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2022 Hyundai Santa Fe review

Research, photos, specs, and expertise
7 photos

Hyundai Santa Fe highlights

Customer rating

Pros

  • Well equipped
  • Good performance with turbo 2.5-liter engine
  • Intuitive infotainment system

Cons

  • Overly soft suspension
  • Unsteady power delivery

Mileage (EPA estimate)

21 city, 25 highway, 24 combined

Pricing for current inventory

(no current inventory)

7 photos
Price
Year

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is a roomy, comfortable 5-passenger crossover SUV

The Santa Fe is a stylish crossover SUV with seating for five, slotting into the Hyundai lineup between the compact Tucson and midsize Palisade. Refreshed for the 2021 model year with fresh styling and an updated interior, the Santa Fe comes into the 2022 model year with a fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain as well as the new XRT trim, which gives the Santa Fe a rugged look. The Santa Fe Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid are covered separately on CarMax. Hyundai offers the 2022 Santa Fe in five trims: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The three lower trims feature a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter engine, while the Limited and Calligraphy upgrade to a more powerful turbocharged engine putting out 281 horsepower. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all trims are available with all-wheel drive. With a long list of standard features and a stylish, roomy cabin, the Santa Fe competes well against models like the Honda Passport, Toyota Venza, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

All Hyundai Santa Fe years

What is new for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe?

  • The Santa Fe is available in a new trim called the XRT.
  • Santa Fe trims have been upgraded with Running Boards and 20 Inch Plus Wheels as standard equipment this year.
  • The SEL trim now comes with Remote Start as standard equipment.
  • The Limited trim now comes with Harman Kardon Sound and Navigation System as standard equipment.
  • The Calligraphy trim now comes with Satellite Radio Ready as standard equipment.

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe trims

Curious how Hyundai Santa Fe trims differ? Use our side-by-side vehicle comparison to see the differences and similarities

SE:

  • 191-hp, 181-lb-ft of torque 2.5L
  • Rear Defroster
  • Cloth Seats
  • Power Mirrors
  • Rear View Camera
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Traction Control
  • Overhead Airbags
  • View our Hyundai Santa Fe SE inventory

SEL:

XRT:

Limited:

  • Includes all features available on the XRT
  • 277-hp, 311-lb-ft of torque 2.5L
  • Panoramic Sunroof
  • A/C Seats
  • Memory Seats
  • Sunroofs
  • Leather Seats
  • Rear Seat Heaters
  • Heated Steering Wheel
  • Parking Sensors
  • View our Hyundai Santa Fe Limited inventory

Calligraphy:

Hyundai Santa Fe photos

5 reasons to buy the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe

What We Like

Interior: The front seats in the Santa Fe are very comfortable with multiple adjustments and available heating and cooling. Rear passengers will be pleased with the extensive legroom and headroom, and the available panoramic sunroof keeps the cabin bright. Large door openings make for easy entry and exit, and once the doors are closed, the cabin remains very quiet thanks to extensive sound insulation and dual-pane front windows.

Technology: Hyundai offers the Santa Fe with either an eight-inch or 10.25-inch display screen, the latter found in the higher-level trims. The infotainment system is one of the more intuitive on the market, with simple navigation and quick access to the most used features. Apple CarPlay® and Android Autoare standard, with wireless connection on the smaller screen and a wired hookup required for the larger display. Hyundai equips the Santa Fe with the latest advanced driver-assist systems, including adaptive cruise control with lane keeping, which works quite smoothly.

Storage: The Santa Fe brings plenty of utility with more than 36 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and a remote release in the cargo area for the rear seatbacks makes it easy to expand the space to haul larger items. There are plenty of storage locations in the cabin, with reasonable space in the armrest bin as well as a large cubby located below the gear selector.

What Needs Improvement

Performance: The turbocharged engine option for the Santa Fe delivers more than adequate horsepower, and Edmunds achieved a respectable 0-60 mph time of 6.6 seconds. But when driving around town, the power delivery is not very smooth. It can be challenging to get the power you want as the eight-speed automatic is always trying to put the vehicle in the highest gear possible. The Santa Fe is quite comfortable cruising on the highway but tends to lean when pushed on a curvy road.

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

3
1
2
Above Average

RepairPal gave the Hyundai Santa Fe an overall reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks Hyundai Santa Fe 17th out of 32 among Midsize SUVs.

View RepairPal's full rating of the Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe features and specs

SE 2WD 4D Sport Utility

Standard Features

  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • Alloy Wheels
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Android Auto
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Cloth Seats
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • Full Roof Rack
  • Tow Hitch

Drive Wheels

Front Wheel Drive (2WD)

Engine size

2.5L

Horsepower

191

Torque (ft-lbs)

181

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

18.8

Wheelbase

108.9"

Overall length

188.4"

Width

74.8"

Height

66.3"

Leg room

F 44.1"/R 41.7"

Head room

F 41.2"/R 39"

Front tires

P235/60TR18

Rear tires

P235/60TR18

Seating capacity

5

Max towing capacity

200/2000 lbs.

Transmission

Automatic

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe FAQ

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