine. It's pretty potent and our test vehicle covered 0-60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, which is quicker than most other small and midsize SUVs. However, if you aren't asking for maximum speed, its power delivery is a bit inconsistent and unrefined. Hyundai seems to have tuned the eight-speed automatic transmission to get up to its highest gears as quickly as possible, which can also be off-putting.
The Santa Fe leans a lot as you go around turns, so it's definitely not as planted as a Mazda CX-5. This is an SUV for highway cruising, not sporty driving. But the Santa Fe's steering is pleasantly tuned, making for easy low-speed maneuverability and decent highway stability.
Comfort
8.0/10
How comfortable is the Santa Fe? The Santa Fe's suspension soaks up most bumps and road impacts, but the ride can sometimes feel a little too soft and wallowy. But the front seats are very comfortable and have a broad range of adjustments and available heating and ventilation. The rear seats are also comfortable and have lots of recline adjustment, though we'd prefer thicker padding on the door armrests.
The Santa Fe has excellent cabin insulation thanks to dual-pane front windows and comprehensive sound deadening. Wind, road and ambient noise is very much kept at bay. The climate controls are easy to adjust and do a great job of keeping cabin temperatures pleasant.
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How’s the interior? The Santa Fe's interior quarters are relatively spacious, especially in legroom. The available panoramic sunroof does eat into headroom in both rows, but the rear seat's ability to recline generously serves to off-set that. All controls are laid out well and within easy reach, and the most often-used controls are real buttons and knobs.
The large door openings make it easy to get in and out, and both front and rear rows offer plenty of space and legroom. Visibility is good too, with a decent-size rear window and very little obstruction from the rear headrests. The door-mounted sideview mirrors help you avoid blind spots, and the optional surround-view camera system makes parking a breeze.
Technology
8.0/10
How’s the tech? Our test vehicle had the optional 10.25-inch screen. Unfortunately, we found it slow to respond to our inputs at times, and its graphics aren't particularly eye-catching. The Santa Fe's premium audio system produces accurate sound and plenty of volume, but it isn't as fully immersive as we'd like it to be. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is included, though CarPlay only uses about two-thirds of the 10.25-inch screen.
The wireless charger is a spring-loaded slot that saves space but could also easily swallow loose coins and other small objects that might be hard to fish out. There are plenty of power and USB ports.
Hyundai's advanced driver aids are some of the best around. The adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist work smoothly and ease the stress of rush-hour traffic. The blind-spot monitoring and forward collision mitigation also work pretty well, but some drivers might find them to be a little too sensitive.
Storage
8.0/10
How’s the storage? The Santa Fe's cargo space is decently roomy (36.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats) and has some helpful underfloor bins. Remote seat releases allow you to drop down the second-row seats from the rear of the vehicle and at the rear passenger doors. This is a very smart use of space and allows for storage of the cargo cover as well.
There's a pleasing amount of space for personal items in the cabin. Hyundai's electronic gear selector frees up a sizable space underneath the center console. The cupholders have good anti-tip design and there's usable space in the armrest bin as well as in and around the glovebox. The maximum towing capacity for the Santa Fe is 3,500 pounds when properly equipped. That's better than many small SUVs but not as much as bigger SUVs such as the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport can pull.
Got small children? There's plenty of room for child safety seats, and the anchor points are reasonably accessible.
Fuel Economy
8.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The EPA says the Santa Fe with the upgraded turbo engine and all-wheel drive gets 24 mpg combined (21 city/28 highway). We achieved 27.3 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation test route, which is a strong indication that the Santa Fe can meet the EPA estimates. This is impressive given the power output of the Santa Fe's engine — it outperforms some competitors with V6 engines.
Value
8.5/10
Is the Santa Fe a good value? On a price-per-feature basis, the Santa Fe remains an excellent choice. The quality of materials and design are standouts even if a few small areas, particularly thinly padded door armrests, aren't perfect. But even the top-of-the-line Calligraphy trim level undercuts similarly equipped competitors yet offers a powertrain that is both quicker and more efficient.
Hyundai's five-year/60,000-mile basic and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties are industry-leading, and the automaker has added three years of free scheduled maintenance. Value continues to be a strong appeal of all Hyundai vehicles.
Wildcard
7.0/10
The Santa Fe does well at its intended purpose: comfortably hauling people and giving you lots of value. But it isn't particularly fun to drive, even with the upgraded turbo engine, and the latest styling update makes it seem like Hyundai is trying a little too hard to make its vehicles stand out.
Which Santa Fe does Edmunds recommend?
We recommend stepping into the SEL trim as it adds more than a few nice-to-have features without adding too much to the bottom line. On top of that, it's eligible for the optional Premium package that adds a host of luxury and tech upgrades.
Hyundai Santa Fe models
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-passenger SUV available in five main trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited and Calligraphy. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional on all Santa Fe trims. Note that there's also the Santa Fe Hybrid and Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid, which are reviewed separately on Edmunds. Here's what you get on the regular Santa Fe:
Our first look at this beauty was amazing. We thought she was really pretty and had all the bells and whistles we could ever want. We had a few things on our Rav4 that this car did not have but with all the other things this car did have, it was definitely a go for us!!! The best thing for me is the heated seats and steering wheel. When our sales agent showed us the car moving back and … forth by itself, I about lost it!!!! Amazed beyond words!!! This car is so comfortable, it rides so smoothly. Easy to drive, safety features with the cameras are excellent. LOVE the hologram in front of the driver on the windshield for speed is excellent. Love the roof open at night to see the sky - this car is just what we needed!!!!
5/5 stars, Couldn't love my '23 Santa Fe Calligraphy more!
M. Smith,
Calligraphy 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)
I purchased my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy in mid December 2022. I bargained the dealer down to "only" about $2,000 over msrp. (They originally wanted $12,000 over!). Even at that price it's definitely a bargain over any other luxury SUVs I've been exposed to. This car has virtually EVERY feature offered on much higher priced SUVs. Every driver assistance short of autonomous … driving. Top of the line navigation, even (in HD radio areas) gas prices and doppler radar. Great customizable dash. Part of driver's pod changes to blind spot view when turn signals are used. I also highly recommend the upgrade to Calligraphy trim which gives you the higher hp 2.5 4 cillinder turbo. The non turbo seems very underpowered for this sized SUV. The turbo is great. Set fantastic adaptive cruise at 89 mph (Utah) and even on the steepest hills did not go down even 1 mph. The 8 gear transmission makes acceleration from 60 to 80 for passing crazy fast. The adaptive cruise will take it to a complete stop and then go back up to set speed. Heads up display is perfect. Seems to float out over the hood. Shows speed, cruise set speed, next navigation turn & distance, lane assist indicator, even flashes the song being played on the media player. Top of the line sound system. Every type of media input. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats. Gigantic sun/moon roof. It can be parked or pulled out of a std parking space (non parallel parking) from the key fob. Really neet and impressive, but not really too useful. Rear door opens automatically after standing behind it for about 5 seconds. Unbeatable warranty. Can choose to auto stop/start engine and can have the break automatically hold a stop without keeping it pressed until the accelerator is pressed. All windows auto down, up. Great cameras, including the "birds eye" view. LOVE THIS CAR!!!
1/5 stars, Vibration Issues 2023 Santa fe limited ultimate
Marie M,
Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)
The only reason I gave this review a one star is that I am totally disappointed with the horrible vibration issues....I'm the 1 month owner of this 2023 vehicle and I have been back to the dealer 4 times....they have replaced tires..another front end alignment...another balancing of tires. .and test drove another brand new one...and still had the same vibration Issues....it is even … worse for anyone sitting in the rear of the vehicle.....otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.. ..beautiful interior....very luxurious interior and exterior...but the horrible vibration cancels out all the great review of this beautiful vehicle...
3/5 stars, Amazing, but wait!
Jeremy,
XRT 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A)
Here's my promise to all of those looking for a brand new 2023 Santa Fe, I will speak truth, the full truth and nothing but the truth. I am just a normal guy and wish I would have read the review I am about to post before I purchased this vehicle.
The good...I fell in love with this vehicle the moment I took it for a test drive. The engine and transmission work great together. No high … revs before shifting and amazingly quiet. Gets up and down the road, including onto the highway great. The ride is comfy, gets me sitting up high, gets great gas mileage (averaging above the 25/28 advertised since owned...28.3mpg to be exact and have gotten 31 on some trips) and top safety pick+, which is huge, with great safety features. Has enough electronics to be cool, but not so many you can't figure out what in the world is going on. All-in-all, the test drive was true to how the vehicle actually drives.
The not-so-good (there isn't anything REAL awful about the vehicle, just stuff to be aware of)...Apple Car Play SUCKS! Huge lag. Tried driving in Atlanta and was several blocks behind. I would make a turn and it didn't even recognize I made the turn for 5 or more seconds. Completely useless and misleading when driving. I had to disconnect from the vehicle and look at it directly on my phone. This happens every time I connect Apple Car Play to the vehicle, so not a one-time thing. I discussed this with a Hyundai Service Rep and he said Hyundai is aware of the problem and working with Apple to resolve. As I am sure you can imagine, Hyundai isn't Apple's priority so who knows when/if this will be resolved. Shocked in 2023 this is even an issue. For me, this is a huge deal since I do a lot of traveling to unfamiliar places and rely on Apple CarPlay. In all honesty, wouldn't have bought the vehicle had I known this was an issue. In fact it would seem from a legal standpoint they shouldn't advertise it if it knowingly doesn't work right??? Second, the entire touchscreen is slow to respond and at times you have to push the function you want several times before it recognizes what you want it to do. Third, and maybe this is nitpicky, you can't pick the windshield wipers up off the window when washing the vehicle or changing the wiper blades because of how they sit under the hood. I asked the same Hyundai rep about this and he said you have to turn the car on, turn the wipers on and then quickly shut the car off when the wipers are in the up position. Is it just me or does something about that seem off??? Lastly, be aware of the very little storage there is. There are two cupholders, but besides the center console, nothing else. This is my fault since I overlooked it while driving, so I won't fault Hyundai on it, just something to think about.
There you have it, my honest opinion on the car. Once again, just wish I had this information prior to purchasing and likely would have swayed me in another direction.
With a comfortable, well-appointed interior and excellent fuel efficiency, the Venza is one of our favorites in the segment. All-wheel drive is standard. So are a host of advanced driver aids and useful tech features. Compared to the Santa Fe, the Venza doesn't offer as much interior room and comes only as a hybrid.
Thanks to its standard all-wheel drive and ample ground clearance, the Outback is a favorite of buyers looking for a rugged and practical midsize SUV. The Outback also boasts a wide variety of advanced safety features as standard. The Santa Fe offers a bit more polish and refinement than the Subaru, as well as a longer warranty and more efficient engine options.
Based on the larger three-row Atlas, the Atlas Cross sport has inherited all of the clean styling and confident handling of its slightly bigger sibling. But the Cross Sport is saddled with two underwhelming engines that offer little in the way of performance or efficiency. The Santa Fe comes with a more appealing selection of engines and a longer warranty.
The Hyundai Santa Fe has always been a popular and well-regarded midsize SUV, but up until a couple of years ago, it was fairly bland. That changed in 2021, when Hyundai gussied up the Santa Fe with a gawping new grille and a trendy interior refresh. The result is a spacious crossover that stands out from the crowd and also offers the utility you'd expect of a vehicle this size.
Considering it enjoyed a major refresh just a few years ago — along with the rugged XRT and plug-in hybrid variants introduced for 2022 — we don't expect any major changes for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. We might see expanded availability of the optional turbocharged engine outside of the high-end Limited and Calligraphy models, but that's about it. Otherwise, the Hyundai Santa Fe continues to be a strong contender against other midsize crossovers including the Honda Passport, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Toyota Venza.
Edmunds says
With a luxurious, spacious interior, and wide variety of trims and powertrains, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offers something for everyone.
FAQ
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2023 Santa Fe both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.7 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2023 Santa Fe gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 41 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Santa Fe has 36.4 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Hyundai Santa Fe. Learn more
What's new in the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe:
Last year's SEL Convenience package has been discontinued
Minor shuffling of features within trims
Part of the fourth Santa Fe generation introduced for 2019
To determine whether the Hyundai Santa Fe is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Santa Fe. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Santa Fe's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2023 Santa Fe and gave it a 7.7 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2023 Santa Fe gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 41 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2023 Santa Fe is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The least-expensive 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $28,750.
Other versions include:
SE 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $28,750
SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $30,450
SEL 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $32,450
SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $34,150
XRT 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $34,250
XRT 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $35,950
Limited 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $40,600
Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $42,300
Calligraphy 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $42,600
Calligraphy 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $44,300
What are the different models of Hyundai Santa Fe?
If you're interested in the Hyundai Santa Fe, the next question is, which Santa Fe model is right for you? Santa Fe variants include SE 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A), SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A), SEL 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 8A), and SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A). For a full list of Santa Fe models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
