Santa maybe. If you’re the sort of person who wants their Christmas tree loaded with presents, you’ll feel right at home in the Santa Fe’s new Calligraphy edition. The model name wouldn’t seem out of place on a Bentley, and neither would a sumptuous cabin dominated by Nappa leather and ambient lighting. The windows are thicker than on standard 2023 Santa Fes, the upholstery is more finely woven, and a head-up display joins 20-inch wheels on the standard spec list.
Surprisingly, the Calligraphy isn’t the most expensive model in the Santa Fe range. The slightly less opulent [though still luxurious] Limited model costs $47,000 in plug-in hybrid mode, where the Calligraphy retails at $42,000 with a gas engine. There are three lesser trims starting at around $30,000, but SEL offers enough goodies for most buyers. It packs navigation and remote start, wireless smartphone charging, and a power tailgate. If that’s still not enough, the Premium package introduces a 12.3-inch digital display, a Harman Kardon sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and a surround-view camera system. Spec it as a hybrid, though, and you’ll be knocking on the door of $40,000.
Not an object of beauty. Hyundai has produced some eye-catching designs lately, from the Tucson’s three-tier headlamps to the rakish Santa Cruz pickup. By comparison, the Santa Fe is something of an ugly duckling. That outsized cheesegrater grille and quartet of headlamps are an almost truck-like combination, while the side profile is underwhelming at best. At least the rear works better, with twin horizontal slashes and neater light clusters than the Santa Cruz.
Inside, the dash is more button-heavy than some competitors but still combines aesthetics with ergonomics. The infotainment screen is prominent and easy to use, and we’re glad to see Hyundai resisting the trend for haptic temperature controls. Digital sliders might look suave in Volkswagen press photos, but they’re a pain to use in the real world. In the Fe, practical controls complement extensive storage spaces in a commodious cabin where six-foot rear passengers won’t feel hemmed in by a six-foot driver.
Plenty of powertrain choice. If you don’t care much about driving, the 191 horsepower inline-4 gas engine will get you where you want to go. The turbocharged 277 hp unit is more potent, despite both units being strangled by an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that takes its sweet time before choosing a gear. We’d move straight onto the plug-in hybrid that delivers over 30 miles of electric-only range while returning 32 mpg combined even on heavier flagship trims. The standard Santa Fe hybrid is even more economy-focused, with a six-speed gearbox and a modest 226 hp, but it lacks its sibling’s low-range urgency.
The Santa Fe plug-in hybrid’s creamy power delivery best suits the comfortable ride served up by models without 20-inch wheels. Speaking of comfort, we’re big fans of the Santa Fe’s seats. Well-shaped and supportive on all models, front seat occupants also benefit from heating, cooling and power adjustment on higher trims. Outboard second-row passengers receive their own heating controls, while dropping these seats down doubles the standard 36 cu ft of cargo space.
Suitable for light off-roading. The Santa Fe isn’t pretending to be a Land Rover Defender, which would leave it standing in an off-road duel. Hyundai’s model does have eight inches of ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive on hybrids and plug-in hybrids [it’s an option on gas models]. Four-wheel independent suspension keeps the car moving on rutted terrain, albeit rather noisily. The steering is responsive and quick, though stodgy handling means you’d never grab the keys and drive for the sheer hell of it.
One notable positive for Santa Fe buyers is an excellent safety score, achieving the highest marks from both the NHTSA and IIHS. Standard safety fitments include active lane control, adaptive cruise, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking.
Final thoughts. SUV buyers tend to prioritize space, comfort, equipment, and safety. On all those fronts, it’s a win for the Santa Fe. Passengers will have few gripes in a light and comfortable cabin, with a supple ride and [on higher trims] extra glazing helping to drown out suspension noise and roar from tires that can become unnecessarily big. Hyundai has rightly focused on maximizing safety and creature comforts, and the Calligraphy edition is genuinely opulent.
The Santa Fe is also unpretentious. It won’t rescue your friend from halfway up a mountain or carry six passengers to the match, but what it does, it does very well. We’d rate it even higher if Hyundai could retune that dim-witted eight-speed gearbox, and streamline the rather fussy exterior styling.
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