More than 10 Years ago, I took a trip on the old Santa Fe trail, from New Mexico to Colorado, and I took the entire journey in a Hyundai Santa Fe. Sure, that’s a little cheesy, but it felt appropriately fun in the moment, and embarking on a road trip like that allowed me to get very familiar with the vehicle. The Santa Fe was a great SUV back then, but I had no idea that a decade later I would be sitting in a vehicle with the same name but that looked and drove completely different. It was a bold reintroduction that solidifies that this new Santa Fe is like no other SUV on the market today.
Now in its fifth generation, the Hyundai Santa Fe received a comprehensive redesign in 2024, one that made a significant departure from its previous iterations. It was a welcome and needed update, which has virtually raised the Santa Fe into a class all its own. Santa Fe is no longer just another midsize SUV, lost in a sea of midsize SUVs. This new Santa Fe is luxurious, inside and out, but comes with a luxurious pricetag. Clearly, it is a vehicle for multiple passengers, so how does it stack up as a family transporter?
This time I didn’t embark on the actual Santa Fe trail but the road I was on now was every bit as adventurous and unpredictable: the road of fatherhood.
What This Dad Digs about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
Exotic without Being Pretentious – No doubt, the new, brash redesign of the 2024 Santa Fe will be the most noticeable change, particularly if you’re familiar with the former, lackluster design. Boxy and rugged, this Santa Fe visually lives up to its name and looks ready to tackle both paved and open roads. Sharp, squared lines run through the body, leading to gentle curves that make up every corner. Admittedly, it’s reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender but feels less presentious and more exotic.
The H-shaped front and rear LED lights are novel and somehow feels modern and retro at the same time (I can’t help but grin when I see these H-shaped lights in my rearview mirror.) The nose on the Santa Fe is beautifully minimalistic which gives rise to a surprisingly short hood. The octoganol wheel wells are gloriously wide and work to lengthen the profile of the car. My only complaint about the new redesign is the rear. The ratio of rear window to body panel to rear headlights feels totally wrong. The rear cargo door is wide and bulbous in an unflattering way that feels at odds with the rest of the vehicle’s aesthetics.
Functionality You Never Knew You Wanted – Wider and more spacious, the interior has also been upgraded, with improvements across the interior that cater to both driver and passenger. Design-wise, the interior mimics the exterior, offering modular lines and a wide, block motif that nicely blends functionality with luxury. For instance, the digital gauge and the infotainment screen are now merged into one gorgeously curving screen that tilts ever so slightly towards the driver. Clever storage space abounds, with one peculiarly brilliant standout being the secondary dash compartment above the traditional glove compartment. It’s long, slende,r and equipped with a UV-C light that sanitizes anything that fits inside – mainly phones. I never knew I needed a sterlinzation tray hidden within my front dash, but now that I know it exists, I want it always.
Behind the second row, a third row has now appeared, and it’s a first for the Santa Fe. It makes for comfortable seating, but at 30.0 inches available for legroom, it lags behind most SUVs in this same class by an inch or so. This isn’t an ideal row for adults on long trips, but kids should be just fine back here.
Loads of Cargo Space to Load Up – I drive a three-row SUV as my daily driver, but I typically leave the third row down to utilize the extra cargo area. In the Hyundai Santa Fe, I would most likely do the same, and I would have lots of room to play with. With the second row down, the Santa Fe offers 40.5 cubic feet of cargo area – plenty of space for all kinds of kids’ cargo or camping gear. Lay down both the second and third rows, and you can do some serious packing with a whopping 79.6 cubic feet of cargo space. With both rows in use, only 14.6 cubic feet is available, which is common for three-row SUVs.
For its rather ugly exterior, the back cargo door of the Santa Fe is wide enough to accommodate a large loading area. The high clearance makes for effortless loading and easy unloading, which came in handy when placing my daughter’s strollers in the vehicle. Definitely a perk for Dad Drivers who find themselves loading up the back of a vehicle most weekends.
An Improved Ride – Comfort and practicality: those are the adjectives that come to mind from behind the wheel of the 2024 Hyundai Santa, and as a Dad Driver, that was perfectly fine with me. The size and the stature of the Santa Fe beg for long drives, and thankfully, the ease of the handling and the very capable suspension make drives smooth. A breeze to maneuver, steering is tight and responsive even in slick conditions. Add in the insulated cabin that creates quiet drives, even on the highway, and this is a perfect vehicle to lull the kids to sleep.
Under the hood, the Sante Fe comes equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine that produces 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, this configuration felt more than capable at tackling most driving conditions. There is an all-wheel drive version of the Santa Fe available, and in the XRT trim level, there is even some increased ground clearance and rugged styling cues. As adventurous as it looks, however, I wouldn’t necessarily take this vehicle too far off the paved road.
The Calligraphy Trim – The Santa Fe we tested arrived fully loaded with the Calligraphy trim level, the highest and most luxurious of the trims available. It comes with a slew of additions and options that add some very nice touches to an already stellar vehicle. From the Nappa leather, heated and cooled seats to the aforementioned UV-C sterilization tray, there are tons of creature comforts on the inside. Outside, the Calligraphy brings some sick 21-inch dark-finish alloy wheels, LED lighting elements, and a dual panoramic sunroof. The Calligraphy trim will also add some safety and driver assistance tech like surround view monitoring, which provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle, and remote smart parking assist, which allows the vehicle to park itself in tight spots.
What Gets this Dad’s Downvote
It looks like it can go Off-Road, but I’m not convinced it can truly handle it. It’s clear that the Santa Fe’s driving experience is built for paved roads, and while it can handle light off-road conditions, I wouldn’t dare take it over treacherous terrain. Plus, it’s too pretty to risk tarnishing the paint job.
Fuel Economy is Meh – Fuel Economy on the Santa Fe is a mediocre 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles on the highway, with a combined mpg of 24 miles per gallon. I found real world numbers to be slightly lower than that. Driving in the city, I rarely broke 19 mpg and I only garnered around 27 on the highway with only four passengers with little cargo.
Santa Fe Dreaming
This is the version of the Santa Fe I wished I had taken on that road trip, all those years ago. That decade old Santa Fe was sufficient but this 2024 version, complete with the Calligraphy trim, feels like the ultimate road trip vehicle. It’s an uber comfortable, extremely capable drive that offers plenty of room for luggage or outdoor adventuring. Even with its lackluster fuel economy and limited off-road capabilities this would still be ideal for families on the open road – like the Sante Fe trail.
Where some Dad Drivers may scoff will be at the sticker price. The base level of the 2024 Santa Fe starts at $33,950, higher than some of the competition in this class. The Calligraphy trim level we tested starts at $46,500 – a price range that falls in line with some rival luxury brands. While the experience in the Calligraphy edition can feel luxurious, look close enough and its clear that the Santa Fe is built moreso for your average consumer. This isn’t to say that the Santa Fe isn’t worth the price tag, however.
In fact, I got more questions and curious glances during my week with the Santa Fe than I typically do when I’m reviewing a luxury vehicle. People were drawn to the new bold design, the plush comfort of the interior amenities, and the nifty features like the UV tray and the hand grip used to reach the roof for easy luggage boarding. These qualities make the Santa Fe feel like an exotic alternative in a sea of SUVs and there is something luxurious about that.
Phillip is a filmmaker, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and craft beer aficionado. He writes about cars, car tech, and various other cool Dad things. He lives, works and plays in Dallas, Texas.
