What is it: 

This is the first all-new Hyundai Santa Fe in six years.

Instead of a diesel, it’s a hybrid.

It marks a bold new design direction – and puts Hyundai in a head-on tackle with hybrid leader Toyota.

A turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is paired to an electric motor to give the car a shove off the line and boost efficiency when on the move. 

Later this year, the hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe is due to be joined by a non-hybrid turbo 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder to replace the previous V6 petrol.

For now only the hybrid is available, with a choice of front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, depending on the model.

Price:

Prices range from $60,600 drive-away to $82,900 drive-away (NSW postcode) according to the Hyundai Australia website.

There are three model grades, in the following configurations (prices shown below are before on-road costs such as registration and stamp duty are added):

  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid 2WD seven-seater: $55,500
  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid AWD seven-seater: $58,500
  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Elite AWD seven-seater: $65,000
  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy AWD seven-seater: $75,000
  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy AWD six- seater: $75,500
  • Metallic paint adds $695
  • Matte paint adds $1000

Warranty is five years/unlimited kilometres. 

Service intervals are 12 months or 10,000km (whichever comes first), which is shorter than the industry average of 12 months / 15,000km. 

The example tested is the base model in ‘Pebble Blue’ which is $56,195 plus on-road costs (about $61,365 drive-away in NSW).

Engine:

A turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine (which can run on 91-octane regular unleaded) is paired with a 44.2kW electric motor which draws power from a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack (which recharges when the vehicle is coasting, driving downhill or braking).

Combined peak outputs are 172kW and 367Nm.

The hybrid is due to be joined later this year by a non-hybrid turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder (206kW/422Nm) paired to an eight-speed twin-clutch automatic.

Transmission:

The new Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, which is a conventional torque converter type, which is smoother than twin-clutch automatics.

0 to 100km/h (as tested):

The Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6T Hybrid base model front-wheel-drive did the 0 to 100kmh dash in 8.0 seconds on our precision VBox timing equipment (averages were between 7.95s and 7.98s, which round up to 8.0).

This is perky enough for a seven-seat family SUV – and on-par with the non-hybrid Toyota Kluger powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which did 0 to 100kmh in 7.9 seconds in recent testing.

Emergency braking from 100km/h (as tested): 

The emergency braking performance of the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid base model – running Kumho Ecsta PS71 255/45/R20 105V tyres – is exceptional.

It pulled up from 100kmh in 36.6 metres which, by our calculations, puts it at or near the top of the class.

Most other SUVs of this size and type pull up in 38 to 40 metres, so this is a significant performance and safety advantage for the Hyundai.

The only other SUVs of this size that can pull up in this distance from this speed are European brands.

Hats off to Hyundai for not only delivering European looks but also European handling and performance to the new Santa Fe Hybrid.

While we’re talking tyres, kudos to Hyundai for including a full-size spare wheel and tyre under the rear of the car.

This is a rarity in the class and another key advantage over its rivals, especially for anyone who drives in regional or rural areas – or who lives in suburbia but doesn’t want the inconvenience of dealing with a space saver spare.

Good points:

This is a stunning vehicle inside and out. If you think the design has hints of Land Rover or Range Rover, you’re not alone. 

While we were taking these photos, a passer-by in active wear on a brisk afternoon walk paused conversation with her friend to stop and ask us if this was the new Range Rover. 

Her shoulders visibly slumped when we told her it wasn’t. Her loss. Badge snobs dismiss this vehicle at their peril. 

Sure, the price has gone up, but the new Hyundai Santa Fe catapults the company into the next level of quality and craftsmanship. 

For sibling rival brand Kia it was the EV9 that made the leap, for Hyundai the new Santa Fe shows just how far Hyundai has come and how much it has matured as a company. 

The sharp design inside and out is met with excellent fit and finish. 

The twin widescreen digital displays dominate the cabin. There’s acres of storage space (including a two-tier centre console and large door pockets), two wireless charging pads, and countless USB-C charge ports for all three rows of seats. 

Indeed the new Hyundai Santa Fe is so luxurious I thought I had collected the wrong car when I picked it up.

I thought I was getting the base model and they accidentally gave me the key to the top-of-the-range model. 

Turns out, this stunning example is the base model.

 I would have bet money this was the top-of-the-range variant. Good thing I don’t gamble.

Other positives: long list of standard equipment.

Vast suite of advanced safety tech, including a 360-degree camera as standard. 

And as we mentioned earlier, Hyundai Australia also deserves credit for equipping the new Santa Fe with a full size spare wheel and tyre (slung under the rear of the vehicle) with a matching alloy rim. 

Other details worth sweating: extendable sun visors, lit and covered vanity mirrors, and four one-touch auto-up and auto-down power windows. 

I love the comfort, look and feel of the cloth seats.

The turning circle is excellent (a relatively tight 11.6 metres), which makes manoeuvring into tight spots easy.

In most scenarios the suspension is comfortable and the steering is light and precise. 

As our testing showed, the acceleration is surprisingly perky and braking performance is exceptional for a large SUV. 

Fuel economy (ranging from 4.8 to 6.2L/100km during our time with the car) was good, and only marginally thirstier than the Toyota Kluger Hybrid. 

Bad points:

The headlights are bi-LED but for some reason they are not as bright, as even or as clear as other bi-LED headlights we’ve tested recently.

The two models up in the new Hyundai Santa Fe range get better headlight technology so we will check those out as well.

The stereo is really ordinary (even by base model standards).

The rear suspension is a bit sharp over speed bumps when the vehicle has five people on board.

Oddly, the suspension is supple most other times.

What the haters say:

I wouldn’t pay that much for a Hyundai.

What the haters don’t understand:

They clearly haven’t driven a Hyundai lately.

This is not the bargain basement hatchback that helped give the brand a push start in Australia 30 years ago.

Hyundai has matured as a car company and this is its third big step up in three decades.

Don’t think of it as an expensive Hyundai, think of it as an affordable option to a European SUV.

The cherry on top: it’s likely more reliable and cheaper to run than a European SUV.

Still not convinced? Just take one around the block so you can at least say you checked it off your shortlist.

You might be pleasantly surprised.

Should you buy one?

Absolutely. For me, in this category it comes down to the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, the Toyota Kluger Hybrid or the Kia Sorrento.

Also consider:

Toyota Kluger Hybrid, Kia Sorento, Kia EV9

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