- KBB’s 2-Row Midsize SUV Best Buy Award winner for 2021
- Significant refresh makes a good SUV even better
- Wide array of standard driver assists and standard safety features
- New platform allows for available hybrid and plug-in hybrid options
- Pricing starts at $27,000 (plus $1,185 destination) | Price yours
The Hyundai Santa Fe is on this list for the second year in a row because it is a comfortable, fuel-efficient vehicle that comes nicely equipped regardless of trim level. However, Hyundai has improved nearly every aspect of the 2-row midsize Santa Fe, making it even better for 2021.
The new 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is even more fuel-efficient. The new gas engines are more powerful and have better fuel economy, and the Hybrid is more efficient yet. This SUV is also more luxurious, with a redesigned interior and a new top-of-the-line Calligraphy model. There are new safety features, as well as more storage space. Yet its price still starts well below $30,000.
Three Powertrain Choices, with a Fourth on the Way
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe rides on a new platform, which paved the way for the availability of a hybrid, as well as a plug-in hybrid (expected to arrive as a 2022 model). Last year’s Santa Fe was offered with a choice of gas engines, with a choice of 185 or 235 horsepower. For 2021, the gas engines put out 191 horsepower and 277 horsepower, each getting up to 28 mpg. And the hybrid, with an estimated combined 225 horsepower, has been EPA-rated at 36 mpg. As we explained in the Expert Review of the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe, “The turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, with 277 horsepower, provides plenty of power for easy merging onto the freeway, even with four full-size adults aboard … we like this engine and appreciate its abundant low-end torque.”
That makes it easy to take the family over the river, through the woods, and up steep freeway inclines without having to worry about struggling to get to the top of the hill, even when all five seats are occupied. It also means that if you decide to tow a small boat or RV to your family’s favorite vacation spot, the engine will provide enough muscle to get the job done. Better yet, a plug-in hybrid model will join the Santa Fe lineup next year, which could mean even fewer stops at the gas station.
Safety Comes Standard
With the 2021 Santa Fe’s new platform comes a structure that benefits from more reinforcements, a move that reduced weight while bolstering protection in the event of a collision. Beyond that, the Santa Fe comes standard with the company’s SmartSense advanced driver assist systems.
Features such as forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Rear-Occupant Alert are standard. Move up the trim level lineup and you can also get blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, surround-view monitor, and the company’s Safe Exit Assist, which warns if there is a vehicle coming up the road as a passenger starts to open a door.
Practicality Meets Luxury
The Santa Fe’s interior also benefited from the new platform, as the ride improved and the interior is even quieter. The cabin was redesigned for 2021 with new elegant color combinations, available Nappa leather seats, and ambient lighting. But that doesn’t come at the expense of an interior that’s plenty roomy for a family of five. It has easy-to-use connectivity, an available 10.25-inch navigation screen, and more interior storage space than before. There’s also more room for cargo in the back of the 2021 Santa Fe, and a clever storage spot under the cargo floor.
Between the impressive amount of tech and safety features that come standard, an excellent warranty, and impressive fuel economy, you get a lot of vehicle for a relatively low starting price. That makes it an appealing value for a family of five.
More 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
Build and price your own 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price, 5-Year Cost to Own, and more, or see Hyundai Santa Fe models for sale near you.
