2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Fresh from a redesign of last year's model, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe carries into the new model year with no significant changes. But that's just fine with us. This latest-generation Santa Fe has an improved cabin look and feel. And, as is Hyundai's custom, it comes loaded with standard features, many of which come at an extra cost on its competitors.
Feb 15, 2018 Fe reviewed by Tom Marks on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Fe Review IGN. Unsubscribe from IGN? Cancel Unsubscribe. Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe 12.4M. Fe is a lovely platformer with wonderful music, but it fails to do anything interesting with its best ideas. PS4 Switch PC Xbox One. How does the scheduled break work for the FE Exam? FE Exam Practice Problem – Electrical Circuits. Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System Depreciation – Fundamentals of Engineering Economics.
On the downside, the quiet and roomy cabin falls a little short in overall cargo capacity. We're also unmoved by the Santa Fe's base engine. It'll do the job around town and has enough passing power for the freeway. But when you need to summon all of the Santa Fe's reserves, you have to be assertive and lay on the pedal. There is an optional, more powerful turbo engine, but that requires jumping a few trim levels — and several thousand dollars — to get it.
But overall, the Santa Fe does an excellent job at balancing the priorities of most compact SUVs. The interior is roomy, the ride is comfortable, and there's enough technology for everyone to stay connected. If you need something larger, consider a three-row SUV such as the Hyundai Palisade or the related Kia Telluride. But if you're looking for good value among two-row SUVs, you'll want the Santa Fe on your short list.
Overall7.8 / 10 |
|---|
Sized between a compact and a midsize crossover, the Hyundai Santa Fe impresses with its handling and usability. It's loaded with features that usually cost extra on its rivals. Its base engine is lackluster (a stronger turbo engine is optional), and fuel economy and cargo capacity only average. But if you need practicality more than performance, the Santa Fe is worth consideration |
Driving Performance7.0 |
The Santa Fe's standard engine is uninspiring at low speeds, but it's got adequate passing power for the freeway. In our tests, it did 0-60 mph in 9.1 seconds, which is slow for this class of SUV. The transmission is also slow to shift. You really need to pounce on the gas pedal and wait a beat before it will downshift for a quicker gear. On the upside, the Santa Fe's taut suspension and excellent brakes make it feel and handle more like a sedan than an SUV. Braking is smooth and confident under normal circumstances as well as during panic stops (it stopped from 60 mph in a respectable 122 feet in our tests). |
Comfort on the Road8.0 |
The Santa Fe is a flexible platform for passengers or cargo. The front seats are especially comfortable with a broad range of adjustments. The rear seats are stiffer but have an excellent slide-and-recline feature. Overall, the Santa Fe does a good job of absorbing bumps and irregularities in the road. Only successive hard edges, such as broken-up freeway cement, give it trouble. You won't have trouble hearing your passengers, though, because the cabin itself is quiet. The climate control works effectively to heat or cool the interior. Notably, the front seat heaters are excellent and go to work quickly. |
Interior Ergonomics8.0 |
The Santa Fe's most appealing attribute is its interior. All controls are laid out well and within easy reach, and the most often-used controls are hard buttons and knobs. Large door openings and narrow sills make it easy to get in and out, and both front and rear rows offer plenty of space and legroom. Taller passengers, however, may want for more headroom. The power-adjustable front seats have excellent range. But taller drivers will want 1-2 inches more extension from the steering wheel, and shorter drivers could use 1-2 inches more height. Visibility is a mixed bag: You'll have a clean view out the front and sides, but it's almost hopeless for over-the-shoulder looks. |
Infotainment and Automation8.0 |
The standard 7-inch infotainment system is easy to read and use. Key functions are readily accessible on the main page, and icons are sized well and spaced to avoid a cluttered look. The Santa Fe also comes with Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, and two USB charge-only ports for rear passengers. Audio quality from the upgraded 12-speaker audio system isn't that great. Voice commands work with radio, phone and navigation, and they respond well to natural speech. As for driver aids, adaptive cruise is excellent in stop-and-go traffic, and the sensitivity of features such as lane departure and blind-spot warning is customizable. |
Cargo and Utility7.5 |
The Santa Fe's cargo space is roomy and well thought out. But at 35.9 cubic feet, capacity is only average for the class. The sliding and reclining second-row seat improves flexibility for accommodating passengers and cargo. Interior storage isn't exactly generous, but the center console is spacious enough for personal items. The door pockets can accommodate a water bottle, and a shelf on the passenger side dash can hold large phones. The Santa Fe makes it easy to fit child seats in any of the three rear-seat positions thanks to clearly marked upper and lower car-seat anchor points. |
Edmunds' MPG Score6.5 |
The EPA says the front-wheel-drive Santa Fe with the base engine has an EPA rating of 25 mpg combined (22/29 city/highway mpg). We acheived 25.8 mpg on our fuel economy loop, though our total economy over 2 weeks reached only 21.7 mpg. |
Value and Ownership8.0 |
On a price-per-feature basis, the Santa Fe is tops. It's not the fastest or the most efficient, but its build quality and design stand out. You won't find fancy metals or woods, but interior fit and finish meets a high standard. Flourishes such as the speaker grilles and satin-finish trim feel upscale. A 10-year warranty is the icing on the cake. Only those needing tremendous cargo space or fuel efficiency will need to look elsewhere. |
Wild Card8.0 |
The Santa Fe doesn't aspire to heroic performance, comfort or luxury. But it is a capable SUV. Getting the optional turbocharged engine helps liven up the driving experience. It's not as large as three-row SUVs such as the Hyundai Palisade or rival Kia Telluride, but overall the Santa Fe will elevate the expectations of conventional compact SUVs. It's one of the few models that truly is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of basic transportation. |
Which Santa Fe does Edmunds recommend?
Fundamentals Of Engineering Review
NCEES FE Exam Prep Courses About our FE Exam Prep Courses. Are you looking to take an FE exam prep course? We can help you! Since 2004, we have been offering exam review courses to help students prepare for and pass NCEES exams.
Hyundai Santa Fe models
The 2020 Santa Fe is a five-passenger crossover available in three trim levels: SE, SEL and Limited. The SE comes loaded with features ranging from essential to useful, including stain-resistant cloth upholstery, a noise-reducing windshield, reclining rear seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, and driver aids such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams.
The SEL adds more driver safety aids with blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning and Safe Exit Assist (which prevents rear doors from opening into oncoming traffic). It also brings creature comforts such as push-button start, leather upholstery, heated front seats and side mirrors, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and Hyundai's Blue Link connectivity system.
Free Download Fe Civil Review Manual
The SEL also opens access to the Convenience and Premium packages, which offer features such as a panoramic sunroof, roof rails, a hands-free liftgate, and an upgraded sound system.
Moving up to the Limited puts all of the SE and SEL features, including options, on the table and adds ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen display (with navigation), and an innovative Blind View Monitor that displays a real-time camera image of blind spots on both sides of the car.
All trims come standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (185 horsepower, 178 lb-ft of torque), while the Limited is available with an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter engine (235 hp, 260 lb-ft). This engine is also optional for the SEL trim when equipped with both the Convenience and Premium packages. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board, and any model can be ordered with front- or all-wheel drive.