The new Hyundai Santa Fe delivers upgrades on all fronts. Featuring a bold, blocky exterior design and a comfortable interior, the Santa Fe punches well above its price tag. You can expect civilized road manners, a huge cargo hold, and additional refinements that give the Santa Fe an expensive look and feel.
What To Expect From the New Santa Fe
At first glance, you might think that the Hyundai Santa Fe is a luxury SUV with its bold new styling. The interior design adds to the feeling of luxury with many upscale materials and accents. However, the Santa Fe is solidly in the family SUV category with a starting price of just over $36,000. The top model starts at $50,645. You won’t find many luxury SUVs in this price range, unless they’re used cars.
Instead, the Santa Fe is an affordable SUV that can haul up to seven passengers without sacrificing its rugged style. The large tailgate opens to an equally large cargo hold, and all passengers will enjoy plenty of space in the cabin. The non-hybrid models come with a 277-horsepower turbo four-cylinder that pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai’s popular SUV has plenty of power, but its main focus is on comfortable cruising versus getting quickly off the line. This is a three-row SUV that manages to outdo expectations with practicality, refinement, and style.
New Additions For 2026
One of the biggest changes is the removal of the previous eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which was known for problems. Replacing it is a more traditional eight-speed torque-converter automatic. The rest of the changes largely concern new equipment for some of the top trims. For example, the Limited trim now comes standard with second-row captain’s chairs and a bench row option.
Both the Limited and XRT trims get standard dual wireless phone chargers, and the XRT gets a Terrain Mode system with settings for mud, snow, and sand. The top Calligraphy trim adds a brown Nappa leather interior option.
There are five trims in the 2026 Santa Fe lineup, but the SEL trim stays under $40,000 while delivering some nicer features over the base trim. It includes heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, and aesthetic accents.
How Does the Santa Fe Drive?
The regular gas Santa Fe only comes with the engine and transmission combo mentioned above. Most models come with FWD, but AWD is available. The suspension is tuned for a soft ride and comfortable handling. There’s some body roll in corners, but the steering feels nicely weighted. The Santa Fe wasn’t designed for fast acceleration, but it does a decent job compared to some rivals.
The towing ability is reasonable at 3,500 pounds with trailer brakes for most trims. The XRT is rated for slightly more at 4,500 pounds with trailer brakes. In terms of fuel economy, you can expect city mpg in the range of 19-20 and highway mpg in the range of 26-29. A real-world highway driving test yielded 24 mpg in the Calligraphy trim with AWD.
Ultimately, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe does a lot right and very little wrong. It’s not the fastest or the most fuel-efficient, but it’s comfortable, spacious, and practical.
