Hyundai Santa Fe: Boxy, Yes. But the Most Comfortable Ride You'll Ever Experience.

Some cars slip quietly into our lives, like polite guests who remove their shoes at the door and settle silently into the corner, hoping someone might eventually notice them. The Hyundai Santa Fe started off like that when it launched in 2001, quietly announcing that Koreans could build an SUV too. But today, it has grown into something entirely different. The first generation’s unpretentious simplicity and rugged dependability won over America even as Europeans turned up their noses in favor of German diesels. But Santa Fe matured, like a teenager suddenly sprouting size 13 shoes and a mustache.

Each new generation brought more space, comfort, and, crucially, confidence. The fourth generation added hybrids and a sleeker look in 2018, but the fifth generation is a complete transformation. Diesel engines have disappeared like phone booths from street corners, and the design now resembles a rolling office block more than a typical SUV. It’s boxy, assertive, and unashamedly eye-catching—just the way its buyers want it.

This is not a half-hearted attempt to climb the family car ladder. No, Santa Fe aims straight for the top, muscling aside mid-range premium rivals. If you asked designers to put a cathedral on wheels, the result might look much like this new Hyundai—a bold rebellion against rounded shapes.

The massive front grille is wider than a politician’s smile after election night, flanked by daring H-shaped LED lights that glow in the dark like flying saucers. The upright corner vents aren't just for show—they signal this SUV gulps air with the enthusiasm of a Formula 1 car on a straightaway.

Move to the side, and you’ll see there’s nothing soft or curvy here. This is a box, a cube, a container. The pronounced, sharply creased fenders tower over the wheels, and the wheelbase stretches to 2815 millimeters—meaning there’s palace-like space inside.

At 4830 mm long, 1900 mm wide, and 1770 mm tall, Hyundai isn’t joking around. The Santa Fe is bigger than the RAV4, matches the Kia Sorento, and could make the Škoda Kodiaq break a sweat.

The rear is radically vertical, as if designers finished up with a straight cut from a guillotine. The huge, squared-off tailgate opens like a castle gate, making access to the trunk so easy you could park a small car inside. The taillights stretch horizontally, emphasizing the SUV’s width.

Some might say it looks like a brick or a boxcar on wheels, but that uncompromising squareness gives the Santa Fe its unique character. Black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and 21-inch wheels fill the space perfectly, adding even more confidence to its presence.

Overall, it’s as if designers were banned from using curves and handed only rulers. The result is, well, surprisingly attractive.

If you’ve spent your life in mundane SUVs filled with gray plastic, the Santa Fe is here to shake things up—it looks like Hyundai’s personal war on boredom.

The dashboard is the first surprise—no bland gray plastic with three buttons and a bunch of blank spaces labeled "do not use." Instead, Santa Fe greets you with an elegantly curved panel boasting two gigantic 12.3-inch screens—bigger than many family TVs and as clear as a Swiss alpine lake. One displays your speed (and how close you are to a speeding ticket), the other handles entertainment and navigation to keep boredom at bay.

Crucially, Hyundai avoided the modern trap of hiding every function in convoluted menus. Here you get real buttons and rotary switches for climate and audio controls, so you can heat your seat without taking your eyes off the road.

Materials are more luxurious than a London gentlemen’s club lounge. Soft padding and faux wood and metal trims look so authentic no one dares ask if they’re real. In the Calligraphy trim, you’ll find seats covered in genuine Nappa leather—so soft you could let a baby nap on them. And when you’re tired, the front seats recline electrically to near-flat, making highway naps a real risk.

Still not enough? Hyundai includes a UV sterilization glovebox—perfect for disinfecting your phone, keys, or whatever germs you’ve picked up along the way.

Space is vast—rear seats offer so much legroom that two average basketball players could stretch out without touching. There’s a seven-seater version for big families and a six-seat variant with luxury captain’s chairs in the second row.

Storage is abundant, too—two glove compartments, a shelf between them, a giant center console that fits a handbag or a small pet, and wireless charging for two phones. Rear passengers can open the center armrest from both sides—a genius touch proving designers really thought of everything.

With the third row up, there’s room for sports bags or a small dog. Fold it down and you get space for a kids’ party or a mini playhouse. With all seats down, it’s basically a van—ideal for moving house or running a mobile furniture store.

If you hoped the new Santa Fe was a wild off-roader ready to hunt Ferraris, think again. This SUV isn’t about adrenaline—it’s about silencing backseat complaints and protecting your spine from rough rural roads.

Engine choices are simple: goodbye diesel, hello electrified petrols. You get Hyundai’s favorite 1.6-liter turbo paired with an electric motor. The standard hybrid delivers around 215 hp and goes 0-100 km/h in 9.6 seconds—not exactly newsworthy, but quick enough. The plug-in hybrid turns things up to 253 hp and hits 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds—fast enough to deliver the kids to soccer on time, even if you forget them at home first.

And about the gearbox—thankfully, Hyundai did not follow Toyota’s endlessly droning CVTs. Here you get a proper six-speed automatic, shifting so smoothly the only way you’ll know is by glancing at the dashboard.

Official consumption is about 7 liters per 100 km, quite respectable for something the size of a barn. Realistically, expect around 8 liters, which won’t bankrupt you considering the weight matches a small space shuttle.

But Santa Fe’s real triumph is comfort. In town, it glides silently on electric power—the only noise is your own thoughts. The petrol engine joins in smoothly, like a discreet waiter clearing plates. At highway speeds, the 1.6-liter does make a bit of noise, but more like a distant neighbor’s lawn mower—noticeable but not annoying.

Handling is surprisingly nimble—the Santa Fe feels lighter and smaller than it is. The steering is as soft as Italian gelato, and the 5.8-meter turning radius means you can U-turn this giant box without needing helicopter support.

Its secret weapon is the suspension. Hyundai struck a magical balance—even the big wheels can’t stop it from floating over potholes like a champagne glass on a tray. On long drives, you might forget you’re moving at all and imagine you’re at home in your favorite chair.

All-wheel drive is standard and smart enough to boost confidence in unpredictable weather. No, it won’t scale mountains or cross the Sahara, but if your goal is a safe trip through snow, mud, or gravel to the summer house, Santa Fe handles it with ease.

Once, car safety meant a brake pedal and the ability to scream in fear. The new Santa Fe flips that idea—Hyundai’s logic seems to be, "the more airbags, the better!" So you get ten airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag and a center airbag between front seats to protect occupants in a side impact.

In Euro NCAP tests, Santa Fe scored an impressive 84 percent for adult protection, higher than some five-star rivals. Child protection hit 88 percent, so even your most restless kid will be safe, though they might demand ice cream afterward. Pedestrian protection is around 70 percent as standard, rising to 77 percent with extra safety gear—decent scores for a boxy SUV.

Hyundai also packs in a suite of driver assistance features, sometimes making it feel like the car doesn’t trust you at all. Automatic emergency braking is standard and reacts to cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, preventing embarrassing moments involving politicians on cargo bikes. Lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control can stop and go in heavy traffic, leaving you to pick a radio station and stay awake.

On the highway, Hyundai’s semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist keeps you a safe distance from the car ahead, almost like the vehicles are magnetically linked. This reduces driver fatigue on long trips and raises the question of whether we need drivers at all anymore. And there’s more.

True, the base Santa Fe earned only four stars from Euro NCAP as some high-tech features are optional—a bit like saying your soccer team could win if they brought their goalie. But with the full Smart Sense+ safety suite, the Santa Fe scores top marks and stands toe-to-toe with its European rivals.

So what to make of the Hyundai Santa Fe? Sure, it’s so boxy that people might try to walk into it hoping to buy coffee and cookies, but don’t let the looks fool you. Hyundai has packed this SUV with so much space, comfort, and luxury that comparing it to premium brands is not as crazy as it sounds.

No, it doesn’t have Ferrari acceleration or Lamborghini drama, but the Santa Fe isn’t meant for thrill-seekers. It’s built for real people—those whose weekends are spent shuttling kids to soccer or taking family trips. Hyundai has taken everything that makes premium SUVs great—reclining seats, dual screens, UV sterilizers, smart armrests—and delivered it at half the price.

Ultimately, the Santa Fe proves Hyundai is no longer just a budget alternative to European brands—they’ve arrived in the big leagues, and it looks like they’re here to stay.