LIKES
- Handsome looks
- Comfortable ride
- High-quality interior
- Value of base model
- Standard auto braking…
DISLIKES
- …but fewer standard safety features this year
- Sluggish transmission
- So-so fuel economy
- Lesser models have lesser interior trim
BUYING TIP
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is a sure bet for safety, space, and swiftness.
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe has finally found its niche. It floated between the compact and mid-size crossover SUV niche for years. With the latest Santa Fe, Hyundai has put the 2020 Santa Fe squarely in the mid-size category, as it makes way for its three-row Palisade and its smaller Tucson.
The 2020 Santa Fe has admirable fit and finish in top versions, competitive performance and styling, and excellent safety ratings. All come without sacrificing its trademark value. We give it a 7.0 out of 10.
The crossover carries over with minimal package and option shuffling, but strangely, some desirable active safety features like rear cross-traffic alert and automatic rear braking are no longer standard; now they’re limited to the SEL trim and above.
Compared to the prior model, the new Santa Fe is sharper and more upscale. Borrowing the two-tiered headlight system from the rest of the lineup, it’s altogether more boxy, more upright, and tougher-looking than its predecessor. The interior is high-quality as they come, with contrasting stitching, handy storage cubbies, and fine materials.
A 2.4-liter inline-4 comes standard, and adequately motivates the nearly 3,600-pound Santa Fe with 185 horsepower, but the optional 2.0-liter turbo-4 is much better suited to the task. An 8-speed automatic transmission provides smooth (if slow) shifts, and optional all-wheel drive can be had for $1,700 while front-wheel drive is standard.
Thanks to a three-inch-longer wheelbase than the old five-passenger model, the Santa Fe fits all occupants comfortably with plenty of cargo space behind the rear seats and storage cubbies throughout.
Hyundai’s trademark value is present here too, with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and automatic emergency braking all standard for around $25,000 on the base SE model.
The latest Santa Fe received a five-star crash test rating from the federal government last year, as well as a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.
Styling
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe sports sharp sheet metal and a logical, high-quality cabin design.
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe no longer looks like an also-ran, with a distinctive style that’s undeniably handsome. We give it 7 out of 10 for its sharp sheet metal and pleasant interior.
A two-tier headlight system, taller proportions with a boxier roofline, and sharp detailing make the Santa Fe an attractive crossover. The trademark Hyundai grille looks better on its more upright front end, and even base models look the part with 17-inch alloys and as much chrome and plastic body cladding as top-tier examples.
The interior is high-quality and comparatively curvy, with a broad dashboard that wraps around both the driver and passenger separately. A 7.0-inch infotainment screen (8.0-inch on higher-priced models) is standard and sits front-and-center, while climate controls are easy to access and clear to read.
Performance
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe handles predictably and rides smoothly; its base engine is just adequate.
The base 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe has an uninspiring powertrain, while its turbo-4 does a better job of generating enthusiasm. It’s also blessed with a pliant ride, no matter which model’s chosen. Based on the more popular versions with the lower-output engine, we give it 6 out of 10 for performance.
The Santa Fe comes standard with a 2.4-liter inline-4 that makes 185 horsepower. While it’s certainly not fast, this humble engine is adequate to get the Santa Fe moving. A 2.0-liter turbo-4 is available and makes 50 additional ponies for a total of 235 hp and is far superior to the base engine. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional on every trim level. An 8-speed automatic is the only gearbox option; it shifts with leisurely responses, even when it’s toggled into a more sporty mode.
The Santa Fe delights in ride quality however, with an optional self-leveling rear air suspension for calm rides and more confident towing ability. Handling is well-managed if unexciting, and the steering is light for everyday use.
Comfort & Quality
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe can seat up to five adults in comfort, and surrounds them with plenty of cargo space.
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe gained a few inches in length with its redesign last year, and the results are worth celebrating. We give it 8 out of 10 in this category as it easily seats five adults, and has the cargo space to carry just about anything we need.
In the last generation, the Santa Fe came in both short-wheelbase, five-passenger “Sport” and seven-passenger standard form. The former is gone while the latter has been replaced by the new 2020 Palisade. The Santa Fe now is five-passenger only. Got it? Good.
Thankfully, an additional 2.8 inches of length and 2.6 inches between the axles makes for plenty more passenger and cargo space, with over 40 inches of leg room for rear occupants.
Material quality is generally top-notch across the range, including contrasting stitching, high-quality trim pieces, and good build quality, though some cut-rate materials are present.
Safety
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe earns excellent crash-test scores, but loses some formerly-standard active safety features this year.
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe gets good crash-test scores and includes automatic braking as standard. Unfortunately, while Hyundai has added optional safety features for this year, it’s taken away a few that were standard on the 2019 model. We rate it 8 out of 10 here.
This year, the Santa Fe is an IIHS Top Safety Pick award winner, and the 2020 model receives five stars overall from the federal government. Automatic emergency braking is standard, and Hyundai has added blind-spot monitors on Limited models, as well as rear occupant alert for the base SE and SEL models.
However, in a curious move, the Santa Fe no longer comes standard with the blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic alert and automatic braking systems, as those features are moved to the SEL trim and above—likely to save money. It’s a step backward, but doesn’t affect its strong crash-test ratings.
Features
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe comes well-equipped, and loads up its options list into near-luxury territory.
As is trademark Hyundai style, the 2020 Santa Fe is well-equipped as standard and even near-luxury at the top of the range. It scores 9 out of 10 here, with extra points for standard features, value, excellent warranty coverage, and good infotainment.
For 2020, the Santa Fe loses the top-tier Ultimate trim and SEL Plus trim; Limited models gain options and packages to make up the difference. The trims now stand at SE, SEL, and Limited, with the latter offering Convenience and Premium packages.
The Santa Fe SE comes with cloth upholstery, 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and automatic emergency braking, though not a few other active features as we mentioned in the section above. Also standard is Hyundai’s excellent 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, still an advantage over the competition. The SEL adds heated front seats, a power driver seat, and keyless start. Option packages add features that include premium audio, leather upholstery, cooled front seats, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen.
Fuel Economy
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is reasonably fuel-efficient for a mid-size SUV.
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe manages average fuel economy for a mid-size SUV. We give it 4 out of 10 here.
Base, 2.4-liter Santa Fe models manage 22 mpg city, 29 highway, 25 combined while all-wheel drive comes with a slight penalty, resulting in 21/27/24 mpg, according to the EPA.
The turbocharged 2.0-liter model makes 20/27/23 mpg. The all-wheel-drive version manages 20/26/22 mpg, but does include 50 more horsepower over the base model.
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