2026 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Hyundai Santa Fe fills a unique niche in the world of 3-row SUVs. Although on the smaller and more affordable side of its class, it still brings tons of versatility with its spacious interior that has a third row of seats when you need it, and a generous cargo hold when you don’t. A potent standard turbocharged engine delivers a confident driving experience, while impressive safety ratings and class-leading warranty coverage enhance the Santa Fe’s credentials as a sensible choice in midsize SUVs. A more efficient hybrid option is available, which we review separately.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Hyundai Santa Fe gets a few small but important updates for the 2026 model year. Few will notice, but the old 8-speed DCT transmission has been swapped for a traditional 8-speed automatic without a dual-clutch setup. A couple of safety features that are now available across all trims are automatic emergency braking with junction turning/driver oncoming monitoring, and full-speed adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality. There are also new Terrain Modes (Mud, Snow, Sand) for the rugged XRT trim and some shuffling of features in the upper trims, including the old Forest Green Beige interior option being swapped for Pecan Brown.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is smaller than most midsize 3-row SUVs, so it’s also more affordable. Its pricing is comparable to that of a similarly equipped Kia Sorento.

Before buying a Santa Fe, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Hyundai Santa Fe resale value is about average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe is powered by a 277-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). This is impressive potency for a base engine in this class. We’ve tested the Santa Fe full of children, and it never felt lacking in daily driving duties or highway passing, and it always remained smooth, comfy, and reasonably quiet. It’s an SUV that reliably does what the driver needs it do to.

Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist system has long been one of our favorite semi-autonomous systems of its kind. It’s available here in two versions. The top Calligraphy trim has Highway Driving Assist 2 with lane-changing assistance. Basic smart cruise control with stop and go (a standard feature in the Santa Fe) is commendable, and an absolute boon in both open highway and congested traffic situations.

Most of our testing so far has been in a Calligraphy model. Still, we must give a shout-out to the Santa Fe XRT, the rugged variant with extra ground clearance (8.3 inches, as opposed to the usual 7.0 inches), greater towing ability (4,500 pounds versus 3,500), and all-terrain tires. On an off-road course that was more challenging than the type of terrain most Santa Fe owners will ever tackle, we found the XRT surprisingly capable. With its all-wheel-drive system set to Lock mode for even torque distribution, the XRT Santa Fe scampered up steep, rutted, and rocky trails and took the fear out of descending those trails with its hill descent control. Its new Mud, Snow, and Sand modes make it even easier to manage in varied terrains.

Fuel Economy

The Hyundai Santa Fe is rated at up to 20 city/29 highway/24 combined mpg with front-wheel drive and 20 city/28 highway/23 combined mpg with all-wheel drive. The taller XRT model with knobbier tires returns 19 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg.

These efficiency ratings are about average for a midsize SUV. Meanwhile, the hybrid version of the Hyundai Santa Fe boasts up to 36 combined mpg, yielding lower fuel costs than the non-hybrid by about $54/month, according to EPA estimates.

We’re big fans of the Santa Fe’s features, roominess, practicality, and interior design. Hyundai offers a Panoramic Curved Display integrating the infotainment screen and digital gauge cluster in one seamless unit. We’ve found it works well, conveying all the necessary information without being overwhelming.

A twist-to-drive column shifter opens up the center console where a traditional gear lever would usually go. Now that space holds the wireless phone charging pad (dual wireless charging pads come on higher trims). Materials are of impressive quality. With a nod to sustainability, the Santa Fe comes with recycled plastic in the seatbacks, mats, and headliner. Fine Nappa leather seating surfaces are available. Our only gripe is that most climate functions, including fan speed, rely on touch-sensing technology rather than a physical control. At least it still has knobs for temperature control.

This generation of Santa Fe comes with three rows of seating as standard. Most variants have a second-row bench and seating for up to seven; the 6-seater Calligraphy has a pair of exceptionally comfortable captain’s chairs in the second row. Unsurprisingly, the larger Palisade SUV has more space for people and stuff, but the Santa Fe still has plenty of legroom (42.3 and 30 inches in rows two and three, respectively). This is a pretty good third row, but still best reserved for children and occasional use. This SUV also has ample cargo space — 14.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 40.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 79.6 cubic feet when all of the back seats are folded down.

Those second and third rows fold nearly flat, while the huge tailgate complements an equally sizable aperture leading into what Hyundai calls a “terrace-like” space inside. The result (and intention, according to Hyundai’s designers) is a place where owners can tailgate or even sleep.

The boxy Hyundai Santa Fe has a rugged yet modern look, and the “H” motif in the LED lighting is a Santa Fe hallmark. Its sharp angles, straight lines, and floating roof design give the illusion that it’s bigger than it is.

We’d understand if you were confused by Hyundai offering three different models in the midsize 3-row SUV class. In addition to the Santa Fe, there’s the bigger Hyundai Palisade, which is available with gas or hybrid powertrains, and the more upscale Hyundai Ioniq 9, which is all-electric. We bring them up to clarify that the Santa Fe is the smallest and most affordable 3-row option in the Hyundai lineup.

Powered tailgate
If there’s one feature we always (and we mean always) appreciate in an SUV, it’s this. Even better, this one has hands-free operation and adjustable height settings. Better still — it’s standard across the lineup.

Built-in grab handle
Hyundai really meant it when it said the Santa Fe was designed to be an activity vehicle, one where you might put stuff on the roof. To help you get up there is an ingenious hidden grab handle in the C-pillar above the rear wheel. It’s flush until it’s pressed, and it’s even lockable.

Dual wireless charging pads
There’s no need to fight the passenger to juice up with this thoughtful feature, now standard in the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims.

Bi-directional center console
The Santa Fe features a dual-level center console, the top of which flips up from the front or back for easy access from either of the first two rows. We think this is a brilliant idea.

Hyundai Digital Key 2
Standard in all but the base model, this feature enables you to use your phone as a key to lock, unlock, and start the Santa Fe. Plus, you can share this digital key with up to three people.

Blind-Spot View Monitor
Standard in the Limited and Calligraphy trims, this ingenious feature displays real-time video of the left and rear sides of the vehicle in the instrument cluster when you initiate the turn signal.

Hyundai Pay
We’re always happy to see technology like this. It allows users to pay for things like parking and gas directly from the touchscreen while safe inside the vehicle. For example, there’s no need to swipe a credit card at a sketchy gas station and risk getting the number skimmed. It’s standard in XRT and higher trims.

A turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine endows the Santa Fe SUV with 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. This goes through an 8-speed automatic transmission to a standard configuration of front-wheel drive, or optional all-wheel drive (the XRT has all-wheel drive as standard).

5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

The Santa Fe enjoys class-leading warranty coverage. Hyundai’s excellent coverage includes a 5-year/60,000-mile (whichever happens first) basic warranty, a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan.

Safety Ratings

The Hyundai Santa Fe boasts excellent safety ratings, which is what you want in a family vehicle. It’s the recipient of the Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), earning the top “Good” score in almost every category of its testing. Meanwhile, it gets a 5-Star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, full-speed adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assistance.