NASHVILLE, Tenn. – We quickly see the dedication Hyundai is to receive the right to electrification. Follow Ioniq 5for example, and the countless compliments we have poured into it and its platforming brother, Kia EV6. But Hyundai is no newcomer to electrification. We really like it Ioniq triangle and Electric Kona for a while now. But as the industry continues to move towards an electric future, Hyundai also has some strides for those who may not be ready to move away from the internal combustion dock entirely. Hyundai has a few plug-ins crossbred, can easily be overlooked in the shadows of new and upcoming EVs, or even the larger gas-powered nameplates on which they’re based. We had the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with 2022 Tucson PHEV and its tremendous value proposition – now is the time for its midsize sibling, 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV.
Now, we’ve split our day between several vehicles as part of a Hyundai-sponsored event so our time with the car was short, but still enough to leave a positive and lasting impression.
The Santa Fe The PHEV combines Hyundai’s 1.6-liter Smartstream turbocharged petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission with a 66.9 kilowatt-hour (about 87 hp) electric motor and 13.8 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion polymer. the battery. That’s good for a total system output of 261 hp. It’s enough to create the cognitive disconnection of knowing the car moves eagerly when such a small displacement engine is churning under the hood (the engine itself makes 178hp and torque). – 195 pound-feet of torque). This family is quite innocuous but admittedly handsome intersection really feels sporty when speeding through town and on the highway. Furthermore, this PHEV comes standard with all-wheel drive (also a mechanical one, rather than just an electric motor on the rear axle), so in addition to boosting confidence in bad weather, it also perform strong acceleration. no wheels or torque controller.
The Santa Fe PHEV’s built-in charger can receive power from a 240-volt source with a capacity of 3.6 kW. That’s not all that fast, considering something like the Ioniq 5’s 11 kW integrated charger, but it doesn’t have to be. With a capacity of just 13.8 kilowatts, the battery can be recharged in about four hours. A full charge is good enough for the EPA-rated 31-mile all-electric range, and the petrol engine is always ready to go when the battery is depleted. With gas and electric power, it’s rated at the equivalent of 76 miles per gallon. Without the electric range available, it still boasts an impressive 33 mpg combined. There’s a button that lets you switch between EV and hybrid modes, but the car automatically switches back to hybrid – still using brake and run fast for the regen and the electronic motor to power – when the battery is drained. There are also the same driving modes – Normal, Eco, Sport, Smart and Snowy along with the AWD lock button – selectable from a dial you can find on other Hyundai vehicles .
While its electric prowess is nifty and the overall powertrain is surprisingly powerful, what really impressed our testers was its gorgeous interior. This Limited Edition features quilted Nappa leather seats, with a beautiful combination of leather, soft plastic and glossy almost carbon fiber trim throughout the cabin. Good materials over fine sculptural forms create a welcoming and comfortable place to spend time. The panoramic sunroof helps bring light to both rows of seats. The infotainment screen is easy to use, and the digital instrument cluster is sharp and clear. There are plenty of places to store small items, including a cubby under the control of the center console. To the back of those controls, in front of the larger center console, is a covered box with a USB port inside. Right behind that, next to the cup holder, is another storage slot where you can place your phone vertically and charge it wirelessly.
The Santa Fe is full of other useful tech, especially in this limited edition. It gets Hyundai’s robust suite of highway driving aids, with adaptive cruise control, lane-focused steering assist and a number of active safety features. With the digital instrument panel, you’ll get a blind spot camera feed right in front of you whenever you use your turn signals. It also features an easy-to-read head-up display with lots of information configurable from the infotainment menu. However, Hyundai doesn’t hide the most important controls in the touchscreen, putting things like climate and audio controls, heated/ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and things like auto-hold brakes, control downhill control and parking assist button on the center console.
Pricing for the Santa Fe PHEV starts at $41,295, including $1,295 at destination, for the SEL version. That’s $8,850 more than the gas-only SEL AWD, and $1,640 more than the standard hybrid (HEV) in SEL Premium trim (equivalent to a gas-only SEL trim with a Premium package). The Limited, at $47,305 represents a better value than the gas-only powertrain – it’s just $4,900 more than the Santa Fe Limited AWD – but $5,300 more than the Hybrid Limited. Yes, standard hybrid Limited Cost less compared to its gas-only counterpart. However, when you factor in the PHEV’s eligibility for a $6,587 federal tax credit (not to mention fuel economy), it’s hard to gauge the value of the adjacent luxury plug-in. .
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV is an unexpected gem in Hyundai’s lineup, with a sporty yet efficient powertrain, a superb interior, and a wealth of useful technology. Our brief drive made us wish we had more time to sit in the PHEV to better understand its contents and details. Still, that should be enough to assure us we’ll be happy living with this electrochemical crossover, especially considering the nearest PHEV competition next to it. Sorento cousin, is younger Toyota RAV4 Prime. For those looking for a comfortable and capable midsize SUV, and want to get into a plug-in vehicle without completely ignoring the range and convenience of a petrol engine, the Santa Fe The luxury PHEV would be a wise choice.
