The Hyundai Santa Fe has been a popular family-hauling SUV for more than two decades, but its styling has always leaned toward friendly curves and gentle shapes rather than the muscular, boxy look that some of its rivals have pursued. That’s changing—drastically—for 2024, with the all-new fifth-generation Santa Fe, which brings a significant styling change to the crossover and improvements to comfort and tech.
Hyundai will offer the now-fifth-generation Santa Fe with two engine choices, including a turbocharged 4-cylinder and a hybrid. The reimagined midsize SUV appears much more upscale and refined than the previous generation, and it’s clear Hyundai benchmarked luxury brands like Land Rover when developing the new Santa Fe. Hyundai revealed the new 2024 Santa Fe at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. Hyundai says the gas model will go on sale in March 2024, while the new Santa Fe Hybrid goes on sale later in the spring.
Hyundai says the new Santa Fe features an “H” motif, which includes H-shaped lighting elements that highlight the brand’s logo. An extended wheelbase—up to 110.8 inches from 108.9 the year before—gives the new Santa Fe an imposing stance, and the sculpted sides pair with boxy wheel arches for a striking, rugged look. Around the back, the liftgate is wider than the previous generation, with cargo space aided by the Santa Fe’s boxy shape and gently sloped roof. Hyundai will offer 11 color choices with outdoorsy names like Earthy Brass Metallic Matte and Rockwood Green Pearl.
The Santa Fe also gets a new XRT trim for 2024, which brings 18-inch wheels and 30-inch all-terrain tires. It gets 1.5 inches of additional ground clearance and dark exterior trim for a more rugged, aggressive look. Hyundai says it redesigned the Santa Fe’s liftgate area with a larger opening and a space that lets owners sit.
Inside, Hyundai designed the new Santa Fe for life in an urban setting. That means convenience and space for grocery shopping, road trips, kid transport, and more. Hyundai says it sought a contrast between the interior and exterior designs and notes that the “H” theme continues in the cabin, where the automaker features it on the air vents and dash. Buyers can choose between five interior colors, including two blacks, green, brown, and gray. Eco-friendly materials throughout the cabin, including synthetic leather upholstery options and other surfaces, are made from materials known to have a low impact on human health.
The new Santa Fe promises class-leading space, and the second and third rows fold flat to open the rear for cargo. Legroom in the gas model measures 41.4 inches in the front, 42.3 inches in the second row, and 30 inches in the third row. Front legroom is identical to the year before, but second-row legroom is up by an inch. However, the 2023 Santa Fe didn’t offer a third-row seat, so the 2024 model offers more seating flexibility, even if the third row is quite tight.
Hyundai will offer several features designed to increase luxury and interior comfort in the 2024 Santa Fe. An available first-row relaxation seat with leg rests lets the driver and front passenger “simulate a weightless experience,” and passengers can control the seats’ climate functions using the 6.6-inch touch control panel. Santa Fe SUVs with six seats get power-reclining second-row captain’s chairs, and the seats also recline with the “relaxation mode.” Hyundai also says the SUV has the world’s first center console that both front and rear passengers can open.
Hyundai will offer two engines for the 2024 model year. The base unit is a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, making 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. It gets an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The Santa Fe Hybrid, meanwhile, receives a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and an electric motor. The combined output is 232 hp and 271 pound-feet of torque, which reaches the front or all four wheels through a traditional 6-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters.
The new Santa Fe comes with a load of driver-assistance tech, including new driver-attention warning and driver monitoring systems that can analyze vital signs to ensure the driver is in control and attentive. Hyundai also offers an updated version of its navigation-based Smart Cruise Control. The second-generation system joins a new version of the Highway Driving Assist function to safely control speeds using map data. The highway-assist system also centers the SUV in its lane and can assist with lane changes.
Forward-collision warning and lane-centering assistance also get updates, aided by a camera mounted on the windshield. All of the “regular” safety technologies are on board as well, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, forward-collision warning, parking sensors, Safe Exit Assist, and more.
The 2024 Santa Fe has dual 12.3-inch screens mounted behind curved glass. A 6.6-inch, touch-based climate control panel and a rearview camera mirror give the driver an unobstructed view behind the vehicle. Hyundai offers a high-speed dual-device wireless charging system, and the glove box houses a UV-C sterilization tray for things like phones, keys, and wallets. The new Santa Fe also gets a digital key system with near-field communication for smartphones, and a radar-based rear-occupant alert system can detect pets or children in the back seat and sound a warning.
Hyundai equips standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the new Santa Fe, and higher trims add USB ports across all three rows. A UV-C sterilization compartment is available for the globe box, which uses ultraviolet light to sterilize small items like phones, glasses, and wallets. The new Santa Fe is available with a 12-speaker Bose audio system.
Buyers have no shortage of choice in the Santa Fe’s segment. The Honda Passport offers a more rugged take on the 2-row formula, though it’s not quite as capable as it looks. The Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L are solid alternatives that bring plenty of luxury with legitimate off-road capability.
Hyundai is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of November 16, 2023, but it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Chris Teague is an experienced writer in the automotive and technology fields. In addition to JDPower.com, his work appears at Forbes, The Drive, Your Test Driver, and others.
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