New 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe: price, specifications and on-sale date

This is the new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, which is available with both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options, in similar fashion to its Kia Sorento sister model. Prices for the hybrid in the UK range from £40,250 to £45,815, while the plug-in variant runs from £45,715 to £49,010.

The hybrid and plug-in Santa Fe models rival the Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, as well as forthcoming models such as the Nissan X-Trail and Toyota Highlander seven-seat hybrid SUVs.

The hybrid is available in both front and four-wheel drive configurations, while the plug-in hybrid is four-wheel drive only. Two trim levels – Premium and Ultimate – are available across both versions.

New Hyundai Santa Fe price and specifications

Kicking off the range is the front-drive hybrid in Premium trim, priced at £40,250. As standard, this gets 17-inch alloys; powered and heated body-coloured door mirrors and handles; full LED headlights, tail-lights and positioning lamps; privacy glass and roof rails, as well as power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, a powered tailgate with hands-free operation, a parking camera, a premium sound system and USB charging ports in the centre console.

The four-wheel-drive hybrid in Premium trim costs £42,520, while the front-wheel-drive hybrid in top-spec Ultimate trim comes in at £43,815 and the four-wheel-drive Santa Fe Ultimate is £45,815. The latter two cars benefit from the Ultimate trim level's additional kit, which includes a surround-view parking system, a 12.3-inch TFT driver's instrument cluster, a head-up display and blind-spot monitor. The optional £2,000 Luxury Pack adds Nappa leather interior trim, a suede headliner, brushed aluminium centre console accents and a faux-leather dashboard.

The four-wheel-drive-only plug-in hybrid version of the Santa Fe will set you back £45,715 in Premium trim and £49,010 as an Ultimate. It gets the same standard equipment as the corresponding non-plug-in model. A total of nine exterior colours are available for buyers to choose from; these are Typhoon Silver, White Cream, Magnetic Force, Rainforest, Phantom Black, Lava Orange, Glacier White, Taiga Brown and Lagoon Blue.

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Styling and interior

The new Santa Fe is noticeable for its wide grille, which incorporates the car's headlights. A 3D-patterned grille and T-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs) with integrated indicators complete the front-end look. A large skid plate protects the lower front air intake, while down the side the car's profile is strengthened compared to previous versions by wider wheelarch cladding.

At the rear, there's a new tail-light design, with the individual clusters connected by a red reflector band. A revised rear bumper meanwhile is said to emphasise the width and stance of the car, while all hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will come with a set of aerodynamically optimised 19-inch alloys. An optional Luxury Package can be specified to further enhance the Santa Fe's looks with 20-inch alloy wheels, as well as body-coloured bumpers and side cladding. Three new exterior colours are offered on top of the existing car's six hues: Glacier White, Taiga Brown and Lagoon Blue. 

Inside, Hyundai is promising premium soft-touch materials throughout, a new 10.25-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system and a new 'floating' centre console design. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have also been confirmed, along with smartphone mirroring and wireless charging. Voice recognition software also features, along with a head-up display, and full Hyundai LIVE online services. It's not yet clear how these features will be spread out across the range, however. 

Hyundai says the Santa Fe is larger and roomier than before, with three extra centimetres of rear legroom and a larger 634-litre boot (571 litres in seven-seat versions). The car's second row of seats can be pushed forward to free up even more space.

Engine, power, range and charging

In June 2020, Hyundai confirmed that the new Santa Fe will be available with its new hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines, named 'Smartstream'. The standard hybrid uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine, a 59bhp electric motor and a small 1.49kWh battery, with power going to either the front or all four wheels depending on specification.

Total power is 227bhp, with 350Nm of torque for 0-62mph times of 8.8 (front-wheel-drive) and 9.1 seconds (four-wheel drive).CO2 emissions range from 145-152g/km for the front-drive version (for 32-34% Benefit-in-Kind company-car tax ratings) and 159-168g/km for the four-wheel drive, for 34-36g/km BiK. Claimed fuel economy is 44mpg for the front-drive car and 40mpg for the four-wheel drive.

The plug-in hybrid uses the same 1.6-litre petrol engine, but paired with a much larger 13.8kWh battery and a more powerful 90bhp electric motor for a 36-mile electric range. Together, the petrol engine and electric motor make 261bhp, with the same 350Nm torque figure of the normal hybrid, while power is fed to all four wheels. This version will get from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds, while CO2 emissions are 37g/km, for a 10% BiK rating in 2020/21 (rising to 11% in 2021/22). Official fuel economy stands at 174mpg.