2021 Hyundai Santa Fe: Will it be the seven-seat SUV for you?

On the surface it doesn't look as though much has changed for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. Under the skin, however, it's a different story, because there's a lot about this seven-seat SUV that is in fact new. Most importantly, the old 2.2-litre diesel engine has been replaced by new petrol-electric hybrid powerplants. Hyundai offers either a 'self-charging' (i.e. non-plug-in) hybrid, or a plug-in model with 230- or 265bhp respectively.
In this CarGurus UK review, Rebecca Jackson assesses the new Santa Fe for space, comfort, technology and performance. Will it be the seven-seat SUV for you?
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#cargurusuk #hyundaisantafe #santafe

[@lefizz55]

Honestly for me Hyundai is a premium brand compared to Landrover because, you know, I want to actually drive my vehicle not spend my time calling the dealer about when it will be fixed.

[@rosemariecraib8685]

I am driving the new Santa Fe and I love it one week old and I am 79 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@meryuk]

After all these years, Rebecca really knows how to make a good review. I think, out of the UK bunch, I trust her views most.

[@gpmanning7]

I bought one of these - 4WD Ultimate a few weeks ago. It’s amazing. So much tech. Really smooth drive. I love the head up display and adaptive cruise control. I’m getting 38-39 mpg but that’s mostly local / town driving not motorway. Best car I’ve had and not too expensive.

[@LIGHT-cd5fx]

I bought same last month, more technology than my neighbours new Range Rover. Super car.

[@johndelaney5241]

I've got the Ultimate on order, due in October. Have you tried the self parking feature? I'm wondering if this will mean I can actually use my uselessly narrow garage for storing my car. I'd probably be paranoid about it not being able to get back out and me having to crawl in through the boot, though.

[@gpmanning7]

@@johndelaney5241 yes. Only legitimately a few times. Other times just for fun. But it’s great when your spot got right by someone else parking too close.

[@gregoryuk]

Buttons and Switches! 😄 How I miss thee.

[@davidpollard4051]

Clear and concise - as always.

[@jrs9264]

The vehicle is impressive but the reviewer even much more so. always nice to hear and see another excellent review by Rebecca. Now, if we could just have her visit the states to race her car....:}

[@hombreguapo3928]

At 5.20, "It's not the width, it's the length". Sometimes, that can be the problem,.Great presentation.

[@RigiLiquid945]

Cheers from Canada! Nice review of a nice SUV. I like that this still has the physical buttons since 6 months of the year, I'm wearing gloves at the beginning of my drive, until things warm up, and by then, there's little need to adjust the settings. Interestingly, We can only get this as a 5 seater, and there is a huge storage space under the floor where the 3rd row of seats would have been, and in the Kia Sorento, it's only available as a 6 seater with captains chairs in the 2nd row. These new hybrids seem brilliant, but I hope the turbo engines can stand the test of time.

[@jamesinbradford5882]

If I had the money and space this would be my car !

[@McGrogansSchool]

Have one and v pleased. Good review.

[@moonsapling]

Just ordered mine - 4WD model, cant wait!

[@chrisbirrane6071]

I like it! In fact, I like the badge & the warranty & the tech & build quality & blah, blah, blah.... It ticks a lot of boxes. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Great review, as usual. 👍

[@paul_isaac]

nice review

[@swizzler68]

looks amazing

[@romeolopez757]

A top notch review!…BARAVO!!!!!….this Santa Fe hybrid is amazing and leading in all aspects against its class…

[@joshbacon8241]

Why is the diesel version no longer offered in the UK, unlike its Kia Sorento sister car?

[@Nick-bl3bx]

I have just ordered one but the marketing of this model is crazy. In Britain we have a very fair offer if purchased before the end of the month. However my local dealer received his demo model at the end of this week, I.e. 24th June the offer ends in a few days. Now if you want to spend nearly £49,000 with only one drive then you are being forced into decisions too quickly.

[@CarpetLayer]

She just came from her mime job.

[@djgoldthing7166]

I'd rather have a posh interior than a 'posh badge' , rather than the other way round.

[@aaronposiano6359]

She couldn't wait for the tailgate to fully open 😺

[@athollmcnicoll256]

I like the fact the seats fold down flat and so could be a useful conversion tool to a camper-car. Self charging over plug in hybrid every time, that way no need to search out charging points which seem virtually non existent except in Garages, here in Scotland.

[@henrikkoukku2896]

Test drive too 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe HTRAC AWD Plug-In Hybrid model?. 🤔

[@shahhussain-pl5cu]

How much

[@TechTeam713]

She is beautiful...car is nice as well. But I would choose Kodiak in a heartbeat. I own Tucson now after Octavia. I was considering last generation of Santa Fe. But honestly... Hyundai has got still some way to go till it reaches Skoda level...and I don't mean equipment that's excellent, but as far as build quality is concerned Skoda is superior. I found out hard way and must say in many fronts I am disappointed with build quality with my Tucson compare to Octavia and Hyundai is 11 years newer car. Only thing I am impressed bis ride quality. We wanted to buy either Karoq or Kodiak but check prices of same age used ones with similar spec and you soon realize that Skoda is much more expensive to buy... must be the reason for it right??? My point exactly 😉

[@chitpaul]

I have all that tech kit on my Lexus… not bad.. just haven’t got the remote key parking thingy. Kia or Hyundai……

[@ZCT808]

I used to have a Lexus RX350. The interior ergonomics were total garbage. At some points I had as many as SEVEN green lights on the dash telling me stuff was working. SEVEN! And then I discovered the horrific useless display in the gauge cluster was out of a Toyota Corolla costing 1/3rd the price. The stupid joystick thing was stupid. The guy who designed the heated and cooled seat controls was clearly not told that the shifter would be placed right in front of them. It was a hot mess of bad ergonomics and horrific infotainment spoiling an otherwise okay car. My Kia Telluride blew it out of the water, and actually appreciated in value over the first two years, so I sold it and got a 2022 model. I just ordered a Santa Fe Calligraphy to replace my second car. Looking back, I was genuinely hugely disappointed by my Lexus, it is hard to justify paying 20% more for less car but a more prestigious badge. If I were going to do that, I'd go Mercedes or BMW at a pinch. To me, the Japanese manufacturers have lost the drive they once had, meanwhile the Korean brands are killing it.

[@Grandinfotainment]

😍❤

[@vitusyu9583]

i'd prefer the self-charging hybrid, more self-reliant.

[@prakashnarismulu3332]

How do these cars fit on UK roads and car parks ?

[@dj_efk]

They don’t. At least, not easily. A life of scrapes and car park dings beckons...

[@moonsapling]

They fit like any other vehicle does. How do vans fit? Exactly... Also it looks bigger on videos than it actually is!

[@nicusaramet8707]

Super

[@sheikhmdshafiqurrahman1062]

please review palisade

[@johnmuthan286]

Can't understand these hybrids vehicles, they are not so environmentally friendly as the emissions results say, nor as fuel economic as they say, as soon as you pass a medium commute to a long distance drive, your normal engine is a gaz guzzler and has to push all that extra weight of the batteries. It is ridiculous.

[@rogerjames7315]

Beautiful hair today love xx

[@stevenkaye9829]

Don't suppose you can still get a CD player in it?

[@joshfisher6383]

To the best of my knowledge the only manufacturer that fit cd players as standard is Mazda. Others may have them as options

[@Mikeyp1054]

She's very posh,very attractive.nice review,oh and the kodiak looks naff,typical boring VW group interior. the luxury pack adds the arches and side mouldings etc body coloured not that naff plastic look why hasnt this one body coloured plastics???.the standard seat leather looks a bit dull too so 2 grand isn't alot with the nappa leather too and other stuff

[@watto7728]

Great review, but i think hyundai are losing the plot as the Santa Fe's were great towcars and i would suggest thats what many were purchaced to do with a great 2.2 ltr diesel and torque converter auto. 2019 model was 2.2 diesel with DCT transmission - no good for heavy loads and now the dreaded petrol hybrids as the only option - good for the greenies but will lose a loyal following of those who tow heavy loads.

[@angeloamato_]

Loyal following will be lost now, you are correct. However the 2.2D did have a Torque Converter Transmission.

[@watto7728]

@@angeloamato_ the UK 2019 model changed over to a DCT gearbox along with the kia sorento. Also the UK spec santa fe now qualifies for the costly road tax increase imposed on cars over £40k list prices adding an addtional £350 to the existing road tax for years 2-6 of ownership..

[@angeloamato_]

@@watto7728 correct on the road tax. But all versions of the 2019 model year onwards in the UK are torque converter. Only reason I know that is fact is that I work for a Hyundai dealer.

[@angeloamato_]

Hyundai differentiate between DCT and Automatic in customer facing literature.

[@watto7728]

@@angeloamato_ cheers Angelo, i stand corrected.

[@stevencampbell1150]

I'm sorry but 44mpg for a hybrid is rubbish. As I do regular long commutes the plug in hybrid is out as well. Think I'll stick with my diesel Renault Kadjar which is Euro 6 and gets 6 mpg more than the non plugin hybrid Santa Fe.

[@sudds750]

Omg…Aunt Sally lives!

[@forresg500]

Like feature 5.45

[@Shegy777]

I don't think I would take it from a single source that doesn't have a diesel engine!

[@scotstubbie]

I think I would go for Skoda purely as I own a Radid and love it but I think I would go for one of the smaller SUV’s like the Karoq. Great review as always.

[@MRFUCKOFF202]

Looks like the 2014 Jeep Cherokee with a new grille

[@z00h]

The rear looks like it was recycled from a design dating back to somewhere around 2009ish.

[@johngraydon506]

Better than a skoda for me but I am happy 😊 in a golf GTI pm

[@Adolf-w2i]

Do you want a cup of tea?

[@ispielts9777]

Hyun-day.

[@abelisraelcruzayuso4682]

Yikes…

[@firstnamesecondname5341]

Better to have a hundred buttons that by muscle memory can be hit spot on every time than a stooopid touch screen menu that will steal the crown from the bmw iCrash system 🤦🏻‍♂️ Remote parking is also stooped if the twat parked next to you doesn’t have it and still whacks your door or scrapes your paint squeezing through the gap 😖

[@florianhensel3760]

Nice car but very ugly wheels

[@leem5894]

Looks worse than pre facelift! Kia Sorento will get more sales as it has all the same tech and much better looks!

[@jimmacgregor4122]

Oh dear - poor Rebecca has to review yet another big tank, of interest only to people who have no interest in cars - impressed that she had learnt the long list of rubbish - sorry, "equipment" fitted - doubtless fascinating to buyers of this kind of thing - and didn't fall asleep while doing it.

[@mikeolly67]

Presumptions Jim. I’ve been a petrol head all my life, had numerous European premium brand cars, Mercedes, bmw, Porsche , Volvo . I recently sold my “toy” a mk3 focus RS and bought ,,,,,wait for it,,,,, a Santa Fe premium se 2.2 diesel. Why? Because it’s better value than a European suv, it’s more reliable than a European suv and in my opinion, it’s better looking. So in reality, it’s not really a car for people who aren’t interested in cars, it’s actually a car for people who are a bit more savvy about cars than you give them credit for.

[@jimmacgregor4122]

@@mikeolly67 Michael - Happy to hear that you're happy with your car! I'm obviously finding ageing a bit tricky.....

[@geoffhenderson53]

Gotta say I,ve got the BMW X5 2020 with every single toy on but it can’t stay on the road in the wet 22 inch tyres don’t help I know but about to buy the Sante Fe it will be my 4th it’s got more toys on it than the BMW

[@carlosorff]

I hate Škoda... People driving it are the same maniacs who would buy BMW but do not have sufficient funds.

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

With the jacked up lift kit, flat slab sides, big whale mouth, high waistline and tiny windows it's simply boring, uninspiring and bland. What's with the cartoon bubble high roof? To take my pet giraffe for a drive while waring a top hat? Aerodynamic much not. In a world of overpopulation one should consider contraception at five seats.

[@shanjanusman9974]

Yawn 🥱 so boring 😴 today's cars are just getting boring 😴