2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

It’s that time again! That’s right, back by popular demand, its the Car’s in Review post. This week we will be exploring the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, and well let’s be honest, a farewell to the Santa Fe as we all know it. Have you seen what they did with the 2024 version? Tears, that’s all I can say. Why mess with something that was already perfect? But I guess they knew what they were doing…right? 

Overview – What’s New?

So first things first, the price. The 2023 version starts at $30,085 and honestly not much changed, besides the reshuffling of standard equipment of course. Hyundai decided to remove the SEL convenience package and changed up the look of the front fascia, but this also all depends on what trim level you are looking at. For the SE model (and higher), acoustic laminated front windows were added, which does help with sound insulation, and puddle lamps that light the ground near the doors. 

Newly standard equipment on the SEL model includes the following: leather wrapped steering wheel, rear sunshades, navigation based adaptive cruise control, and a 10.3 inch centre touchscreen. This is also now standard on every hybrid model (just in case you were thinking about getting one), as well as a navigation system that accepts over the air updates. The plug-in hybrid now comes standard with Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist semi-autonomous drive mode and a bigger touchscreen.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Santa Fe comes with a couple different powertrain options, 4 to be exact, that now include a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The standard engine found under the hood is a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder that makes 191 horsepower. Buyers can opt for the more powerful turbocharged 2.5 liter mill which makes 277 horsepower. Either option you choose, comes available with an 8 speed automatic transmission and standard front or optional all wheel drive. For the 0-60 mph test, the gas-fed XRT model was one that was used and it made it in 9.6 seconds. The loaded Calligraphy model (with a turbocharged four cylinder engine) was put to the test as well and made it in 6.0 seconds flat. The 2023 Santa Fe has some impressive towing capabilities (just another notch under the belt) with the gas-fed Santa Fe able to tow up to 3500 lbs and the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models up to 2000 lbs. 

Range, Charging, and Battery

The plug in hybrid Santa Fe comes with a 12.4-kWh battery pack that has the ability to deliver up to 31 miles of electric-only driving, according to the EPA.

Fuel Economy and Real World MPG

There are a couple different figures for this section depending on the engine found within the vehicle, but don’t worry, we have you covered! For the non-turbo four cylinder model, it is estimated (by the EPA) that it will make 25 mpg city and 28 highway. The hybrid model earned 36 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. 

For the highway fuel economy test, an all-wheel-drive Calligraphy test vehicle (equipped with a 2.5 liter turbo four) produced 27 mpg. 

Infotainment and Connectivity

Santa Fe’s in general are really nice cars and this extends even to the infotainment system and connectivity aspects. The 2023 model comes with 2 size options for the touchscreen, 8.0 inch or 10.3 inch. This includes user friendly controls and desirable features. It also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard options as well as an optional wireless charging and a 630-watt, 12 speaker audio system. 

Safety and Driver Assistance Features

Overall, the 2023 Santa Fe received a 5 star rating for the crash result test, which is pretty impressive in general, but this is a common occurrence for Hyundai. In 2019, three cars from Hyundai (the Santa Fe, Tucson, and Sonata) were awarded the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Government 5 star overall safety rating. 

The Santa Fe comes with a ton of standard driver assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. Other key safety features also include: 

• Standard forward collision warning and automated emergency braking 
• Standard adaptive cruise control with stop and go technology 
• Standard lane departure warning and lane keeping assist 

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

As if you needed another reason to buy a car from Hyundai, here is one anyway. Hyundai has one of the best warranty plans on the market, mainly due to the lengthy powertrain coverage. The company also offers complimentary scheduled maintenance that puts them one step ahead of their rival, Toyota. So could you really ask for more? Yes, yes you can, and they figured you would so they also granted the following: 

• Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles 
• Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles 
• Complimentary maintenance covers three years or 36,000 miles