Hyundai’s new Santa Fe range has had a serious refresh, including launching in Australia as a hybrid only offering (with petrol models being recently made available). Regardless of trim, it oozes luxury and is loaded with tech.
Tested here in its anything but base front-wheel drive hybrid variant, it’s a proper value proposition too, with a starting price of $58,805 drive away. That makes it an appealing choice for budget-savvy buyers who refuse to compromise on style and functionality.
Inside for example, you’ll find a dual 12.3-inch screens, presented as a single unit that stretches halfway across the dash and shows a traditional list of instrument cluster type information, as well as all your infotainment content.
Seamless connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is provided, along with a wireless charging pad that impressively works through a phone case (although it does make the phone quite hot). Even the cloth seats and the 6-speaker sound system are impressive.
There’s storage everywhere, with plenty of cupholders (even in the third row), and USB ports for all. The Santa Fe is nothing if not practical, with a tonne of cargo space that’s ready for everything from groceries to sports equipment and luggage.
For larger items, the rear seats can fold down for a flat loading floor. With the third row stowed, you get 628-litres of storage, while dropping that middle set of pews gives you a massive 1949-litres of usable space, making it perfect for families and trips away.
Externally, it rides on 20-inch alloys and features a full LED lighting package. It would be remiss of us not to talk about its design though. Its hard-edged look has a real retro feel to it, while still allowing it to stand out against more curvy rivals.
But the one place that doesn’t work is at the rear, where its back end feels like a real mismatch to the rest of the vehicle, and takes some getting used to. Look, it’s fair to say it’s got a rear only a mother would love (or perhaps someone with poor vision).
That shouldn’t tarnish just how great the rest of the Santa Fe is, because it really is that good a car. On the road, the Santa Fe’s driving dynamics stand out, delivering a smooth ride with minimal road noise.
The responsive steering gives a sense of control and confidence, whether navigating tight city streets or cruising down the highway. The suspension is a little firm though and while it handles pot holes and road surfaces, it does struggle with speed humps quite badly.
Under the hood of this 7-seater is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired to Hyundai’s exceptionally good and very refined hybrid setup a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The combination delivers 172kW of power (combined) and 367Nm of torque via three drive modes, including Eco, Sport and the programmable MyDrive. Hyundai claims fuel economy of 5.4-litres/100km and we managed 6.4-litres in real world testing. Again, impressive.
It has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, in no small part thanks to a list of tech that includes blind spot monitoring a surround view camera, parking collision avoidance, driver attention warning, forward collision avoidance assist with junction turning and high beam assist.
You’ll also find rear occupant assist and safe exit warning, among others. All that safety goodness comes at a cost though, and some of it is genuinely annoying. Granted, you can turn some of them off or reduce the sensitivity, but your decision isn’t saved.
That means you need to reset everything on every journey, which is the opposite of convenient. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe comes in Creamy White, Abyss Black, Magnetic force, Ocado Green, Pebble Blue and Typhoon Silver.
All-in-all it’s a stylish, roomy mid-to-large sized SUV that features plenty of excellent tech, making it a must for your test drive list, especially if you don’t plan to head off road. If you’re keen to tow, the hybrid FWD variants offer 1650kg braked towing capacity.
This family friendly SUV is also backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty. You can find out more on the Hyundai Australia website or by talking to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Credit One, Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker.
To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Hyundai Australia for independent review purposes. Images supplied.
