2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 model year launched the fifth-generation Santa Fe. Every gas trim, including the volume SEL, uses the 2.5-liter turbo four rated at 277 hp. The hybrid alternative makes 231 hp combined.

The 2.5T makes 311 lb-ft, which is plenty of pull for a two-row-plus-occasional-third-row crossover. The hybrid makes 271 lb-ft.

The turbo Santa Fe runs 0–60 in about 6.7 seconds with AWD, which is quick for a mainstream mid-size crossover. Some independent tests report low-6-second times.

The turbo four is strong and responsive once the car is moving. Its pairing with the wet dual-clutch makes launches from a stop and creeping through traffic hesitant, and the engine gets coarse at high revs. The hybrid's engine-to-motor handoffs are noticeable but acceptable.

The 2024 gas Santa Fe uses an 8-speed wet dual-clutch. It shifts quickly at speed but is jerky at creep speeds and slow to respond from a stop. Hyundai later replaced it with a conventional automatic. The hybrid's 6-speed automatic is smoother.

With trailer brakes, the XRT is rated at 4,500 lbs, which beats most mainstream mid-size crossovers. The other gas trims are rated at 3,500 lbs.

HTRAC AWD is available on every gas and hybrid trim and is standard on the XRT. It's an on-demand system with drive modes but no low range or locking differential.

The XRT adds all-terrain tires, extra ground clearance, standard AWD and the higher tow rating, which makes it capable on gravel and snow. It has no low range, lockers or real underbody protection, so it isn't trail hardware.

US buyers choose between the 277-hp 2.5T gas engine and the 231-hp 1.6T hybrid, each with FWD or AWD. The previous generation's plug-in hybrid was dropped for 2024, and there is no EV.

The volume gas Santa Fe is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined with FWD, 23 with AWD and 22 as the XRT. That's average for the mid-size class.

City economy is the turbo four's weak spot at 20 mpg, since the gas model gets no electric assist.

Highway economy is mid-pack for the class at 29 mpg with FWD.

A 17.7-gallon tank at the EPA's 24 mpg combined works out to about 425 miles of range.

The EPA estimates about $2,700 a year in fuel for the FWD gas Santa Fe, which is on the high side for the class.

Even though it's turbocharged, the 2.5T runs on regular unleaded, so owners don't pay for premium fuel.

NHTSA rates the redesigned 2024 Santa Fe 4 stars overall with both FWD and AWD. A 4-star frontal result holds it back; side crash is 5 stars and rollover 4 stars. That leaves it a star short of the 5-star overall most mid-size rivals earn.

The 2024 Santa Fe earned a Top Safety Pick, not the Plus. It rates Good in the small overlap, original moderate overlap and updated side tests, but only Marginal in the updated moderate overlap test because of rear-passenger head/neck injury measures and restraint kinematics. Hyundai addressed that for vehicles built from December 2024 on, which is when the later TSP+ applies; 2024 models do not get it.

Hyundai SmartSense is standard from the base SE. It includes forward AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning detection, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keeping and Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Assist and parking distance warning. That covers the whole core list. It falls short of the top because Highway Driving Assist, the camera aids and reverse auto-braking are reserved for higher trims.

IIHS rates the standard front crash prevention Good in both the tougher vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 evaluation and the pedestrian test, which includes nighttime scenarios. Junction-turning detection also covers left-turn-across-path crashes.

Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (which brakes) and Safe Exit Assist are standard. The volume trims get alert-only blind-spot warning, though. The Blind-Spot View Monitor camera and active blind-spot intervention come only on the upper trims, and IIHS lists rear automatic braking as optional.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist (lane centering) are standard on every trim. Hyundai's centering is among the smoother mainstream systems: it tracks the lane center without ping-ponging.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go is standard and works with the standard Lane Following Assist, making a capable full-speed-range package. The integrated Highway Driving Assist, with navigation-based speed adaptation, is standard only on higher trims (XRT/Limited, HDA 2 on Calligraphy), so an SE/SEL buyer gets good ACC rather than the full highway assist.

No 2024 Santa Fe trim offers hands-free highway driving. Even the Calligraphy's HDA 2 requires hands on the wheel and disengages after escalating warnings.

IIHS rates the LED projector headlights Acceptable on all trims, with High Beam Assist. That is consistent across the range, but a grade short of Good.

The boxy, upright body gives a good forward view. Reviewers flag the thick pillars and small rear window, though. Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor make up for it only on the Limited and Calligraphy.

Four rear seating positions have full LATCH hardware (second-row outboard plus the third row), and wide rear doors on the longer fifth-generation wheelbase help with fitting multiple seats. IIHS rates ease of use Acceptable, not Good.

The fifth-generation (MX5) Santa Fe launched for 2024 as a three-row SUV in the US; SE/SEL/XRT/Limited seat seven on a second-row bench, while Calligraphy gets captain's chairs for six.

The boxy MX5 roof yields 41.1 in of front headroom, near the top of the mid-size SUV range.

44.4 in of front legroom sits at the very top of the SUV band.

40.6 in of second-row headroom exceeds the top of the SUV band thanks to the upright fifth-generation roofline.

Class-leading 42.3 in of second-row legroom on the gas volume trims — the new 2024 MX5 added about 35 mm over the fourth generation.

A standard third row that suits kids and teens — 37.7 in headroom and 30.0 in legroom with some recline — but the low cushion leaves adults knees-up, so adults are short-trip only.

40.5 cu ft behind row two is competitive for a compact three-row footprint but well short of larger three-rows; only 14.6 cu ft remains with all seats up.

79.6 cu ft maximum, aided by the square body and wide tailgate opening; mid-pack against bigger three-row rivals.

Dual glove boxes, a deep two-level console usable from both rows, a UV-C sterilization tray on upper trims and a column-mounted shifter that frees console space; volume trims get a single wireless pad, the dual-pad console is Calligraphy-only.

Broad, supportive front seats and a roomy, well-padded second row; testers rate them good for the class rather than standout long-haul chairs, and the front cushion is polarizing across body types.

An absorbent, slightly soft-for-class ride that settles well over broken pavement without float — a real strength, though not the plushest in the segment.

Wind noise is well controlled despite the slab-sided shape, but the 2.5T turns coarse and loud under hard acceleration and the XRT's all-terrain tires add hum.

Heated front seats, power driver's seat and dual-zone automatic climate arrive on the volume SEL; Limited adds ventilated front seats and more; the richest kit stays on Limited and Calligraphy.

2024 is the launch year of the fifth-generation (MX5) Santa Fe. The redesign raised the base price about $5,260, but a standard three-row SE still undercuts most mid-size gas rivals.

SEL is the volume trim and most buyers add HTRAC AWD, which puts a typical 2024 Santa Fe at about $39,600 delivered.

Service-cost data puts the Santa Fe near the cheap end of the class. The 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty covers most repairs in the window, and Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance pays for roughly the first three years of oil changes and rotations.

Retention is middling, around the mid-size SUV average and behind Toyota's three-rows. The 2024 has already lost about 29% in two years.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile new-vehicle warranty tops the band, two years longer than the Toyota/Honda 3-year norm.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain term maxes out the band. It covers the original owner only.

The 2024 gets Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance (3 yr/36,000 mi of oil changes and tire rotations), 5 years of unlimited-mile roadside assistance, and a Bluelink connected-services trial. That is multi-year included maintenance plus meaningful perks, ahead of ToyotaCare's 2 yr/25,000 mi.

$39,645 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (48% retained, or about $19,030) leaves about $20,615 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,300 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $23,915 in total.

Mixed signals for the launch year of the fifth-generation (MX5) Santa Fe: J.D. Power's quality & reliability score is strong, but Consumer Reports predicts only about-average reliability, and the gas 2.5T's 8-speed wet dual-clutch carries a first-year roll-away recall and widespread low-speed judder complaints.

Hyundai sits in the upper-middle of the industry rather than the top tier: top-third in Consumer Reports' brand rankings but roughly industry-average in J.D. Power's three-year Vehicle Dependability Study, trailing sibling Kia.

A heavy first-year recall record: NHTSA lists seven campaigns touching the 2024 Santa Fe, including a transmission-control roll-away defect remedied with DCT inspection/replacement, a floor harness that can chafe and disable airbags, a starter-terminal short/fire risk, a rearview-camera harness defect, and seat-belt anchors that may detach — several in safety-critical systems.

The gas Santa Fe pairs the 2.5L Smartstream T-GDi four with the 8-speed wet dual-clutch, the generation's weakest link: low-speed shudder complaints, clutch-pack replacements, and a 2024-only TCU recall with transmission replacement as needed. Hyundai dropped the DCT for a torque-converter automatic for 2026; the engine itself has no broad failure pattern.

A strength of the new generation: reviewers describe a cabin that presents above its price, with quality switchgear and materials rising from cloth on SE to synthetic leather on SEL/XRT and Nappa, wood and suede headliner on Calligraphy; hard plastics remain in low-touch zones.

Cabin assembly feels tight in reviews, but the launch year's recalls are dominated by assembly-line installation errors at the Montgomery, Alabama plant — a mis-routed floor harness, an improperly installed starter terminal cover, a mis-fitted rearview camera and a proud sunshade switch knob — marking build consistency below mid-pack.

Dense nationwide coverage of roughly 850+ franchised Hyundai dealers, backed by the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty; service satisfaction is mid-pack rather than a standout in J.D. Power's CSI.

A high-volume, US-built nameplate with broad parts supply and below-average running costs; DCT clutch-pack replacements and turbo hardware keep it short of the top band.

Every 2024 Santa Fe trim, from SE to Calligraphy, gets a 12.3-inch center touchscreen — no smaller base screen.

The crisp 12.3-in display is logically laid out and keeps physical audio knobs, but the climate panel uses capacitive touch buttons with no haptic feedback, and the launch-year head unit predates the faster interface Hyundai brought for 2026.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2024 trim including the base SE.

Hyundai's connected voice assistant handles climate, audio and navigation commands competently and navigation receives OTA map updates, but most owners default to phone projection.

A 12-speaker Bose system is a worthwhile upgrade but reserved for Limited and Calligraphy; lower trims get an ordinary six-speaker setup.

The full panoramic curved display (12.3-in cluster + 12.3-in touchscreen under one glass) is crisp and configurable but only on Limited and Calligraphy; the volume trims pair the big touchscreen with a small partial-digital cluster.

The ccNC architecture supports over-the-air software and map updates plus purchasable features via Hyundai's Bluelink Store, beyond maps-only but with a modest cadence of feature-adding updates.

MyHyundai/Bluelink offers remote start with climate, lock/unlock, locate and status, and Digital Key 2 phone-as-key arrives on the volume SEL.

USB outlets in all three rows and a 110V outlet (XRT and up) are generous, but wireless charging is a single pad on SEL and up, with the dual-pad console only on Calligraphy.

Proximity entry, push-button start and a hands-free smart liftgate are standard on the base SE, and Digital Key 2 phone-as-key comes on SEL and up.

Rear camera and parking sensors are standard; Limited and Calligraphy add Surround View, Blind-Spot View Monitor and Remote Smart Parking Assist, none of which reach the volume SEL.

A head-up display is offered only on the range-topping Calligraphy; no volume-trim buyer can get one.

Tall, square door openings, class-leading second-row room (42.3 in legroom, 40.6 in headroom) and a standard third row make family logistics easy; held back by IIHS-Acceptable LATCH and just 14.6 cu ft behind row three for a stroller.

IIHS Top Safety Pick (not Plus — the updated moderate-overlap test rated Marginal for 2024 builds) and a strong standard SmartSense suite on the base SE, but NHTSA rates the 2024 only 4 stars overall with Acceptable headlights.

Rows one and two are excellent over distance with an absorbent ride and USB power in every row, but the knees-up third row and 14.6 cu ft of cargo with all seats in use force a people-or-luggage trade-off.

Light steering, a settled ride and standard adaptive cruise help, but the 2024's 8-speed dual-clutch hesitates at rolling stops then surges, lacks creep and feels jerky in parking lots — the flaw Hyundai fixed for 2026 with a torque-converter automatic. Touch-only climate controls add friction.

At 24/23 mpg combined (FWD/AWD) the gas volume trims are thirsty for a modern midsize crossover at about $2,700–2,800 a year in fuel, partly offset by regular-fuel running and below-average repair costs.

At about 190 in long it is compact for a three-row SUV and its upright body is easy to place, but the 37.9 ft turning circle is average and thick pillars with a small rear window hurt visibility; surround view is upper-trim only.

A unibody family crossover rated for 3,500 lbs on most trims and 4,500 lbs on the XRT — fine for a small trailer or jet skis, far short of truck-based midsize rivals.

No fleet reputation, first model year of an all-new generation, and the wet dual-clutch is the weak link under heat and load (replaced for 2026); the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty softens the risk.

Household outlet, USB in every row, cargo tie-downs and underfloor storage are useful, but nothing is aimed at trades — no washable surfaces, no upfit ecosystem, no frame.

An absorbent ride, comfortable seats, quiet highway cruising and standard adaptive cruise with Highway Driving Assist on XRT/Limited and HDA 2 on Calligraphy make it a good tourer; ~425 miles of range per tank is average.

The XRT adds lift, all-terrain tires, standard HTRAC AWD, roof crossbars and a 4,500 lb tow rating, and AWD is optional elsewhere — a credible camper for gravel and snow, though not an off-roader; Terrain Mode arrived only for 2026.

A tailgate designed for a wide opening feeds a flat, square 40.5 cu ft hold behind row two and 79.6 cu ft maximum, with underfloor storage, roof rails and hitch availability; the 14.6 cu ft behind row three is the limit.

Confident, well-balanced handling for a three-row family SUV with restrained roll in normal driving; composed rather than engaging, mid-pack in class.

Steering is responsive and naturally weighted with more feedback than typical for the class, though still short of genuinely communicative.

Stopping distances are good for the class, but the pedal is soft and the nose dives heavily in panic stops.

The 277-hp 2.5T pulls strongly once moving, but the 2024's 8-speed dual-clutch hesitates at rolling stops, then surges, slips at step-off and lacks creep — a drivability flaw Hyundai removed for 2026.

Quiet at cruise, but the turbo four sounds coarse under hard acceleration and the XRT's all-terrain tires add hum.

A 37.9 ft curb-to-curb turning diameter on the 110.8 in wheelbase — mid-pack for a mid-size three-row SUV; the platform is unchanged across the fifth generation.

Upright, commanding position with abundant head and knee room and big glass, but some drivers struggle to find a wheel position that clears the cluster, the column shifter sits where the wiper stalk usually lives, and climate controls are touch-only.

Quick enough at roughly 6.5–7 s to 60 and pleasant to steer, but comfort-biased damping, a coarse engine and the jerky low-speed DCT leave no reason to take the long way home.

The $33,950 SE comes standard with three rows, the 277-hp 2.5T, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, LED lighting and the SmartSense driver-assist suite. That matches or beats pricier Pilot and Grand Highlander base trims, though a power driver seat and heated seats wait for the SEL.

A standard three-row, 277-hp turbo mid-size SUV from $33,950, with the hybrid only $500 more than the equivalent gas trim, prices well under comparable Toyota and Honda trims. The $5,260 generational price jump trims some of the old bargain edge.

Five gas trims (SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy) and three hybrid trims, each available with FWD or HTRAC AWD, span $33,950–$48,300, and the off-road XRT is a genuinely different variant. The hybrid has no SE entry trim and there is no US PHEV.

Calendar 2024 was the changeover year, with the new generation reaching dealers in spring. US sales held steady at about 113,000, solid mid-size volume rather than a leader, before the 2025 record surge.

Hyundai is now a design- and tech-led mainstream brand with near-average resale, and the boxy 2024 redesign drew strong design praise. It lacks Toyota's resale halo, so the badge is a neutral-to-mild positive.

Hyundai financing arrived almost at launch, and by late 2024 there was 0% APR for 48 months or up to $3,500 cash back on select 2024 models. That is real buyer benefit without desperation pricing.

2024 is the launch year of the all-new fifth-generation MX5, with a new design, a standard third row and current infotainment. First-year buyers do carry launch-year risk, including the 8-speed DCT that was later recalled and replaced for 2026.

It earned IIHS Top Safety Pick, was a MotorTrend SUV of the Year finalist, and was named TopGear.com's SUV of the Year. Reviewers praise the design and space but rarely rank it first over Telluride/Palisade-class rivals, and it won no 10Best.