PHOTO | HYUNDAI

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle is a great value before the all-new model breaks cover next year.

For 2023, Hyundai is making few changes to its great-selling Santa Fe SUV.  

An all-new model is in the works for 2024 but if you are looking for a great value now, this 2023 model may be all you need.

The Santa Fe continues to be my favorite Hyundai SUV. It’s the right size for hauling five people and stuff and its easy to handle on the highway and easy to park. The Santa Fe just offers a lot of bang for the buck. You can get a Santa Fe relatively cheap if you don’t want a lot of options and don’t need a powerful engine. My test car was a Calligraphy, the opposite. It’s the top trim for the model.

The Calligraphy comes with it all. All-wheel drive is an option, and that box was checked on my car’s list. Twenty-inch wheels, a faux suede headliner, quilted leather seats, head up display and ambient lighting are the top-level stuff. You also get a 2.5-liter turbo engine, double pane front windows, heated mirrors and seats, keyless entry, and push-button start. That’s a lot of stuff for the money which is the hallmark of Hyundai.

The Santa Fe’s interior isn’t perfect, but it may be what people are looking for to seat five people. The shift selector is a set of buttons and toggles that has grown on me. It works well and the space feels less cluttered.  

The dash is a 12.3-inch digital display which can be configured to show lots of different information. To the right is a 10.25-inch vibrant touch screen which negates the need for lots of buttons and switches. But the most used controls are buttons and switches which makes a lot of sense. Navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included. Car play doesn’t take full advantage of the big screen but maybe that will change in the next model. I hope also that there will not be as much lag time on the screen.

The seats are perforated, heated, and cooled. Power adjustments help make the front seats very comfortable on long trips or around town jaunts. The car’s rear seats recline, compensating for the loss of headroom by the panoramic sunroof.

The Calligraphy is powered by a 2.5-liter, turbo-charged four-cylinder engine that makes 277 horsepower with 311-pounds-feet of torque. You can get the Santa Fe to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. That’s fast, but the Santa Fe isn’t what you call sporty. It’s easy to move in and out of traffic with no problem but you may feel a bit of lean when you take a curve. It’s nothing to be afraid of – you just know your limits very quickly.   

The Santa Fe travels down the highway in hushed quietness thanks to double-paned glass and other insulation. This is what this SUV is built to do. Not much sound is getting into this cabin from any source. This makes conversations easy at highway speeds and the Harmon Kardon stereo sound that much better.

The Santa Fe is pleasant to drive. The all-wheel drive system certainly come in handy during inclement weather. The steering is tuned to make it feel comfortable on the road while also making it easy to park or manipulate at low speeds.

The Santa Fe’s lack of sporty handling shouldn’t be a turnoff. Hyundai has figured out this vehicle’s audience. The company knows that audience wants a comfortable ride with predictable handling. Mission accomplished. That’s where this vehicle excels and that’s a good thing.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy has everything you could want and then some. Dual zone climate controls, AM/FM/Sirius/XM radio, Bluetooth streaming, Harmon Kardon stereo, 10.25-inch touch screen, Blind spot detection, forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, 20-inch wheels, LED auto headlamps, full color head-up display, surround view monitor, backup camera and ultra-sonic rear passenger alert are all included.

The AWD Calligraphy with destination fee is $45,255. That’s a tidy sum but the everything but the kitchen sink approach makes this vehicle feel like a bargain.

Pros:

• Nice styling

• Powerful engine

• Great level of standard equipment  

• Roomy interior  

• Smooth ride

• Quiet interior  

• Great warranty

Cons:

• Handling could be sharper

• Laggy touch screen

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