I began skeptically about Hyundai’s hybrids. Possibly it is a unusual fixation or peculiarity of me, however hybrid vehicles that aren’t mechanically easy is my hell out. For me, we hit Peak Hybrid in 2003 with the second era of Prius. This triangle-shaped automobile with a mechanical sturdy ECVT and 1.5-liter engine that was naturally aspirated was splendid. After all, it was gradual and ugly, however extremely dependable. There’s a purpose why it’s not troublesome to seek out them with a greater than 300,000 miles with minimal interview; It is only a rattling good automobile. I might know. I had one.

So, when Hyundai began placing its personal hybrids on the roads, I used to be skeptical. These vehicles had turbocharged, direct-spraying engines that despatched energy by means of an actual planetary-spirit switch, similar to an peculiar inside combustion automobile. For me, it felt like an advanced answer in comparison with what we might get with a Toyota or Honda. Actually, these vehicles would not be pretty much as good on the roads as a Toyota, proper?

Effectively, I eat crow. I spent per week with the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and located it superb, particularly with electrified administration. So effectively with electrified administration that I questioned why Hel Hyundai did not simply lower the intermediary and go electrical. This automobile desires to be so dangerous.

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Supply: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

We don’t delve an excessive amount of in pure ice cream vehicles right here, however the Santa Fe is a center -sized crossing that sits under the complete -size palisade, however above the compact Tucson. Hyundai retains its combustion -powered vehicles considerably off its EVs, however there’s some overlap. In case you are on the lookout for an entire electrical EV over this dimension, a Hyundai salesman will most likely present you the marginally bigger IonIQ 9.

Both manner, there’s a pretty substantial demand for electrified SUVs one way or the other, even when it’s not full EVs. Hyundai added its hybrid system (as soon as on the Hyundai Ioniq and Sonata Hybrid) to one of many volume-selling combustion skill. For 2024, the whole mannequin line was utterly redesigned, with Fake Land Rover styling and a complete new automobile platform. Nonetheless, the engines and transmissions had been transferred from the outdated automobile, together with the hybrid system. Energy for all Santa Fe hybrids comes by way of a 1.6-liter turbocharged and immediately imposed four-cylinder and an electrical automobile. Shifting is dealt with by a six-speed standard computerized. The full system output is 231 horsepower.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

There’s a lot to love this middle-size, three-row SUV. For the start, the Santa Fe is absolutely, superb at managing the engine, regardless of its large 59 horsepower electrical automobile and 1.49 kWh traction battery.

Some merely talked about Hyundai’s hybrid system. This locations his 59 hp automobile between the gasoline automobile and transmission. Which means that the electrical motor should undergo a transmission successfully, a setup that some have criticized as ineffective in comparison with an ECVT in a Toyota Prius.

However this setup has a clutch on the engine/electrical motor facet, which permits the Santa Fe to drive utterly quicker, a lot quicker than a Toyota Prius. With a lightweight sufficient foot, the Santa Fe will speed up to about 45 km / h earlier than the engine begins. By comparability, most fashionable Toyotas (not the hybrid Max system in a number of newer large Toyota crossings just like the Grand Highlander) are about 20 km / h in EV mode.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

This virtually pure electrical driving expertise is strengthened by two issues: the Santa Fe’s good Inexperienced Zone EV drive and the adjustable EV-like regenerative brake. If the Inexperienced Zone EV drive energy is turned on, the automobile makes use of GPS location to prioritize quiet and decrease emission EV administration in sure elements of the town, equivalent to close to parks, colleges or hospitals. And it actually works; As I drive in my metropolis of Columbus, Ohio, it’s going to flip off its engine and drive on EV Energy after I received near my home close to my home. Add the comparatively excessive velocity EV administration, and I used to be amazed at how a lot EV-drive I may do within the Santa for a automobile that has no plug. An official check reveals that it might do a few kilometer below splendid situations earlier than beginning his gasoline automobile.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

Then, similar to Hyundai’s EVs, the Santa Fe has three ranges of adjustable regenerative brakes. After all, there is no such thing as a one-pedal trip, however the adjustability stage makes the crossings really feel strikingly electrified, whilst its engine runs. Set it to Max, let the gasoline syringe down and watch the battery complement similar to an IonIQ 5 or Kona Electrical. In case you are like me and are fascinated about recycling electrical energy and utilizing the electrical energy wherever potential, you’ll fall in love with this function.

Normally, the Santa Fe is just a pleasing, effectively -finished and effectively -packed crossing. The one which Hyundai lent me, after all, was a completely charged caligraphy mannequin with every field checked. It sticks to $ 51,675, which at the moment and age seems like a cut price. Matching and ending are impeccable, and every button and swap really feel agency and top quality. The infotainment and hvac buttons labored flawlessly on a regular basis after I had the automobile, a seemingly not really easy efficiency in a world the place every little thing is a computerized display screen.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (2025)

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

The Santa Fe additionally has a variety of inside house. The quick size implies that it’s a must to select between cargo house or a 3rd row seat, however if you’re in place, the Santa Fe’s third row seat may be very helpful. This crossing can take six adults in relative ease, a activity that some bodily higher transitions can not accomplish that effectively. Anecdotally I perceive why I see so lots of these items on Ohio roads. In case you are contemplating the bottom value of about $ 34,000 for the combustion variant, the Santa Fe is likely one of the greatest values for cash in the marketplace.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

When the Santa Fe (and his hybrid brother) was up to date for 2024, we misplaced the plug-in hybrid model (Phev), which is a damning disgrace. The automobile is so good at driving in automobile mode, it’s clear that it’ll profit from extra accessible vitality. The adjustable regenerative brakes are such a pleasant function, solely restricted by the Santa Fe’s small 1.49 kWh battery and a considerably weak electrical motor of 59 hp.

The factor is that solely the North American market Santa Fe misplaced the Phev choice. In most markets the place the Santa Fe is bought, it has a 13.8 kWh battery with about 35 miles. It additionally will get a extra highly effective electrical automobile. Each would make the automobile’s vitality restoration and electrical driving of the automobile considerably simpler.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

Maybe the Korean-crafted PHEV mannequin is troublesome to justify in opposition to the US-made combustion-powered variant, or the US-made new Hyundai Ioniq 9. I might nonetheless argue that the IonIQ 9’s unusual fashion, super-size dimensions and non-stuffed value are usually not precisely a 1-to-1 comparability for the Santa Fe. How troublesome would it not be to present us an entire EV model of the Santa Fe? I imply, they’re already midway there with the row expertise, simply go all the way in which.

Regardless of the penchant for automobile driving automobile driving, I solely blended about 28 MPG. It was blended below the 35 MPG for which it was judged.

Photograph by: Kevin Williams/InsideEvs

This automobile is superb at simulating an electrical row expertise, however it’s not electrical. On the one hand, I feel it’s a good approach to have shoppers acclimatized to a whole electrical drive expertise with none compromises of loading infrastructure or an elevated buy value.

However, we nonetheless use gasoline. Once I additionally drive, it used extra gasoline than initially marketed.

The package deal may be very nice and simple to make use of. It’s spacious, effectively completed and fairly priced for what you get. Come, Hyundai, simply lower the intermediary, bathe the gasoline automobile -and make the Santa Fe electrical.

Hell, I’ll even settle for an expertise.

Contact the creator: Kevin.williams@insidevs.com