Hyundai Santa Fe review (2018-2023)

From relative obscurity, the Hyundai badge has come to be a common sight on the UK's roads and cars like the Santa Fe have done much to enhance the South Korean brand's reputation. The latest Hyundai Santa Fe offers the same SUV package as its predecessors, rivalling seven-seat SUVs like the Skoda Kodiaq, Nissan X-Trail, Peugeot 5008, Kia Sorento and Volvo XC90 in the process.

A facelift in 2021 pushed the car more upmarket to give it a genuine chance to challenge the Land Rover Discovery Sport. More significant than most midlife updates, the Santa Fe not only got a new look but also received new technology and a pair of new hybrid powertrains, made possible by switching to a new platform.

An enlarged front grille dominates the nose and now flows into the headlight units. Slit-like LED lights sit higher up, for a distinctive signature look. It's a more confident look than the smaller Hyundai Kona and more aggressive too. The theme continues at the rear, where a full-width light bar and clean bumper design help achieve a bold but unfussy look. The smart exterior style of the Santa Fe gets it off to a good start, then, and that continues inside.

The way the doors curve round into the top of the dashboard is a neat design touch. The layout is clear and the materials look and feel superior to many previous Hyundais and are a closer match for a Land Rover. Equipment is generous across the range, with LED lights, heated front and rear seats, a powered tailgate, Krell sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all standard. Both models also get sat nav, which wasn’t fitted as standard on the now-discontinued entry-level SE trim.

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While the old Santa Fe was only available with one diesel engine - a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel with 197bhp - the updated model comes with hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options as well. The hybrid mixes a 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor for a total of 227bhp. The PHEV gets a more powerful electric motor and bigger battery, increasing its fuel-efficiency from around 44mpg in the hybrid to just over 170mpg in the PHEV.

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Performance is reasonable but not breathtaking, with 0-62mph taking under 10 seconds, and the handling is safe, smooth and comfortable rather than entertaining.

As a good-looking and practical family SUV, the Santa Fe stacks up well, with its spacious seven-seat interior and big boot. Standard autonomous emergency braking bodes well for safety. However, in our 2021 Driver Power survey, 21% of owners reported a fault with their cars in the first year, which was more than the average.