2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Evaluate: Household Automotive Tenting Companion

Should you take a traditional two-box SUV design and magnificence it in a contemporary manner for mass attraction, you get the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. This new compact three-row SUV stands out from the ocean of SUVs on the street right now with its styling, however its worth is why it’s going to doubtless promote fairly nicely.

I obtained behind the wheel of some variations of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe within the rolling hills round Franklin, Tenn., however the XRT is the one I’m going to particularly assessment for you right here, because it’s essentially the most rugged and adventure-ready.

In brief: Should you’re searching for a car that may haul your out of doors gear, household, and buddies safely, comfortably, and for a value under the typical new car right now, then the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT is a superb choice. You’ll have to sacrifice some efficiency and effectivity to get that spectacular mixture of optimistic attributes, nevertheless.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Evaluate

The Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai, Kia, Genesis) was third on this planet in new automobile gross sales in 2023. It’s a car producer that isn’t going wherever however up, and it continues to spend money on U.S. manufacturing and automobiles for the U.S. market. Whereas a lot of the corporate’s advertising and marketing has been targeted on EVs, they solely made up about 7% of Hyundai’s gross sales in 2023.

Compact SUVs are Hyundai’s third largest section, making up 15% of 2023 gross sales quantity, and the Santa Fe is likely one of the key automobiles on this class. The Santa Fe debuted all the way in which again in 2000, and the 2024 is the fourth technology. The final technology got here out a decade in the past, so the Santa Fe was due for an actual replace.

The brand new Santa Fe is manufactured in Alabama. It can come customary with three rows and be obtainable in 10 paint choices, 4 inside choices, two powertrain choices, and 5 trim ranges. Trims on provide are the SE (ICE solely), SEL, XRT (AWD ICE solely), Restricted, and Calligraphy.

Exterior Design

Whereas Hyundai hasn’t traditionally been identified for daring designs, latest years have modified that. Automobiles just like the Ioniq 5, Kona, and others have proven that the model can ship distinctive designs that stand out from the gang, whereas additionally conveying a particular Hyundai design language. The brand new Santa Fe continues this momentum.

The Senior Design Supervisor of Interiors and Head of Division of Hyundai Design North America, Kevin Kang, advised me that the 2024 Santa Fe’s design began on the rear of the car. That is characterised by a super-wide and almost flat tailgate — the rear bumper barely protrudes. This idea of beginning on the again contains the inside, the place the cargo space is almost flat when all three rows are folded.

Kang additionally said that his design crew “needed to create the perfect wanting field ever.” This is applicable to the outside and inside designs alike. Within the rear, there’s additionally a hidden rear wiper, which helps proceed the clear field design language.

One way or the other this boxy design additionally produces a drag coefficient of solely 0.29 Cd. That may be very spectacular! For comparability, a 2023 Toyota Prius solely has a barely higher 0.27 Cd.

The brand new Santa Fe has a 2-inch-longer wheelbase than the outgoing mannequin, is 1.4 inches taller, and is 1.7 inches longer total. It truly is a a lot greater car in all methods.

Hyundai determined to model the brand new Santa Fe by including “H” graphics all over the place. There are supposedly over 50 H designs integrated into the car. Probably the most distinguished are discovered within the exterior and inside lighting design.

Inside Design

The very first thing you’ll most likely discover as you slide into the motive force’s seat of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is the good visibility over the tall hood. You’ll doubtless additionally discover that it feels fairly spacious, with high quality head, leg, and shoulder room in all three rows.

Second-row seating tilts again to a really comfy lounging place and gives a great deal of knee room. It may be slid ahead and again to create extra cargo room or entry and leg room for third-row passengers.

The third row has room for my measurement 13 ft and loads of headroom for my tall torso (I’m 6’3″ with a 32″ inseam), however the low seat, in fact, forces my knees up. Adults can use the third row for round city, however not lengthy journeys.

Each the second and third rows fold down flat. They supply a really flat flooring throughout each rows and the rear cargo space, however most of it’s angled at about 6 levels or so (I did a tough measurement with a telephone app). This enormous, flat flooring is ideal for organising a mattress within the car — extra on that later.

The gear selector was moved off the middle console and to the column on this fourth-generation Santa Fe. That enables for way more storage and a double telephone charger pad within the console. I’m not a fan, nevertheless, of the cumbersome and odd rectangle form of the drive selector stalk.

That further room does imply you get a big middle console that may be opened in each instructions, permitting entry for each first- and second-row passengers. The console additionally incorporates a rear pull-out drawer for much more storage.

Chabak/Automotive Tenting

Hyundai promotes the brand new Santa Fe XRT as an incredible automobile tenting car, and rightfully so. It doesn’t push the overland angle, which it shouldn’t — and I admire it. This car is correctly succesful on a forest service street or snowy backroad, but it surely isn’t a correct off-roader. It will little question undergo enormously, in each gas economic system and efficiency should you put a rooftop tent on it.

Fortunately, you get a reasonably stable 1,191 kilos of load capability and a ton of inside cargo room — 79.6 cubic ft, which is up 18 cubic ft over the outgoing mannequin. That’s a lot room which you can super-comfortably sleep inside and go away the roof obtainable to your cumbersome journey gear — as an alternative of an RTT — like kayaks, SUPs, bikes, and the like. The roof rails can maintain as much as 220 kilos, which is quite a lot of out of doors journey toys.

One huge focus for the brand new Santa Fe’s design is the rear hatch opening. It’s now an enormous 32 inches tall and 50.2 inches huge. That’s virtually 6 inches wider and a couple of inches taller than the outgoing mannequin, and simply typically huge for any compact or mid-sized SUV. It ought to make loading gear into the again that a lot simpler, match bigger gear, and be way more spacious for in-vehicle sleeping.

On that entrance, sure, I examined out the flexibility to lie down within the again for automobile tenting. There’s loads of width for 2 folks and even at 6’3″ tall, I match simply high quality lengthwise. I’d say a 6-foot-tall individual may lay useless flat with the tailgate closed and never have their head hanging over the top of the folded second-row seats.

And, your enjoyable vocab lesson for the day: Chabak is Korean for automobile tenting: ”cha” for automobile and “bak” for keep. The 2024 Santa Fe is constructed for chabak.

2024 Santa Fe Powertrains

There are two engine choices on provide within the 2024 Santa Fe. First manufacturing items and all XRT fashions will get a 2.5L Turbo backed by an eight-speed DCT. This engine places out 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.

Coming in just some months will likely be a 1.6L Turbo Hybrid electrical (HEV) backed by a six-speed computerized transmission. This hybrid engine places out 178 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai expects a 35-40% take fee on the hybrid powertrain.

Whereas there are not any gas economic system numbers out simply but for the hybrid powertrain, we do know the ICE 2.5L numbers. One of the best numbers {that a} 2.5L FWD 2024 Santa Fe can get are 20/29/24 mpg (metropolis/freeway/mixed).

The XRT comes customary with AWD, is not going to be supplied with the HEV powertrain, and will get 19/26/22 mpg. The opposite fashions with AWD get 20/29/23 mpg. None of those numbers are significantly nice, however it’s spectacular that the additional top, entrance air vents, and extra aggressive A/T tires on the XRT mannequin solely lose you 1 mpg within the mixed testing.

I requested Hyundai executives why there is no such thing as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model of the Santa Fe. The reply was that the Tucson is the upper vendor and will get the PHEV. Hyundai additionally didn’t rule out the potential for a PHEV Santa Fe sooner or later, nevertheless.

XRT Is What You’ll Need

The XRT is the 2024 Santa Fe mannequin you’ll doubtless wish to purchase should you’re into out of doors adventures. It’s the ruggedized model that will get you customary AWD, extra floor clearance, smaller wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires, and higher entry, break over, and departure angles.

You’ll get 8.3 inches of floor clearance — 1.3 inches over different fashions. That further top is a combo of a barely taller tire and a small suspension carry (virtually an inch). There’s one wheel choice, and it’s an 18-inch alloy wrapped with a 30-inch A/T tire.

The Traction Management (TC) has additionally been recalibrated within the XRT mannequin. Whereas the 4×4 Lock button adjustments the TC settings on all AWD fashions, it’s also specifically calibrated for extra aggressive off-road functionality within the XRT.

Within the appears division, the XRT additionally will get another mods in addition to the wheels and tires. It will get darkish anodized badging, gloss black aspect mirrors, extra exterior cladding, black roof rails, and XRT engraved entrance seats. It’s obtainable in all 10 paint choices and 4 inside choices, like each mannequin within the 2024 Santa Fe lineup. A sunroof can be customary on the XRT.

One of the distinctive options on the XRT — and Calligraphy — is a flush-mounted, lockable C-pillar help deal with. You push a bit of flap in on the C-pillar to disclose a deal with that helps you step up and onto the tire, gaining simpler entry to the roof. It is a genius little function for individuals who commonly load roof containers and large gear onto the roof.

You additionally get upgraded towing capability on the XRT trim. Extra entrance air vents and a high-wattage fan present higher cooling to attain a 4,500-pound tow ranking — up from 3,500 kilos on the opposite trims. Whereas the SUV doesn’t come from the manufacturing unit with a hitch, it’s a dealer-installed choice, that includes a 450-pound tongue weight capability.

2024 Santa Fe Tech

The most recent Santa Fe additionally will get a ton of tech included as customary tools. You get one huge curved show, that includes two screens, to deal with the activation and monitoring of all of the tech tools.

Hyundai’s Smartsense Security suite is customary, as is Wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto. You even get the Bluelink+ app included with no expiration, which may distant begin and preheat/cool your Santa Fe and even take snapshots across the car remotely — so you may examine on it or its environment at any time.

SEL and above get the Digital Key 2 system, which is a completely passive car entry system. All you do is stroll as much as the car along with your app-enabled telephone or smartwatch, and it unlocks routinely.

If you need a Wi-Fi hotspot in your car, it’s a $20-per-month charge. It additionally contains music streaming with Amazon Music.

One of many newest issues Hyundai is rolling out with the Santa Fe is Hyundai Pay for gasoline stations. Whereas this has been built-in for EV charging and parking meters previously, its new “fueling” integration with Phillips, Conoco, and 76 stations provides an entire new degree of comfort.

The fee system is constructed proper into the infotainment system. Consider it as cloud-based pay on the pump, so that you don’t have to tug out any fee methodology whenever you get out of your Santa Fe to pump gasoline.

Additionally on provide are Distant Good Parking Help — mainly app-based, remote-controlled parking — and a driver monitoring system (DMS) — a primary for Hyundai. There’s additionally a brand new fingerprint scanner on the sprint, which lets you safe your Bluelink profile, get a full report of auto exercise after it’s been utilized in valet mode, and for key-fob-free driving.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Pricing & Availability

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe began to hit dealerships in January, so you could find some on dealership heaps proper now.

The beginning value on the XRT mannequin is $40,600. The car I drove most had one choice, carpeted flooring mats ($210). Add that and the freight/dealing with cost ($1,395), and you’ve got a $42,205 car.

Whereas that may be a actually good worth (contemplating the typical new automobile value as of late may be very near $50,000), it most likely isn’t what you’ll pay at your native Hyundai seller — at the least for a while. A fast web search revealed that my native Portland, Ore., dealership had a 2024 Santa Fe XRT in inventory and listed with a $7,200 markup. Yep, that’s the loopy new automobile gross sales world we stay in right now!

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: First Drive Impressions

Let’s dive right into a bit extra of the nitty gritty, and sum this factor up.

Should you go gradual, the all-wheel-drive system may be very sensible in comparatively technical terrain. However, as quickly as you attempt to choose up the tempo, it simply cuts the ability on you because the tires begin spinning. One type of workaround is left-foot braking, which doesn’t freak the pc out as a lot because it does in different related automobiles. And it’ll aid you sort out more durable terrain with much less wheel spin.

The suspension has good damping, particularly on the street, but in addition permits loads of physique roll and a bit extra head toss than I’d like. It’s additionally nicely fitted to gravel roads and mellow two-track, even at increased speeds.

Within the cabin, it is vitally quiet for this degree of auto. Impressively, the extra rugged A/T-style tires on the XRT didn’t add a lot wind or tire noise.

I’m not a fan of how the DCT transmission shifts. That is very true in Sport driving mode, as whenever you come off the throttle, it hangs a bit. However, the engine has loads of energy for this car and total, the powertrain feels fairly easy.

Getting out and in of the entrance seats might be simpler, particularly for older and limited-mobility drivers. The door sill sticks up a great inch-plus from the ground of the car. That is one thing you need to get your ft up and over when getting out and in of the car. A little bit factor for positive, however not an insignificant one for some patrons.

I used to be having a tough dangerous again day — I broke it years in the past throwing a trick of an enormous ramp in a freestyle kayak — through the press drive, so I can attest that this will likely be a difficulty for some.

Sadly, the Calligraphy trim is the one 2024 Santa Fe to get captain chairs. They make second-row consolation much more spectacular, though you do lose the flexibility to hold seven passengers. And, you don’t have a second-row center seat to most safely transport younger youngsters. I might have nonetheless preferred to see the choice on the XRT, however they’d additionally make a much less excellent platform for sleeping within the car.

Hyundai expects the Santa Fe to be instantly cross-shopped with the Nissan Passport and Subaru Outback, in addition to bigger automobiles just like the Toyota Highlander and even the Hyundai Palisade.

To sum all of it up, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT is a high quality car that ought to have mass attraction. Its distinctive styling will get your consideration, and its many high quality options and spectacular value level make it laborious to disregard.

Just about construct out your individual 2024 Santa Fe and discover a seller close to you.