I thought they were looking at me…
But no…it wasn't me…it was Hyundai's all-new '24 three-row Santa Fe XRT.
And Hyundai has given folks a lot to look at.
Bob Jackson
Not only has the Santa Fe been re-designed, but the XRT version has really stepped things up a notch or two, too. Frankly, dressed in our test vehicle's "Rockwood Green Pearl", our Santa Fe was mistaken for one of those much more expensive British SUVs
The XRT is Hyundai's off-road Santa Fe. Ground clearance is up by 1.3 inches, AWD is standard, the trim is black as are the wheels…wearing 18" all-terrain rubber…and the interior is soft but rugged heated black faux leather.
Bob Jackson
Black roof rails and a sunroof come with the package, and Hyundai says you can tow a healthy 4,500 pounds. So…if you want to go play…go ahead and play!
Now back to the new look. Even with three rows, Hyundai still refers to their Santa Fe as a "compact SUV" and I'm not going to argue with them…I'll just say that it sure looks big to me.
Bob Jackson
Compared to the '23 model, the new '24 is just about two inches longer…and roughly the same width. And vs. their Palisade, the Santa Fe is around 6 inches shorter and 3 inches more narrow. So Hyundai's right…it IS still a compact SUV…the "big brick look" just makes it look bigger. So you should still be able to put a Santa Fe or two in your garage…as well as all that other stuff that your wife wants you to throw out.
Bob Jackson
With its raised height and off-road capability, the 277 HP 2.5 turbo XRT is rated at 19 MPG city and 26 Hwy. If you need more MPGs, there's a Hybrid Santa Fe with a combined 231 HP that'll get you an average of 35 MPG.
And if you need even more luxury, you should be able to drive off in a top-of-the-line Calligraphy with soft nappa leather and just about every feature and convenience for under 50 thousand.
Bob Jackson
But that's not to say that the XRT is missing much. In addition to it's off-road chops, the XRT comes with just about every collision / braking / pedestrian / parking alert that's been invented…plus Hyundai's Digital Key that will allow you to control quite a few functions right from your phone.
So let's go back to the Santa Fe's new look one more time. If you like a rugged squared-off appearance that looks like it might cost twice its $42,205 window sticker…and the off-road capability and towing power that the XRT delivers…Hyundai's re-designed Santa Fe may just draw you and quite a few new folks just like you into the showroom.
Bob Jackson
