Live Thread: One week with a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy

This week we’re sampling the new Range Rover, which is an upscale SUV that… wait, hang on… I’m being told this is the new Hyundai Santa Fe.

Hyundai’s 2024 refresh of their largest SUV is a pretty serious makeover, squaring the exterior and adding some cool details in contrasting sheens and textures, and opening up the interior and giving it a look more similar to their minimalist but futuristic EV lineup.

The price has bumped up a bit as well, but not too terribly much considering how thorough a redo the SUV received. The loaded Calligraphy model we’re sampling is only about $4000 more than the 2023 Calligraphy model–and that includes $1000 for the “Earthy Brass Matte” finish on our test car.

Honestly, we’ll open the discussion by saying the same thing we've said about so many Hyundais in the last few years: They’re killing it.

We saw 27+ mpg on a trip from Daytona to Orlando and back, which, for a three-row SUV, seems downright exceptional. Road manners are also top-notch, and Hyundai continues to be an industry leader in intuitive UI and having just enough buttons and knobs to not make you lament that everything is on a touch screen.

But enough about us. What do you want to know about this Santa Fe before it goes back to the mothership? Post your questions in the comments below.

Comments

Colin Wood Associate Editor
3/25/24 4:15 p.m.

The redesign was definitely a pleasant surprise for me when it was first shown.

I didn't love the previous Santa Fe's styling, so I see this as an absolute win.

Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Publisher
3/25/24 4:20 p.m.

Let's see some interior photos, is it really a Range Rover competitor?

BoulderG Reader
3/25/24 4:25 p.m.

Range Rover competitor? I hope it won't depreciate that fast or require as much maintenance.

Recently rented a 2023 Santa Fe SEL on vacation. This seems massively larger (but probably isn't).

One major disappointment we had with the 2023 Santa Fe SEL was terrible headlights. Awful. Major variations of light and dark, irregular lighting all across the beam path. Enough to disqualify the car from purchase if it had that headlight setup.

Curious to know if they've addressed this? How are the headlights?

JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
3/25/24 4:37 p.m.

BoulderG said:
Range Rover competitor? I hope it won't depreciate that fast or require as much maintenance.

Recently rented a 2023 Santa Fe SEL on vacation. This seems massively larger (but probably isn't).

One major disappointment we had with the 2023 Santa Fe SEL was terrible headlights. Awful. Major variations of light and dark, irregular lighting all across the beam path. Enough to disqualify the car from purchase if it had that headlight setup.

Curious to know if they've addressed this? How are the headlights?

They suffer a bit from the same problem as all modern LEDs, which is way too hard of a falloff line between the illuminated area and the dark area. But overall they're as good as anything I've driven recently. My 5'2" wife is my yardstick for forward visibility, and she's kind of a stickler for good forward sightlines, and she likes the Santa Fe a lot.

rear 3/4 is also pretty awesome, but directly back through the inside mirror isn't perfect. The painted part of the tailgate is tall enough someone could sneak right in behind you in a low car, but the side mirrors cover the territory nicely, and so does the RADAR or SONAR or lasers or whatever it has that lets you know someone is creeping on you.

racerfink UberDork
3/25/24 6:03 p.m.

Was following one the other day, and was amazed to see "Santa Fe" across the tailgate. I thought for sure it was a Rover of some sort, the design of the tail end is that similar.