There are many things one needs to consider when choosing a new vehicle. It is completely understandable as it is a big investment. If you will have to pay a huge amount of money for a new car, you would want to get the most out of it. While others go for a flashier car, others opt for value, practicality and functionality. If you are looking for all of this and more, we might know the best car for you.
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With consistently placing in high rankings and getting high scores in reviews and data from different websites, it could really be the car you are looking for.
OVERVIEW
Fresh from last year’s redesign, Hyundai is at it again with the latest addition to their line up – the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. It belongs to the fourth generation of Santa Fe that was launched last year. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is named the winner of the 2020 Best 2-Row SUV for the Money award and a finalist of the 2020 Best 2-Row SUV for Families award of U.S. News and World Report. It is also given high rankings and scores under the Midsize SUVs category in ratings and reviews from different car websites. It is highly praised for its spacious interior, its handsome exterior, its practicality, functionality and its value. Its capacious cabin and its safety features make the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe ideal for a family.
EXTERIOR
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe has the looks to show off. It is often characterized as a handsome SUV. The Hyundai’s signature cascading grille is set low and is seen across its front section. All trims have a chrome accent grill that is topped with a dark chrome piece that extends across the front with slim LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) on each side. The LED projector beam headlights are positioned below separated from the LED DRL in a much larger set. The LED fog lamps are lowered, available for the pricier trims. The flat black, slim flat silver details and the creases up the hood create a unique, modern look. The rear view has less striking details than the front but you will appreciate its clean and modern look. All trims have solar control front glass and rear privacy glass with added acoustic-laminated front side glass for the priciest trims. Also, the base trim rides on 17” alloy wheels, the upper trims on an 18” alloy and the premium one on 19” alloy wheels. As for its dimension, the new Santa Fe stands 66.1 inches tall with a length of 187.8 inches and a width of 74.4 inches. The lightest model weighs in at 3,591 lbs. while the heavier trim at 4,085 lbs.
INTERIOR
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe’s interior is very spacious and appealing. It is made for comfort and convenience yet has an expensive overall look on it. High end materials are used for the interiors. Soft materials used for the parts where you usually touch, including the dash and armrests. The controls are in one place and within reach for convenient driving like the steering wheel that is mounted with audio, cruise and Bluetooth controls. The speaker covers are uniquely designed too. Cloth upholstery in seats is standard on the base trims and leather seating is available for the pricier ones. The seating capacity can accommodate 5 people – 7-8 if teens and children will use the rear seat. The front seats have generous legroom of 44.1 inches and a headroom space of 41.2 inches. The backseats offer a leg room of 40.9 inches and head room of 39.2 inches, with a total interior volume of 146.6 cubic feet. As for the cargo space, the new Santa Fe can offer its 35.9 cubic feet for it, enough space to carry all of your daily necessities. If you will be in a certain situation where a bigger space for cargo is needed, you can fold down the second-row seats and that can instantly give you a cargo area of 71.3 cubic feet. Also with the 60/40 Power Push-Button seats, you can add the needed space quickly and easily. There is also an under-floor storage compartment you can use to store and secure your valuable items. A hands-free smart liftgate with auto open and adjustable height setting is also available for the upper trims. It is best when both of your hands are not available when setting up cargos in the new Santa Fe.
One can also enjoy the following features included in select trims:
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
- 60/40-split fold-flat seats with recline and adjustable head restraints
- Power windows with driver and front automatic down/up
- Power door and lift gate locks
- Remote keyless entry system with alarm and panic
- Dual front automatic temperature control with CleanAir Ionizer
- 7” colour display audio system
- Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® connectivity
- Wireless device charging
- 8” touchscreen navigation
- Dual front/rear 2.1-amp USB outlets (1x power/data & 3x power)
- Heads-up display
- Satellite radio
- Bluetooth hands-free phone system
- Blue Link Connected Car Service
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror with HomeLink®, and many more
SAFETY FEATURES
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe takes pride in its safety features. For its pricier trims, a standard feature called the Safe Exit Assist (SEA) is added. When the vehicle is parked, SEA alerts the driver or the passengers who would like to exit the vehicle when a vehicle is approaching from behind. If the Child Locks are activated, SEA helps secure the passengers by preventing the car doors from opening if it detects that there’s a vehicle approaching from behind.
It also has the best amount of standard safety features that includes:
- Adjustable front seat shoulder belt anchors
- Front seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters
- Power window lock-out button
- Anti-lock braking system with 4-wheel disc brakes
- Electronic stability control with traction control system and brake assist
- Rear occupant alert
- Forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection
- Lane keeping assist
- Driver attention warning
- Anti-theft system integrated with remote keyless entry and panic alarm
- Hillstart assist control
- Driver and front passenger advanced airbags (2)
- Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact airbags (2), and
- Roof-mounted side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors (2)
The premium trims have additional safety features like the SEA, the Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Parking Distance Warning, Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert (Ultrasonic ROA), Immobilizer, and the Downhill Brake Control optional for the all-wheel drives. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe takes safety very seriously. It is no wonder that it has been named as a Top Safety Pick and consistently has high ratings in reviews in safety-feature categories.
ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND BODY
There are two available engines in the new Hyundai Santa Fe, the standard 185-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and the powerful, turbocharged 235-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. The torque peaks at 178lb.-ft at 4,000 RPM for the base trim engines while the premium trims engine peaks at 260lb.-ft at 1,450-3,500 RPM. The 8-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic® makes the shifts smooth. The standard powertrain is front-wheel drive. An optional all-wheel drive is also available.
The latest fourth-generation Santa Fe is supported by its unibody chassis of high-strength steel. With a front suspension of MacPherson struts with gas-filled damper and a rear suspension of Multi-link with gas shock absorber – both with stabilizer bars, the whole suspension system is fully independent. It also has a Motor-Driven Power Steering feature that assists the driver of the vehicle for a smoother drive and steering in every driving situation. Its turning diameter, from curb-to-curb is at 37.5 feet and when the standard 4-cylinder engine is equipped, the new Santa Fe can tow up to 2,000 lbs. weight while the stronger turbocharged trim increases this figure to 3,500 lbs. with trailer brakes and 1650 lbs. without trailer brakes.
FUEL CAPACITY AND MILEAGE
This model’s fuel economy is moderately good though not really outstanding compared to its rivals. With a fuel tank capacity of 18.8 gallons, the 2.4L Front Wheel Drive can cover 22 mpg in city driving, 29 mpg in highways and 25 mpg in combined while the All-Wheel Drive can only cover 21 mpg in city, 27 mpg in highways and 24 mpg in combined. For the 2.0L FWD, city driving gets 20 mpg, highway is 27 mpg, and combined is 23 mpg. Same with the 2.4L AWD, the 2.0L AWD also reduces about 1 mpg in city, highway and combined driving.
DRIVING IMPRESSION
When it comes to driving, the 2020 Santa Fe is more than okay. It lacks thrill and excitement as the 185 horsepower 4-cylinder engine does not make the Santa Fe feel fast and powerful. If you want more power for any type of driving, you can opt for the turbocharged engine. Overall, the ride provides a collected and comfortable driving experience. The navigation is stable and secure even when driving to a corner. The road and wind noise are kept low and muffled, handled very well by the inside cabin. The suspension mutes up the bumps and the control is quite direct. The steering is also smooth, well-weighted and responsive, so are the brakes. It is best for everyday city driving as it is easy to maintain and manoeuvre.
PRICING
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe lineup comes in three trims, but the option between two engines available makes it a total of five trims. The base trim SE starts at $26,275, next is SEL with a 185 horsepower 2.4L 4-cylinder engine at $28,025, then the SEL 2.0T with 235 HP 2.0L 4-cylinder engine at $34,875, the Limited 185 horsepower 2.4L 4-cylinder engine trim at $36,025, and the premium Limited 2.0T with 235 HP 2.0L 4-cylinder engine at $37,875. Though the new Santa Fe offers generous features in its base trims, it is completely understandable if some would still want to add more. The SEL is the only trim that has an extensive package options. By adding $2,250, you can avail the Convenience Package and enjoy these features:
- Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert
- Parking Distance Warning – Reverse
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Roof side rails
- Hands-free smart liftgate
- Acoustic-laminated front side glass
- Dual automatic temperature control with CleanAir Ionizer
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
- Rear side-window sunshades
- Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with HomeLink®
- Infinity® Premium Audio with 12 speakers including subwoofer, external amplifier, Clari-Fi™ Music Restoration Technology and QuantumLogic® Surround, and
- Wireless charging pad
Then there’s the Premium Package at $2,750 that includes the following features:
- Panoramic sunroof
- LED interior lights
- LED headlights
- LED tail lights
- LED fog lights
- Side mirrors with turn-signal indicators
- Satin chrome exterior door handles
- Leather seating surfaces, and
- 8-way power, height-adjustable, passenger seat
The features included in the Convenience Package and the Premium Package is also available in the Limited trims as their standard features. There are also nine different colours to choose from. There’s Quartz White, Symphony Silver, Machine Grey, Earthy Bronze, Lava Orange, Scarlet Red, Rainforest, Stormy Sea, and Twilight Black.
WARRANTY AND COMPLIMENTARY MAINTENANCE
The safety of every car owner is the top priority of Hyundai. With this in mind, Hyundai has a warranty that supports their commitment to provide high quality and reliable vehicles. Vehicle and Powertrain Coverage includes a 10-Year / 100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, 5-Year / 60,000-Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty, 7-Year / Unlimited Miles Anti-Perforation Warranty, and a 5-Year / Unlimited Miles 24-Hour Roadside Assistance. There is also a Parts, Accessories and Emission Coverage that offers a 12-Month / 12,000-Mile Replacement Parts and Accessories Limited Warranty, an 8-Year / 80,000-Mile Federal Emission Defect and Performance Warranty, and a 7-Year / 70,000-Mile California Emissions Control Systems Warranty.
Hyundai also offers complimentary maintenance for the new 2020 – 2010 Hyundai models purchased on or after February 1, 2020 at normal factory scheduled intervals for 3 years or 36,000 miles or whichever comes first. The benefits include engine oil and oil filter changes, tire rotations, multi-point inspection, Hyundai genuine oil filters & Hyundai recommended oil, and the Extended Hyundai Protection Plans is available for severe usage intervals or extended terms.
VERDICT
Overall, 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe boasts of practicality and offers a lot of useful features, with the pros outweighing the cons. There is no wonder it scored high in reviews and ranking. If you are looking for a reliable, comfortable vehicle that also ensures your safety, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe might just be perfect for you.