The transmission shifter is also push-button, and we’re less thrilled with that, but it’s at least not angled away from you like it is in Hyundai’s smaller Tucson, so while it’s not as intuitive to use as a shift lever, it could be worse.īut it’s the combination of outstanding comfort in any of the Santa Fe’s five seating positions and the genuinely premium materials used throughout the cabin that really sets it apart. Are there too many buttons? Well, maybe, but they’re all large, well marked and have the benefit of always being in the same place so they’re easy to use on the fly without resorting to multiple touches of a virtual screen button. Yes, there is indeed a big 10.25-inch touchscreen perched atop the center console, but there is also a massive bank of buttons and switches below it that offer a lot of redundant control of systems from climate to audio. Inside the Santa Fe, you’re greeted with a clean design that’s modern without resorting to that massively annoying new trend of taking you to touchscreenland. The whole look is fresh, modern and attractive, somehow making a traditional two-box SUV shape look appealing without resorting to fake off-road frippery. Down the side, the wheel arches are emphasized with oversize patterns that match the openings, making the already big wheels and tires (20-inchers on this top-spec Calligraphy trim) appear even larger. It looks futuristic, with distinctive fanglike lighting elements up front and slim taillights in the back that have become a hallmark of Hyundai design - using the lighting elements themselves as critical styling features instead of being hidden or used as afterthoughts. What you can say about the Santa Fe’s styling is that it’s interesting without being weird. It starts with the styling, the latest version of which is a slick combination of Hyundai’s latest avant garde looks (there really isn’t a “corporate” Hyundai look all its vehicles look different yet somehow similar) that combine some interesting lighting elements and flowing, futuristic sheet metal. But for its intended purpose to be an average, everyday family vehicle that seats five people in comfort and safety and has the means to entertain them on the journey, it comes damned close to that goal. Now, this isn’t to say the Hyundai Santa Fe is the “perfect car.” It’s not suitable for a track day event, or scaling the Rubicon Trail, or towing a boat. Related: What’s Changed for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?Ģ023 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy | photo by Aaron Bragman Forgoing Fake Frippery It’s one of the few vehicles I’ve ever driven that I actually can’t point to a bunch of things and say, “That’s not great,” because so much of it is, well, exactly what it needs to be. Simply put, it’s very, very good in just about every single category I can think of. There are few cars I can think of that don’t have several things I can point to and say, “That’s not great.” This latest Santa Fe is one in which I actually struggled to come with items in the “What We Don’t Like” category for our research page. But as I spent more and more time driving and using the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe over the course of a week, the gasoline-only version (not the hybrid) in top Calligraphy trim, that’s the word that kept coming back to mind for me. That means it’s the standard against which all others should be judged, and that’s quite an achievement for any automaker. It’s not often I throw around the “b-word” when talking about cars, because using the term “benchmark” is a pretty bold claim. Versus the competition: You could make a real case for the Santa Fe being the benchmark in this category, so good is it - few competitors can match the Santa Fe’s refinement, space, and performance, especially at this price. The verdict: The gas-powered Hyundai Santa Fe is practically the perfect family SUV, with top-notch space, comfort, technology and driving dynamics, only struggling when it comes to fuel economy with the turbo engine.
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