2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

Name: 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review
Brand: Hyundai

Price Range: $15,590 - $28,998

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 2.0T 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe walks the line between the small and midsize SUV classes in almost every respect. You get almost-midsize space and features for the price of a small SUV. It's an appealing SUV, and its warranty can't be beat. A better powertrain selection and a reconfigured driver's seat would do wonders here.

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2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Enhanced blind-spot safety tech now standard on Limited trim
Minor revisions to feature availability
Ultimate top trim is gone
Part of the fourth Hyundai Santa Fe generation introduced for 2019

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Iowa

$147/mo

$171/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#17 out of 32 among Midsize SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$448/yr

vs. $485/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Frequency

1.4x/yr

vs. 1.18x/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Severity

12.7%

vs. 13.5%
for Average Midsize SUV

Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Reviews

4.6

111 reviews

5(78%)

4(10%)

3(5%)

2(2%)

1(5%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Great Vehicle at a Great Price

Josh, 12/03/2019

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 8A)

I love this vehicle. I think the Edmunds review and some other review pages have short changed this model. First off the performance. I test drove the 2.0T and the 2.4L in FWD and AWD options. The 2.0T is going to give you a little more zip and an AWD as expected going to give you a tighter feel on the road. It really just boils down to driver preference and if you want to pay for … it. My wife and I went with the SEL 2.4L FWD with the convenience and premium package upgrades. Where we live AWD isn’t really necessary and we don’t haul anything. We also have a baby on the way so a sporty fast accelerating SUV wasn’t what we were looking for. The mpg has also performed better than what the manufacturer has stated. In the city have been averaging probably 24-27mpg and straight highway 30-33. I think the 2.4L engine is a little noisier, but still extremely quiet when driving. In regards to some of the complaints about accelerating we haven’t really had that issue. I’m a fuel save kind of driver so I’m not gunning it off the line. In the few times I’ve needed to get up to speed quicker there hasn’t been any issue. I’m not sure if all trim levels have it, but ours has the auto engine shut off when it comes to a stop (fuel saving feature). If this isn’t something you’re used to then it can be an adjustment period getting acclimated to it. It will feel like a delay if you’re quick on accelerating from a stop because the engine needs to reengage itself. I have this feature on a company car for a Ford Escape and the Santa Fe works remarkably better. This feature can be turned off if you’re not a fan. The best way to do it is let your foot off the brake, let the engine engage, roll, and then accelerate it really isn’t that big of an issue, and again you can turn it off if you choose. The safety features also a huge plus, adaptive cruise, collision warning, lane assist, blind spot monitoring, etc. The SEL and higher trims come with Bluelink complimentary for 3 years, basically Hyundai’s version of OnStar. Allows us to remote start with temperature control, check vehicle diagnostics, geolocate, security features should vehicle ever get stolen, and more. Has worked extremely well, wife loves the remote start. The interior is top notch. I read another site review that was dogging on the interior and I’m not sure what vehicle they got into. With the upgraded packages ours has the leather interior with the espresso/gray style and it looks sharp. I like the interior to be somewhat unique so the espresso/gray was perfect. The only interior I wasn’t crazy about was the all black, looked kind of basic, but the other standard cloth options looked really nice, just enough contrast and design to make it stand out. The upgraded packages do help give it a little more of a wow factor, premium sound system, led lights, leather, upgraded dash features, moonroof, and so on. If the packages are in your price point I’d highly recommend them. It also has a smart lift gate feature that you don’t realize how handy it is until you come out of the store full of bags in both hands. If the vehicle is locked and you have the key fob on you, all you have to do is stand behind the gate for 3 seconds and it will automatically open. No dancing your foot under the bumper to try and open, just stand there. The storage is adequate, it has compartments under the flooring in the trunk area, and the rear seats fold down. The warranty is outstanding as well, maybe best in the industry. For the price point and what you get with this vehicle it’s a really hard vehicle to pass up. When beginning the car search my wife was not a fan of Hyundai and didn’t even want to entertain test driving it, but given the manufacturer specials, the warranty, and the price talked to her into trying it. She did a complete 180 after the test drive and loved it. With all the features of the Santa Fe and the price compared to other midsize SUV models everything else we were looking at didn’t stand a chance. We bought the vehicle so obviously a little biased, but it has been a pleasure to drive. We have a family member who has a high end Mercedes SUV also considered a midsize and I honestly would take the Santa Fe, better designed interior, more room, user friendly controls, better driving angles, much better price. I would highly recommend this vehicle, or if you’re not sure at least test drive it like we did and go from there.

This car walks and talks!

Suzanne, 11/17/2019

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 8A)

The Santa Fe Limited has more features than any car for the price and higher. You put on the blinker and you get a picture view of what is beside you. My back seat used to be full of jackets and shoes. The Limited has storage under the back area. Everything fits! The tailgate opens, no trying to balance on one foot - just stand there for 4 seconds. Seeing your speed/speed …

Beyond my expectations

G.Stevenson, 12/02/2019

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 8A)

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe has sincerely met my expectations and then some. I ended up getting the SEL trim but got FW drive instead of the AWD. I personally felt for the money that I am more than content and satisfied with FWD and with all the extra features included that AWD is honestly a waste of money for what my needs are. The revamped upholstery in the 2020 SantaFe is so awesome. …

Pleasant surprise

DDDESQ, 01/12/2020

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 2.0T 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I had never considered a Santa Fe. Once I drove it, I was very pleasantly surprised at what a great vehicle it is. I cross shopped it with the 2020 Ford Edge and 2020 Ford Escape. Was planning on buying a Ford based on great past experience with Ford products (Escape, Edge and Expedition). For me, the Santa Fe Limited was the best fit. Incredible features for about $10,000 less than a … comparable Edge Titanium and similar pricing with the Escape Titanium, both with similar equipment. Fantastic value, drives great, and is sized just right for me, larger than Escape, smaller than Edge. I love it. Interior: At 6’4” tall, I appreciate the room in the Santa Fe. The power driver’s seat cushion extension is a great feature. The feature set in the Santa Fe was larger than the Ford’s, with the exception of the auto park feature that Ford has and the Santa Fe does not. Was not a deal killer. The other features and additional room in the Santa Fe were more important. My wife’s Escape has the auto park feature and she never uses it. If you can’t parallel park, maybe you should not be driving! Exterior: I really like the look of the Santa Fe. The Edge looks great too, but from behind the wheel it seems as broad as a barn. The Escape seemed a tad too small, and the 2020 Escape looks more like a wagon than a crossover. The Santa Fe styling just stands out. The exterior camera system is a really helpful feature. The blind spot cameras are far more useful than I thought they would be. The surround view display is very helpful in the parking garage I use daily. For me, the look of a car seals the deal. If you don’t like what you see walking towards or away from your car, it just isn’t the right car for you. Drive: The Santa Fe drives smaller than the Edge and larger than the Escape. Honestly, the Escape with the 2.0 is quicker, but also requires premium fuel for maximum performance, just like the 2.0 in the Edge. The 2.0 in the Santa Fe runs great on regular gas. The price difference of about 40 cents a gallon really adds up over the life of the car. I keep cars a long time. My daily driver before the Santa Fe was a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country with 210,000 miles on it. Still ran well, but was time to retire it. The Santa Fe is quiet, refined, handles and rides well. Intangibles: The Hyundai warranty is far better than Ford, and it has the highest possible safety ratings from multiple organizations. JD Power quality awards too. It is very well thought out, ergonomically friendly, and very easy to use. As I mentioned in the beginning, I was not expecting to be as impressed with the Santa Fe. I’m still a satisfied Ford customer, but the Santa Fe just seems like a better car for my needs. Will be anxious to see how it does over time and if it lives up to its universal acclaim and awards. So far, I’m very happy. 6 Month Update After 6 months and over 11,000 miles my opinion of the Santa Fe remains the same. Still very happy with the car in all respects. In town the Transmission shift patterns are such that the power delivery is not as smooth as my wife’s Escape, but it is not a problem. Just annoying every once in a while. Still averaging almost 30 MPG so very happy with that. I have learned how to adjust the driver aids such as not having the lane keep assist intervene as aggressively as in the beginning when the solid line on the side of the road veers away at the entrance to a right turn lane. I continue to be very happy that I purchased the Santa Fe. One Year Update-Still Very Satisfied Over a year has passed since I purchased my Santa Fe. 21,000 miles on the odometer. Am still very happy with the purchase. Everything I liked about it when new I continue to like. If there is a negative, it is that the windshield seems very easy to get very small stone chips in it. These are the ones that are too small to repair but are visible in the sunlight, etc. I have read about the 2021 model changes and seen pictures of the new model. I don’t care for the front end styling and prefer my center console design to the 2021 version. I do like the more powerful turbo engine and the new top end model with its extra features. However, I am still very pleased with what I have and will continue to enjoy it. Have had zero service issues other than routine maintenance every 5,000 miles. Still very satisfied. At the 2.5 year mark with 54,000 miles. A bit irritated that I had to change spark plugs at 45,000 miles but that is what the schedule recommends. Most other cars’ plugs last 90,000-100,000 miles. Other than that very minor matter, still totally satisfied with the Santa Fe. Zero issues of any kind other than routine maintenance. Still give it 5 stars.

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2020 Santa Fe Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$26,275
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$147/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	35.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Santa Fe models:

Forward Collision Avoidance: Alerts the driver about an imminent collision and can automatically apply the brakes if necessary.
Safe Exit Assist: Temporarily prevents you from opening your door if sensors detect a car approaching from the rear.
Surround View Monitor: Shows a top-down view of your SUV when you park, making it easier to avoid curbs and line up in the parking space.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover15.5%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

Price & Payment

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

What's new

Cost to Drive

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Great Vehicle at a Great Price

This car walks and talks!

Beyond my expectations

Pleasant surprise

2020 Santa Fe Highlights

Safety

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