Hyundai Santa Fe

With a new boxy look and loads of tech, the next-gen Hyundai Santa will be an enticing seven-seat option.

We test and rank the best three-row SUVs for active Australian families.

The Hyundai Stanta Fe hybrid steps into the large SUV ring with fellow hybrids including the Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento.

Family-sized and mostly fuss-free, the Hyundai Santa Fe ticks a lot of boxes for Aussie buyers.

The new Hyundai Santa Fe will only be hybrid-only for a few months, as a petrol-only version is due to be added.

The motorist can be seen driving erratically before swerving onto the sidewalk and hitting a tree outside of the childcare centre.

The new Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seater is only available as a hybrid, but the base price is up $9450.

Catch the most recent episode of Drive Review here. In this episode, we look at the Jeep Avenger, Hyundai Santa Fe, and the McLaren 750S.

Looking to buy a new seven-seat SUV? Let's compare the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-8.

Need extra seats for ferrying the family? Here's every new seven-seat car available in Australia.

Thinking of buying a large SUV? Here are the most affordable models to own and run.

Which family SUVs in Australia have the biggest boot, most leg room and most spacious interiors for 2023?

We bought our Santa Fe Highlander back in January 2011 as an unused demonstrator knowing an updated model would come out later in the year. As it was the Highlander spec it came with everything except for Bluetooth and Sat Nav which would have made it a complete package. The three things that attracted me to it were the diesel engine which was developed by Bosch and Hyundai, the five-year warranty and keeping the Mrs happy by getting a high riding SUV just like all the other mums at the school drop off. After 175,000 klms of mostly highway driving and a fair bit of urban crawl its been nothing short of spectacularly reliable. The build quality has been fantastic. It has really amazed me how well they put it together. The interior has suffered abuse from three kids over the years and still holds up well and the engine has not missed a beat. Here’s the run down: Interior Motoring journos like to bang on about the tactile feel of soft touch materials and colour pallets to deliver an airy ambiance the cabin. When you have three kids, all you want is something that wears well and scrubs off dried up vomit and sticky drink spills without leaving scratches behind. The leather felt more like an elephant hide at first but has started to smooth and soften. The hard-wearing cabin has endured all kinds of abuse and still comes up looking good after a light rub of Amorall. Big ticks here for the Santa Fe. The boot is large and carries a full week of shopping plus other stuff that has accumulated over time eg seven pairs of shoes, make up, toys, sporting equipment, school bags and various jackets. The Mrs thought we needed seven seats to carry loads of kids to soccer games. In real world experience we use the extra seats to carry drunk adults on occasional nights out. It’s a bit tight and uncomfortable but alcohol has a great way of improving the flexibility of middle-aged adults too tight to pay for an Uber. My advice is to think long and hard if you really need a seven-seater. Ride and Handling The steering is light which makes it great for parking and the suspension soaks up bumps comfortably. These are the only two highlights in this department. As I am used to sedans, I can pick up the tendency for it to wallow into and out of corners inducing occasional bouts of sea sickness. As the Mrs has no regard for the laws of physics, she throws it into corners at speed with alarming regularity and so far it has managed to stay upright. On a positive note, there is no need to take the kids to Disneyland when a trip around the corner has this many thrills and fortunately no spills…yet! Build Quality Its been an absolute revelation to see how well this thing is put together. The engine only started to feel run in around 70,000 klms. Once this happened the fuel consumption started to come down and we regularly get around 8-9 litres per 100 Klms. Even more pleasing has been the overall construction. Every single panel, except the roof, bears the battle scars of car park misadventures and they are still holding up well. The last seven years have been quite hard on it being parked out in the blistering summer heat despite this the paint comes up nicely with a wash and wax. There are no rattles or squeaks in the cabin and all of the switch gear is still intact. Reliability We have serviced the car regularly and only had to replace the alternator when it gave out and the harmonic balancer as a precaution. Other than that there have been no issues besides regular wear and tear. No complaints here at all. The Engine This is the real star of the show and the reason for writing this article. Its been a phenomenal performer that is showing no signs of slowing down. It is loud and course when starting up on cold days but once it warms up it just gets on about its business. I have driven newer versions of the Santa Fe and they are much more refined. Do not be put off by reports of the engine being rough. It’s a small price to pay for a reliable and economical engine with loads of torque. The Mrs drives 50klms each way along the highway to get to work and back. This is what diesels are meant for and it shines accordingly. The engine does its best work on long runs at 110 klms/hr with the fuel gauge barely moving and the revs sitting just over 1,000 rpms. We can do long trips on one tank as fuel consumption drops down further once we get out of the city. It’s a real joy to load it up on a family trip along the highway getting hatchback economy and ample torque on hand if you need it. Sometimes I throw extra stuff in the boot just to see how much it can handle. We have powered past quite a few other vehicles struggling up hills with a full load on board. The effortless performance is just fantastic. Conclusion At the time of purchase, we cross shopped the Kluger, Sorrento and CX9 against the Santa Fe and have no regrets at all. Getting a Japanese built SUV would have had some brand cachet but we would have needed to settle for a petrol guzzling base model with limited features. When the time comes to update, I would happily buy another one. I’ve spent a bit of time in newer versions and the minor gripes that I have highlighted have all been addressed. Family and friends who also own Santa Fe’s are equally impressed with their vehicles as well.

this was to be my first new car. i had owned 11 vehicles before this in 50 years of driving. my wife thought it was too high and when i would go round a corner i could see her gripping the seat thinking it was going to roll over. our first big trip was Sydney to Perth by then it had 10000 km on it. in the 4 weeks we were gone it never missed a beat, the power was outstanding and i really thought there was more than a 2.2 turbo diesel under the bonnet. i had it serviced before we left and didn't have to worry about servicing till we got back. that was 51/2 years ago and to this day it has to be the greatest vehicle i have ever owned. i am still driving with the original brake pads at 90000km. and it looks like they will last another 50000km. i have it serviced every 6 months and the mechanic just checks everything and shakes his head in disbelief. i am a big person but find it extremely comfortable to drive long distances. everything is still original except i had a multimedia system put in just for the sat/nav( boys toys) i have never had one bit of trouble with this car since i bought it. i haven't even had to replace a globe in it since i bought it. to put it in simple terms my hyundai santa fe highlander is the greatest thing since sliced bread.people all around me are buying suv and 4wd when they show me the vehicle i look it over and tell them how impressed about it i am. they tell it has this and that and that it does everything, and i think wait there my car is nearly 7 years old and it has all these things, one of the things i do notice is these new cars don't have the same power as mine. the only things better are the real expensive european suv diesels and we're talking $100,000 + they are great but who can afford that, if i had the money and if i was allowed to i would by another santa fe highlander tomorrow ,but why would i when mine is just as good as a new one

I absolutely love love love my Hyundai Santfe!! I have three children 4,3 & 1, we have owned the Santfe 7 seater for over a year and are so pleased, I have had 3 new vehicles in 5yrs and the Hyundai is the ultimate family car. I use it for work, family vacations and everyday use. First of all space is incredible I have so much organisation in the vehicle it is suitable for a whole family. I fit my strider plus with two seats (every mum knows they are not space saving lol) I can fit all my shopping along with nappy bags etc: the technology in the car is mind blowing in a hurry with arms full your able to unlock the door touch the boot to open and shut, I have three car seats along the back seat which fit perfect! The reverse camera allows you to safety see what's behind you with a good clear vision the vehicle performs well with reversing and a great turning circle, over all performance wise it's just brilliant! I love the technology, with scensors all around the vehicle your able to see if your to close to objects or other vehicles. The only fault is that i could not get one in a manual which is very disappointing! But overall the car is outstanding! Hands down best family car you could own, at 60k was not a cheap buy but it's so worth it! Oh and must add the extra 2 seats in the back have so much room!! A 6f man has sat comfortably in the back, also convenient to be able to put one seat up and leave the other down for storing the pram. I couldn't speak more highly of the vehicle after 15m of owning it i have never had an issue! Oh I should add the diesel consumption is fantastic!!

I purchased my Sante Fe Highlander 8 weeks ago and have so far traveled 4'500kms taking in a good mix of country roads and city driving. The Sante Fe was purchased after considering SUV's and regular sedans and wagons. I own a small pop top caravan with an all up weight of 1420kg and a towball down weight of 120kg and I have a preference for diesel engines due to the torque they produce and the economy when towing. My other considerations were price, with a maximum spend of $55'000, a full size spare wheel, service price, ease of servicing (local service centre) and reasonable resale. The towball down weight virtualy eliminated most European cars as did my desire for a full size spare wheel. Some of the Europeans do offer a full size spare wheel package but the one I looked at was close to $1'000! I finaly settled on the Sante Fe as it offered the towing ability (150kg ball weight with the heavy duty rear spring pack), a nice sized comfortable cabin, good fuel economy and as a plus it handles really well for an SUV. I was not looking for a 7 seater car and I'd be surprised if the rear row of seats gets used more than once a year, but its good to know they are there and perhaps it will be an option people look for when it hits the second hand market. My observations after the first 2 months of ownership are as follow: Good - the seats are exceptionally comfortable and unlike many cars with leather seats, they are not slippery. The seat warms are great on these cold winter mornings in Melbourne. At very low speeds, you know its a diesel but at anything over 60kmh, and especially at highway cruising speeds, the Sante Fe is so quiet it puts my mates Benz to shame. The fuel economy is brilliant. In the first 4'500 kms (70% city and 30% country) I have averaged 8.4 ltrs/100 km. A recent trip to Albury averaged 5.7/100. The bluetooth works well although it could be improved by running the phone through all of the speakers as Holden do with the Commodore. The stereo is top class and the Satnav is easy to use. The headlights are very good with a good throw of light. Areas for improvement - The steering reach adjustment could do with more adjustment. I am fairly tall and have the drivers seat at the furthest setting. However to make the steering wheel comfortable to hold I have had to set the seatback more upright than I would normaly have. Hyundai should also make the headlight come on once the windscreen wipers are activated. The bluetooth phone clarity could be improved as discussed above. Other than these few points the car has exceeded my expectations and I would (and have already) have no hesitation in recommending a Sante Fe to anybody looking for a mid sized SUV.