- The Santa Fe Hybrid is the smart choice in Hyundai’s three-row SUV lineup.
- A turbo-4 plus a motor and battery pack make 231 horsepower for good acceleration
- EPA combined fuel economy is 36 mpg with front-wheel drive
The Hyundai Santa Fe 2024 is a striking redesign of the Korean manufacturer’s long-standing SUV. With three rows of seating now standard, the mid-size crossover utility is launched with both conventional gasoline powertrains and a hybrid option, making sense price just over $500.
In late August, we had the opportunity to test drive the 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid in the rolling hills around Santa Barbara, a few hours north of Los Angeles. Overall, we found the hybrid version of the new Santa Fe to be extremely practical and a pleasant place to spend time. We would call the hybrid the better of the two powertrains in this new crossover; it’s smoother and more fuel-efficient.
With a low price, we expect Hybrids to be popular with families who know that an EPA combined rating in the mid-30s will save them a significant amount of money compared to a low to mid-20s rating. As automakers grapple with increasingly strict emissions limits for cars in model years 2026 through 2035, Hyundai clearly chose hybrid cars at attractive prices as a way to achieve those goals. Of course, it also has a growing lineup of electric vehicles—but hybrids are taking a growing share of its Tucson sales in the popular compact crossover segment. You can expect the same to be true of the midsize Santa Fe.
Hyundai Santa Fe 2025
Um, is that a Land Rover?
Now, the outstanding design of Hyundai Santa Fe 2024 began to appear on city and suburban streets. This was a big change from previous generations, with square, side-by-side lines compared to Land Rovers and other SUVsEven in California, where traffic has become a thing, it still gets noticed in traffic. Notably, Hyundai claims a drag coefficient of 0.294, remarkable for such an upright, square shape—the Subaru Outback has a drag coefficient of 0.34, Hyundai says—proving that fuel-sucking air resistance can be tamed in a variety of ways.
The interior is airy and open, with Hyundai’s new standard dashboard design 12.3 inch dual screen on a wide horizontal tray. It’s an arrangement first seen in the Ioniq 5 battery-powered hatchback utility vehicle. It’s now appearing on a growing number of Hyundai models, from the Ioniq 6 EV sedan to the refreshed 2025 Tucson compact crossover.
The new hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.6-liter direct-injection inline-four engine, mated to a conventional six-speed automatic transmission. Between the engine and transmission is a 47.7 kW (64 hp) electric motor, which draws power from a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. The combined powertrain output is 231 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torqueUnlike the smaller Tucson, however, this model doesn’t get a plug-in hybrid version.
Hyundai Santa Fe 2025
Acceleration: feels more powerful than the petrol version
The Santa Fe Hybrid shares its powertrain with the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 2025But this is a larger, heavier vehicle. While the Tucson Hybrid is relatively quick in most driving situations, the Santa Fe Hybrid is no speed demon. We’d call it average for a three-row SUV—while the gas-only version felt average to slow when this reporter drove it in March. Hyundai doesn’t provide acceleration figures; we weren’t able to properly test that during our drive.
The new Santa Fe design includes very effective noise reductionand the engine noise is well damped—so much so that passengers may not even realize they’re riding in a hybrid. The engine noise when turned on is usually inaudible, and the transition between power sources is barely noticeable. This speaks to the tremendous effort Hyundai engineers have put into refining their single-motor hybrid system in the more than 12 years since it first hit the market.
The sensation of shifting up or down on a large utility vehicle while the “EV” dashboard light remains on will be jarring to those accustomed to battery-powered electric vehicles, since there are, of course, no gears to shift. The engine speed adjustment to road speed is a necessary quirk of the Hyundai system, but the point is that it allows the Santa Fe Hybrid to run solely on electric power in high-speed traffic or light highway conditions. Hyundai says this provides the best balance of performance and efficiency in typical U.S. highway driving cycles. We were often surprised to look down and see the Santa Fe Hybrid running in “EV” mode, even on the highway or on gentle inclines.
The right paddle behind the steering wheel can be pulled to increase regenerative braking when stopped and has a “Automatic” regeneration mode The system uses the Santa Fe’s existing sensors (cameras, radar, etc.) to adjust the level of regeneration based on what the car senses ahead—like a slowing vehicle. California traffic keeps the system busy adjusting.
Hyundai suspensions tend to be tuned for comfort rather than grip, and the Santa Fe is no exception. Driver and passengers will find the car smooth and comfortable in general use. When driving through winding canyon roads with uneven surfaces, we found the car bounced a little more than expected. But suburban families taking their kids to school or to the mall will likely not be bothered by it, or at all.
Hyundai Santa Fe 2025
EPA Rating: 34 or 36 mpg combined
Our Santa Fe Hybrid, built in Montgomery, Alabama, was well-built and a thoroughly pleasant place to spend time. You can find full details and specs on interior volume, seating options, safety ratings, and a host of standard and optional features in our review of Hyundai Santa Fe 2024 scope.
In terms of fuel efficiency—often the main reason to choose a hybrid—the EPA’s combined rating for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is 36 mpg for front-wheel driveor 34 miles/gallon with optional all-wheel drive. That’s a significant improvement over the ratings of various gas-powered models, which range from 22 to 24 mpg combined.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid comes in three trim levels: SEL, Limited, and Calligraphy. The SEL comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels and a power driver’s seat. The Limited upgrades to 20-inch wheels and adds rain-sensing wipers, a dual-pane sunroof, a power front passenger seat, heated rear seats, and ambient interior lighting, along with a long list of amenities. The top Calligraphy gets nappa leather seats with a massage “relax” function, UV sterilizer tray (“Do you realize this is pandemic design?” one executive asked), overhead displays and numerous decorative items adorn the design.
The Santa Fe Hybrid SEL starts at $38,615, with the Limited costing an additional $6,900. The Hybrid Calligraphy costs $48,665, plus options. All-wheel drive is an $1,800 option on all trims. All prices include a mandatory $1,415 delivery fee.
Hyundai provided airfare, accommodations, and meals so Green Car Reports could bring you this test drive review.
