Used 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
We quite enjoy our 2019 Santa Fe SEL+ AWD 2.4
Thomas, Centerfield, UT, 05/08/2019
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 8A)
We tested more than 30 vehicles over a two year period. The lovely wanted awd, room for grandchildren, luggage space, heated non-leather seats and dual-zone climate control; I wanted the adaptive cruise. We did not want a sunroof. We were down to the RAV4, CR-V, Forester and Santa Fe. RAV4 and CR-V were too narrow compared to the Santa Fe; the lovely and I were rubbing elbows. No … dual-zone in anything but the Forester until you hit the Limited, and that required leather seats. The icing on the cake for purchasing the Santa Fe was price. Our SEL+ AWD had a sticker of $32,800; that day, the dealer would only come down to $29,000; not bad. After two months of waiting out the dealer, they came down to $26,300. None of the other manufacturers would come down more than $1800 from sticker. I'm not greedy, yet having sold cars at one point in my life, I understand the process and was not in a hurry.
So, after three months of ownership, here is what we like:
Seats are comfy, even on long trips.
Heated seats heat up hot and FAST, both seat and back rest; I've never selected anything but low and that keeps me toasty.
Dual-zone works as advertised; it will cycle the A/C when it is needed.
Auto start/stop works fine; the A/C will trickle out but doesn't shut completely off. Don't know yet how well that will work on 100+ July days.
Plenty of room for five and luggage.
Good power, even when loaded; sometimes have to rev it, but I've never been "wanting" for more power.
Relatively quiet interior; little bit of wind noise, but nothing like a SUV/CUV from ten years ago.
Adaptive cruise is full stop; slow and go and slow downs are child's play and a lot less stressful. A lot less.
Didn't think I would like the lane keeping assist; again, reduces the unconscious stress levels when one understands how it works.
Handles much better than I anticipated; not a canyon carver but doesn't wallow in corners.
And the not so good:
Backup camera is fairly low res, especially in low light.
Manumatic shifter is backwards; upshift should be to the rear, like a Porsche, Mazda etc, not to the front like Toyota.
12 speaker Infinity stereo is good, just does not have the clarity I would like at lower volume.
If you want something slightly bigger than a compact CUV but do not want to pay the price of an Edge, Murano or Grand Cherokee/Durango, the Santa Fe is an excellent choice. The trade-off is fuel economy versus engine output; the Santa Fe has the power of the compacts but the fuel economy of the slightly larger, V6 competitors. If I needed to do it over, knowing what I know now, the RAV4 Hybrid tugs at me, but I would still choose the Santa Fe.
One year later and 17,000 miles later....pros and cons are still the same.
Handles well in snow; center diff option works even better than expected.
Engine start/stop in 95+ temps, a/c output is minimal at best.
4500 mile/72 driving hours....the lovely never complained; averaged an indicated 30 mpg on that trip.
2.4 N/A engine has had no issues.
Tranny gets a little mixed up in gear choice or lockup in torque converter interferes on rare occasions in slowing to near stop and them accelerating.
Westbound on I-80 out of Denver, rowing the gears manually, never wanted for power and kept up with the flow of traffic with ease.
Two years and 27000 miles total.
Nothing really has changed our opinion….we still love our Santa Fe. We receive offers each month from our local Hyundai dealer to trade her in, but we will not. An excellent highway cruiser. 350,000 miles is our goal. An ecu update has solved the tranny problem
Three years and 34,000 miles total.
No changes to pros or cons.
Still receive emails once a month from our local Hyundai dealer asking us to trade in our Santa Fe, now offering almost what we paid for it. We do not like the “floating” center console of the 2021 and newer Sant Fe, and though we have driven and do like the 2022 Tucson (and the new 2.5 engine in both), we will keep the 2019 Santa Fe.
4 years and 47,000 miles on the clock.
We are thinking about getting a truck; drove a diesel 1/2 ton last night and both really liked it. To afford it, I suggested we trade in the Santa Fe. The vehicle sitting in our driveway this morning is……the Santa Fe.
The pros and cons have not changed.
Five years and 53,000 miles.
Only issue is the slight coking of the intake valves due to the EGR and DI. A can of CRC valve cleaner, a few minutes of time and a drive later that day with a slight blue tint to the exhaust and that was it. She still will not let me trade it in, so the goal is still 350k miles with nothing more than regular and timely maintenance.
LTL
Les L, Rozel, KS, 01/30/2019
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 8A)
Great auto with great safety features, fuel mileage better than we thought it would get. Close to 30mph in interstate. The auto keeps you in your lane and when set the cruise makes sure you don't run up on a slow car, active breaking and great views when backing up. The controls are accessible and easy to use. AWD is great.
High tech!
Jan B., Claremont, NH, 01/10/2019
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 8A)
We are finding the Bluetooth, bluelink, Android auto etc all a little overwhelming. A bit more technology than we needed, but got such a good deal...wanted SEL but ended up with SEL Plus way under 30k.
Beautiful
Twins, East Providence, RI, 05/24/2022
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 8A)
Absolutely amazing SUV, very happy with it
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus 2.4 SUV
What’s new
- The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is redesigned
- New interior and exterior look
- New two-row design
- Part of the fourth Hyundai Santa Fe generation introduced for 2019
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Abundant standard features for the money
- Pro:High-quality interior materials
- Pro:Generous warranty coverage
- Pro:Several standard and optional active safety features
- Con:Base 2.4-liter engine's power and mpg are subpar
- Con:Rear side view is blocked by wide roof pillars
- Con:Sharp bumps can transmit harshness and road noise into the cabin
Which Santa Fe does Edmunds recommend?
Most Santa Fe shoppers should be pleased with midlevel Santa Fe SEL Plus. Much like the base SE and the SEL, the SEL Plus comes with a nice set of convenience and safety features. Yet it also gets useful extras such as a hands-free liftgate, dual-zone climate control and an upgraded 12-speaker stereo system. We're not fond of the base 2.4-liter engine, but replacing it with the upgraded 2.0-liter turbocharged engine requires stepping up to the Limited or Ultimate trim level.
Full Edmunds Review: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV
byTravis Langness
Reviews Editor
Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.
Driving
7.0With the 185-hp engine, the Santa Fe's acceleration is slightly below average, and the transmission is slow to shift. However, its taut suspension and excellent brakes let it handle and stop more like a sedan than a crossover.
Comfort
8.0With comfortable cloth seats and an available sliding-and-reclining second row, the Santa Fe is a flexible platform for passengers or cargo. The ride is quiet and the engine note won't interrupt any conversations. The taut suspension is jarring on bumpy or broken surfaces.
Interior
8.0The Santa Fe's strongest attribute is its interior. No matter what version you get, you'll find it comfortable, quiet and stylish. It's easy to get in and out of, and drivers and passengers alike will find it roomy.
Utility
7.5Despite the Santa Fe's roomy and well-thought-out interior, cargo volume is solidly in the middle of the pack in this segment. The SEL Plus' sliding and reclining second row improves cargo and passenger flexibility and is a must-have for this crossover.
Technology
8.0Hyundai's standard 7-inch infotainment system is easy to read and use. Key functions are readily accessible on the main page, and the icons are well-sized and -spaced to avoid a cluttered look. The menu structure is also intuitive and not very deep, making it easier when you have to hunt through it.
Jump to:Related 2019 Santa Fe articles
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe in Ohio is:
$53.42 per month*Legal