Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe: Which Version Should You Buy?

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-door SUV offered across eight catalogue entries covering five generations, including restyled versions. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize fuel use, acceleration, ground clearance, or power.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-door SUV offered across eight catalogue entries covering five generations, including restyled versions. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize fuel use, acceleration, ground clearance, or power. Among versions with measured figures, the fourth-generation-restyling 1.6 AT Plug-in records the lowest combined consumption at 1.5, while the fourth-generation 2.0 AT Gasoline reaches 100 km/h quickest at 7.7 seconds. The fifth-generation 2.5 GDI T AT has the highest listed output at 281 hp, matched by the fourth-generation-restyling 2.5 DCT at 281 hp. Buyers needing the greatest measured clearance should look at selected first-generation versions with 207 mm.

Hyundai Santa Fe generations: what changed?

The first generation, produced from June 2000 through January 2006, is an SUV 5-doors range with 27 versions. Its displayed engine choices include 2.0 MT and 2.0 AT Diesel versions with 112 or 126 hp, a 136 hp 2.0 MT Gasoline, and a 136 hp 2.4 MT Gasoline. Manual and Automatic transmissions, FWD and AWD, 65-litre tanks, and measured ground clearance from 188 to 207 mm appear in the data.

The second generation ran from December 2005 through January 2010 as an SUV 5-doors and contains 31 versions. The displayed specifications concentrate on turbocharged Diesel choices: 2.0 MT and 2.0 AT versions produce 151 or 184 hp, while 2.2 MT and 2.2 AT versions produce 150 or 155 hp. FWD and AWD are both represented, and the listed tank capacity is 75 litres. Its restyling, produced from August 2009 through August 2012, contains 22 versions. The displayed range adds 197 hp 2.2 MT Diesel and 174 hp 2.4 MT Gasoline choices, with clearance measured at 201 or 203 mm on versions that provide the figure.

The third generation was produced from May 2012 through February 2016 as an SUV 5-doors with 23 versions. Displayed versions include turbocharged 2.0 MT and 2.0 AT Diesel engines producing 150 or 184 hp, a 197 hp 2.2 AT or 2.2 MT Diesel, and 3.3 AT Gasoline versions producing 249 or 270 hp. The restyled third generation ran from July 2015 through January 2019 and contains 18 versions. Its displayed range includes 150 hp 2.0 MT Diesel, 200 hp 2.2 MT and 2.2 AT Diesel, and 171 or 188 hp 2.4 MT and 2.4 AT Gasoline versions.

The fourth generation ran from March 2018 through January 2021 as an SUV 5-doors with 22 versions. Displayed choices span 150 and 185 hp 2.0 MT Diesel versions, a 150 hp 2.0 AT Diesel, a 235 hp 2.0 AT Gasoline, 172 hp 2.4 MT and 2.4 AT Gasoline versions, and 249 or 280 hp 3.5 AT Gasoline versions. The fourth-generation restyling, produced from June 2020 through July 2023, contains 11 versions and broadens the powertrain mix to Gasoline, Diesel, Hybrid, and Plug-in. It also introduces 8-speed Robotic versions alongside Automatic transmissions.

The fifth generation began in August 2023 and has no stop date in the supplied data. This SUV 5-doors range contains seven versions: 2.5 GDI AT, 2.5 GDI T AT, several 1.6 T-GDI versions, and 1.6 T-GDI 4WD. Outputs run from 194 to 281 hp, with Gasoline, Hybrid, and Plug-in powertrains; FWD and AWD are both listed.

Hyundai Santa Fe engine options and specs

Because identical modification names recur with different outputs, the table identifies them by generation and horsepower.

Hyundai Santa Fe performance, fuel economy, and mpg data

For acceleration, the fourth-generation 2.0 AT Gasoline is the quickest version with a measured result: 7.7 seconds to 100 km/h. The 249 hp and 280 hp fourth-generation 3.5 AT versions both take 7.8 seconds and reach 210 km/h. The restyled fourth-generation 3.5 AT takes 8.0 seconds and also reaches 210 km/h.

Among the later electrified choices, the restyled fourth-generation 1.6 AT Plug-in reaches 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds, versus 8.9 seconds for the FWD 1.6 AT Hybrid and 9.1 seconds for the AWD 1.6 AT Hybrid. Their measured combined consumption figures are 1.5, 5.5, and 6.1 respectively. The Plug-in therefore uses 4.0 less on the combined figure than the FWD Hybrid, while its measured CO2 figure is 37 rather than 126.

Diesel buyers can compare the restyled fourth-generation 2.2 DCT directly. The 202 hp FWD version reaches 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, consumes 6.3 combined, and produces 148 CO2. The 202 hp AWD version takes 9.2 seconds, consumes 5.9 combined, and produces 155 CO2. The 230 hp FWD and AWD versions take 9.0 and 9.2 seconds, with combined consumption of 6.3 and 6.4. All four list a top speed of 205 km/h.

In the fifth generation, the 215 hp Hybrid 1.6 T-GDI takes 9.6 seconds with FWD and 9.8 seconds with AWD; the AWD version records combined consumption of 7.4 and a top speed of 180 km/h. Acceleration, top speed, and fuel consumption for 2.5 GDI AT, 2.5 GDI T AT, the 215 hp Plug-in 1.6 T-GDI, the 235 hp 1.6 T-GDI, and 1.6 T-GDI 4WD are not measured where the corresponding fields are absent.

Hyundai Santa Fe dimensions, weight, clearance, tank, and wheels

The first generation offers the greatest measured clearance in this catalogue: selected 2.0 MT, 2.0 AT, 2.4 MT, and 136 hp 2.0 MT versions list 207 mm. Its tanks hold 65 litres, while measured kerb weights range from 1675 to 1845 kg and measured gross weights range from 2240 to 2520 kg.

The second generation generally lists 201 mm of clearance and a 75-litre tank. Its restyled range provides 201 or 203 mm and retains the 75-litre tank. The third generation lists 180 or 185 mm, usually with a 71-litre tank; the restyled third generation uses 185 mm and a 64-litre tank.

The fourth generation lists 185 mm of clearance and a 71-litre tank. Available wheel sizes are 235/65 R17, 235/60 R18, and 235/55 R19. The restyled fourth generation reduces clearance to 176 mm. Most Gasoline and electrified versions list a 67-litre tank, the 230 hp 2.2 DCT lists 71 litres, and the Plug-in 1.6 AT lists 47 litres. Listed wheel choices extend from 235/65 R17 through 225/45 R20, while the 202 hp 2.2 DCT specifies 255/45 R20 among its options.

For the fifth generation, measured kerb and gross weights are available for the 215 hp Hybrid 1.6 T-GDI: 2030 and 2640 kg. The AWD version lists 177 mm of clearance and 67 litres of tank capacity. The 235 hp FWD 1.6 T-GDI lists 235/60 R18 and 255/45 R20 wheels. Missing weights, clearance, tank capacities, and wheel sizes for the other versions are not measured.

Which Hyundai Santa Fe version should you buy?

For the lowest measured combined fuel consumption, choose the fourth-generation-restyling 1.6 AT Plug-in. Its 226 hp and 350 Nm are paired with a 1.5 combined figure, 37 CO2, 8.4-second acceleration, AWD, and a 6-speed Automatic transmission. It is also the heaviest measured version in that generation at 2005 kg, or about 8.9 kg per hp.

For a non-Plug-in alternative, the FWD fourth-generation-restyling 1.6 AT Hybrid combines 226 hp with 5.5 combined consumption. It weighs 1842 kg, about 8.2 kg per hp, and is 29 kg lighter than the AWD Hybrid. The AWD Hybrid uses 0.6 more on the combined figure and takes 0.2 second longer to reach 100 km/h.

For maximum listed power, compare the 281 hp fourth-generation-restyling 2.5 DCT and fifth-generation 2.5 GDI T AT. Both deliver 422 Nm from approximately 2.5 litres and produce about 112 hp per litre. The older 2.5 DCT provides measured kerb weights of 1725 kg with FWD and 1785 kg with AWD, equal to about 6.1 and 6.4 kg per hp. Performance figures for both 281 hp choices are not measured, so output alone cannot establish which accelerates faster.

For strong measured acceleration, the fourth-generation 235 hp 2.0 AT is the clear data-led choice at 7.7 seconds to 100 km/h. Its approximate specific output is 118 hp per litre, higher than the 280 hp 3.5 AT at about 80 hp per litre. The 3.5 AT counters with AWD, a measured 210 km/h top speed, and 45 more hp.

For Diesel torque, the fourth-generation-restyling 2.2 DCT with 230 hp delivers 450 Nm, which is 10 Nm more than the 202 hp 2.2 DCT and 50 Nm more than the fourth-generation 2.0 Diesel versions. If efficiency matters more than the extra 28 hp, the 202 hp AWD 2.2 DCT records 5.9 combined consumption, compared with 6.4 for the 230 hp AWD version.

For clearance and tank capacity, the earlier generations remain compelling on the supplied measurements. A first-generation version with 207 mm has 31 mm more clearance than the fourth-generation restyling at 176 mm. The second generation’s 75-litre tank holds 10 litres more than the first generation’s 65-litre tank and 28 litres more than the restyled fourth-generation Plug-in’s 47-litre tank. These are practical numerical differences, while reliability, engine problems, recall history, maintenance costs, prices, and trim distinctions such as Limited or Calligraphy cannot be compared because those facts were not supplied.