2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is available in three basic trim, SE, SEL, and Limited. Standard on all trims is a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that makes 185 hp and 178 lb.-ft. torque. Also standard on those trim is an eight-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel or all-wheel drivetrains are an option on all variants too.

The top-tier Limited variant gets the option of a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that makes more power than the base engine. The optional turbo-four produces 235 hp and 260 lb.-ft. torque. Other than that all trims are very well-equipped with features.

The SEL variant too can be equipped with the more powerful engine when opted for with the Convenience and Premium packages.

Trim	SE	SEL	SEL 2.0	Limited	Limited 2.0
MSRP(FWD)	$25,400	$25,900	$32,750	$35,650	$35,250
Key Features	Noise-reducing windshield	Same as SE	Heated steering wheel	Same as SE and SEL	HID headlights with dynamic bending light
	Stain-resistant cloth upholstery	Leather upholstery	8-inch touchscreen	Ventilated front seats	Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
	Reclining rear seats	Cross-traffic warning	Blind view monitor	Heated rear seats	Panoramic sunroof
	Apple CarPlay	Blind-spot monitoring	Dual-zone climate control	Heated steering wheel	6-passenger swaeting w/second row Captain chairs
	Android Auto	Heated front seats	18-inch wheels	8-inch touchscreen	Chrome tipped dual-exhaust
	Automatic emergency braking	Power-adjustable driver's seat	Adaptive cruise control	Blind View Monitor	Automatic high beams

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The base SE variant is very affordable and comes with a host of features that make it a great package. However, it misses out on the optional turbocharged powertrain which is available on the Limited variant. But the Limited variant is a good $10,000 more expensive than the base. So ideally, the SEL variant makes the most sense. It is very reasonably priced. Plus it can also be equipped with the more powerful powertrain option. In all, the SEL trim brings with itself a wide variety of options and features while being significantly well priced.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe lets you choose from two different powertrain and drivetrain options. Standard on the Santa Fe is a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that makes 185 hp and 178 lb.-ft. torque. This base engine is adequately powerful but fails to impress.

To make things more exciting, there’s the optional 2.0-0liter turbo-4 which suits this SUV much better. This engine makes more power than the base engine. At 235 hp and 260 lb.-ft. torque, it feels a lot more superior than the otherwise humble standard engine.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 Sport SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
MSRP	$25,500	$25,345	$24,795	$25,345
Engine	2.4L I4	2.5L i4	1.5L I4	2.4L i4
Transmission	8 Speed automatic	6 Speed automatic	6 Speed automatic	Continuously variable automatic
Horsepower	185 hp@ 6000rpm	187 hp@ 60000rpm	170 hp@ 5600rpm	184 hp@ 6400rpm
Torque	178 ft-lbs@ 4000rpm	186 ft-lbs@ 4000 rpm	203 ft-lbs@ 2000rpm	180 ft-lbs@ 3900rpm

Front-wheel drive is offered as standard on the Santa Fe. While there’s an optional all-wheel drivetrain on offer too. The drivetrain manipulates the engine’s power sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission on all trims of this Hyundai.

How fast is the Hyundai Santa Fe?

The 2020 Santa Fe’s base 2.4-liter engine is powerful enough for passing maneuvers on the road. However, when it comes to instant acceleration, the engine feels uninspiring. Pair that with the slow shifting automatic transmission, and the result is less than satisfactory.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
0-60 mph	8.9 sec	8.7	N/A	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.7 sec	16.7	N/A	16.0 sec
Engine	2.4L i4 Regular Unleaded	2.5L i4 regular unleaded	2.4L i4 Regular Unleaded	1.5L i4 Turbo Gas/Ethanol
Emissions(tons/year of CO2 at 15k miles/year)	N/A	6.3	6.3	N/A

It takes this Hyundai SUV almost 9 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour mark from a standstill, which is too slow as compared to the rest of the competitors in this face-off. Speeding things up for the Santa Fe though is the other 2.0-liter turbo-four engine which significantly improves this SUVs acceleration.

What about the braking performance of the Hyundai Santa Fe?

The brakes on the Hyundai Santa Fe are more responsive than its engine. It may not be able to take off as quickly but can definitely stop on a dime. The brakes provide ample feel and feedback.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
Brake Front (in.)	12.6	11.7	N/A	N/A
Brake Rear (in.)	12.0	11.9	N/A	N/A
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3591	3541	3274	3307
60-0 MPH (ft.)	130	136	N/A	115

The brakes inspire confidence in all driving scenarios. Under emergency stopping scenarios, this SUV managed to come to a halt in 122 feet from a speed of 60 miles per hour.

What about its driving dynamics?

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is a much sedated SUV overall. The engine is calm but confident. The transmission is slow but smooth. Accordingly, the ride quality of this SUV is also very relaxing.

The steering wheel is light enough to make everyday drivability feel pretty relaxed. Even sliding into more performance-focused sporty modes doesn’t affect this SUVs leisurely driving demeanor.

The Santa Fe can be equipped with self-leveling rear air suspension. Those are one of the must-have options for this SUV. Swapping the stock rear suspension with the air suspension makes up for all the more calmer rides.

Still, taking this SUV out for some spirited driving sessions on the racetrack isn’t exactly recommended. However, in order to do that, it is advisable to swap the base engine with the more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four.

Compared to the other mid-size SUVs in this segment, the Santa Fe does not really stand out when it comes to its fuel efficiency numbers. This Hyundai’s MPG ratings are only average with respect to the other competitors.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
MPG (city)	22	25	26	26
MPG (highway)	29	31	32	32
MPG (combined)	25	28	28	28
Range (city/highway) (miles)	414 / 545	370 / 459	387 / 477	364/448
Tank Capacity (gal)	18.8	14.8	14.9	14.0

With its base 2.4-liter engine, the Santa Fe manages to return a combined fuel economy of just 25 miles per gallon, While the other more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four is even less economical with a combined MPG rating of just 23 miles per gallon.

The redesigned Santa Fe from 2019 got longer by a couple of inches, 2.8 to be exact. Its width also increased by 2.6 inches. As a result, the Santa Fe is now roomier than before. The taller roofline also cleared up some amount of headroom in the cabin.

Seats on this Hyundai are also pretty comfortable. There's an ample amount of cushioning on the seats and they provide good angular support. Cloth trim is standard and does feel a bit thin though. Otherwise, the quality of material used is top-notch.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	41.2/59.1/44.1	39.7/57.1/41.0	40.0/57.2/40.9	40.1/57.9/41.3
Second  (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.2/58.3/40.9	39.0/54.8/39.6	38.5/55.5/39.9	39.2/55.6/40.4

Is the interior loaded with tech?

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe features a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment setup on the base model. While the higher more expensive trim gets 8.0-inch screens. Regardless, the controls are easy to use and understand. The infotainment features the following tech :

• Bluetooth connection
• Smart device integration
• Auxiliary audio input
• MP3 player

Creature comforts offered by the Hyundai Santa Fe

The list of comfort features on the 2020 Santa Fe isn’t too long though. They include:

• Infinity Premium Audio with 12 speakers and QuantumLogic Surround and Clari-Fi Music Restoration Technology
• Steering wheel audio controls
• Power mirrors
• A/C
• Cruise control
• Keyless entry

What about its utility?

The new Hyundai Santa Fe has benefited greatly from its redesign. The longer and wider Santa Fe now frees up more space on the inside to offer more practicality. Along with increased headroom and legroom, even the boot space has improved significantly.

It offers almost 36 cubic feet of space to stow your luggage. It is simply the best in class offering by this SUV from Hyundai.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	35.9	30.9	29.9	39.2

Hyundai gave their Santa Fe lineup a complete design overhaul for the year 2019. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe carries forward the same design elements from the previous year with no changes whatsoever.

It features the same bigger, more aggressively styled grille. The front is more upright and houses a two-tier headlight system. At the sides, the doors feature a sculpted design to make this SUV look sleeker than it actually is.

The roofline is boxier and looks taller than before. The SUV-like proportions have been carried forward all the way to the back with a tailgate that is more vertical and upright than the Santa Fe Sport.

Model	Hyundai Santa Fe SE SUV	Mazda CX-5 SPORT SUV	Chevrolet Equinox L SUV	Honda CR-V LX SUV
Curb weight (lbs.)	3591	3541	3274	3307
Length(in)	187.8	179.1	183.1	180.6
Width(in)	74.4	72.5	72.6	73.0
Height(in)	66.1	66.2	66.3	66.1
Ground clearance (in)	N/A	7.5	N/A	7.8
Wheelbase (in)	108.9	106.2	109.8	104.7
Track width (in) F/R	64.3/64.7	62.8/62.8	62.2/61.8	62.9/63.5

What are those eye-catching features?

• Roof-mounted Center High-Mount Stop Light
• Automatic headlights
• Bodycolor exterior mirrors
• Chrome accent front grille
• Bodycolor door handles
• Front 2-speed/variable intermittent windshield wipers

The 2020 Hyundai Santa-Fe has not been crash-rated by agencies yet. 

Safety Features include: 

• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
• Parking Distance Warning – Reverse
• Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)
• Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert (Ultrasonic ROA)
• Immobilizer
• Safe Exit Assist (SEA)
• Adjustable front-seat shoulder belt anchors
• Outboard Front & Shoulder Safety Belts
• Rear child safety locks
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA)
• Vehicle stability management (VSM)

Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Honda CR-V LX

The Honda CR-V makes a much better case for itself than the Santa Fe. It costs less, has a more powerful engine option and when it comes to proving its worth, the CR-V impresses more with its big boot space. There's no denying that the Cr-V is better all round SUV than the Santa Fe in general.

Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Mazda CX-5 SPORT

The Mazda CX-5 Sport is one competent SUV. It has a bigger, more powerful engine than the Sanat Fe. Still, it manages to be more fuel efficient than the same. Also the Mazda is less expensive. All these factors support the CX-5 Sport's case. However, the Santa Fe is just as quick as the CX-5 Sport while chasing down quarter miles. Also it is a lot more accommodating. As an overall SUV the Santa Fe satisfies more than the CX-5 Sport.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is definitely a very wise choice considering all SUVs in this segment. It offers a highly relaxed ride. The seats are comfortable and there’s plenty of room in the cabin. Plus, even on the base variant, the quality of materials used feels fairly upscale. So built quality in general is quite good. However, this SUV is not going to excite you all that much with its base engine. So you might want to consider getting the optional 2.0-liter turbocharged powertrain that will make up for the base engine’s slouchy demeanor.