2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Review

　　

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is a small two-row SUV. The Santa Fe was one of Hyundai's first SUVs, though the lineup has expanded greatly since then. For 2021, Hyundai now offers a hybrid variant, building on the Santa Fe's strengths, such as a comfortable and handsome interior, with improved fuel economy. The Santa Fe Hybrid is loaded with features, tech and driver aids, even on base-trim models. Hyundai's excellent five-year/50,000-mile warranty and standard all-wheel drive only improve the package.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Blue 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$113/mo  for Santa Fe Hybrid Blue

　　Santa Fe Hybrid Blue

　　Blue 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A) - $33,650 MSRPSEL Premium 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A) - $37,600 MSRPLimited 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A) (Most Popular) - $39,950 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　The Santa Fe Hybrid is a bit of a tweener vehicle, both in Hyundai's own lineup and among the competition. It's larger than small SUVs like the Honda CR-V Hybrid but not quite as large as three-row SUVs like the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The Santa Fe Hybrid slots between the smaller Tucson and larger Palisade SUVs in Hyundai's own lineup (the latter is not currently available as a hybrid). Outside of Hyundai, rivals include the Honda CR-V Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Venza (sold only as a hybrid), and of course the Sorento Hybrid from Hyundai's sister brand, Kia. If you need more space than what a small SUV offers but don't need three rows of seating, take a look at the Santa Fe Hybrid.

　　

Which Santa Fe Hybrid does zzdcar recommend?

Most of the time, we suggest going with a midlevel trim. With the Santa Fe Hybrid, we think the base-level Blue trim is the one to have. It includes loads of standard features, in-car tech, and driver aids such as adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. Additionally, the Santa Fe Hybrid Blue nets the best fuel economy in the lineup.

　　

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid models

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is available in three trim levels: Blue, SEL Premium and Limited. All three are powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine paired with a hybrid system making 226 combined horsepower. A six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are standard across the board.

　　Blue

　　The Santa Fe Hybrid comes fairly well equipped from the start. Standard features include:

　　17-inch wheels LED headlights and taillights Keyless entry and ignition Remote start Power-adjustable driver's seat Heated front seats Leather-wrapped steering wheel Dual-zone automatic climate control 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 8-inch digital display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Wireless charging padStandard driver aids include:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping assist (steers the Santa Fe Hybrid back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the Santa Fe Hybrid and the car in front)SEL Premium

　　Besides all of the Blue's features, the SEL Premium includes:

　　Leather upholstery Power-adjustable passenger seat 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system 10.25-inch display with navigation Panoramic moonroof Enhanced adaptive cruise control (will assist with lane changes during highway driving)Limited

　　The top-level Limited trim includes everything available on the Santa Fe Hybrid. Features include:

　　19-inch wheels Power-folding mirrors Additional adjustment on driver's seat Driver's seat memory settings Ventilated front seats Heated rear seats Heated steering wheel 115-volt power outlet Rain-sensing wipers Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Santa Fe Hybrid and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Blind-spot camera (displays image in instrument cluster when changing lanes) Remote Smart Parking Assist (allows low-speed vehicle control through a smartphone)

　　

2021 Santa Fe Hybrid Highlights

Trim: BlueSEL PremiumLimitedBlue

　　

Base MSRP	$33,650
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	34 MPG
Cost to Drive	$113/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	36.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles