New Hyundai Santa Fe Review: BEST Car of 2025?

This is the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe!

Hyundai has gone to town on the Santa Fe, updating the looks from a regular, fairly ordinary-looking SUV to one of the most imposing 7-seaters on the road today! So, is it more style over substance, or should you consider the Santa Fe over competitors like Skoda Kodiaq or Nissan X-Trail? Let’s take a closer look.

So of course, we need to start with the design, and it’s fair to say we’re seeing a bit of classic Land Rover design language from the outside… But that’s no bad thing! The boxy shape really helps the Santa Fe stand out on the road, as do the smart and unique H-shaped daytime running lights. The front end is minimalistic and impressive, while the rear end is clean but really emphasises the boxy design.

Step inside and the Santa Fe is a really nice place to be. There’s a large curved screen that incorporates both the digital dials and infotainment screen, and thankfully there are separate dials for the climate controls. The seats are super comfortable, and the majority of the cabin is fitting with soft touch materials. There are absolutely tonnes of cupholders, so practicality isn’t an issue, and even adults can fit into the third row of seats if needs be!

When it comes to performance, there’s only one engine available - a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder. This is available as either a self-charging hybrid with 215hp, or a plug-in hybrid with 253hp.

The new Santa Fe range starts from around £46,000, rising up to around £50,000 once you’ve added a couple of options. But should you really choose it over some of its class-leading rivals? You’ll need to stick with Mat to see for yourself!

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:28 Engine
00:48 0-60mph
01:51 Price
02:16 Design
03:10 Interior
04:08 Town Driving
06:14 Back Seats
07:24 Interior Tech & Infotainment
09:42 Motorway Driving
11:24 Third-row seats
12:29 Storage & Practicality
14:12 Boot
14:49 Annoying Things
16:30 Good Features
18:38 Country Road Driving
20:20 Verdict

[Achillias]

That thing looks beautiful, except the rear of the car. What was the design team of Hyundai thinking 😂.

[AMAzOOOOOOOn]

i bought my car (kia sorento 2021) based on Matt's review ... and i never regret any second of it.. this channel is the best

[Mambaa]

Matt is so good at this. He sounds like he is "ranting" about the car, but actually he is constantly giving specifications and details about the car, he must have an amazing memory, he never doubts or stumbles over his thoughts/words... brilliant!

[nickplayz]

We just bought one after test driving several SUV’s. We absolutely love it. All the tech features, the comfortable seats, the comfortable and quiet ride. My wife never ever thought she’d buy a Hyundai, but here we are!
We got rid of our Suburban for this, so the fuel economy on regular gas… What a blessing. Please drive one before hating on it. The taillights need to be put higher on the trunk, but it looks so different to everything else.

[MailPayAdmin]

I drove the previous model recently on a USA road trip! Outstanding car for long distance driving. The dials that become rear view cameras as you indicate were a godsend when in the USA you are constantly being overtaken and undertaken. The stand out feature for me was lane departure. It follows lanes really well, none of the lurching from left to right between the lines, it almost seemed to follow the left line at a set distance. Glad you like it, i thought it was the best driving of 6 cars i rented!! Does a lot of the work for you when driving without taking over fully.

[UnbegrenztEver]

19:23 You can deactivate Speedlimit Warning by long pressing on the mute switch and deactivate Lane Departure Warning by long pressing on the steering wheel button with the steering wheel on it.

[thediffguy]

0:47 bruh I thought this was a van or something 💀

[JohnDoe-lgzt]

I can’t believe how ugly the back of this car is. It’s like they smashed together every bad design choice possible. How did anyone think that was a good idea?

[viper]

In Korea, we can get one for just only 20, 000 GBP. And for top end trim, just 31, 150 GBP to get hybrid system, AWD, and all the fancy features.
And we also have 2.5L turbo engine model which has 281 HP rating. 1.6L turbo hybrid has 235 HP combined rating. It's different.

[hiranyaponnamperuma]

Fun fact : I live in Sri Lanka and this SUV is 13 million Sri Lankan rupees without tax. But, with tax this is 35 million. If you convert it to USD it's 12000$

[twingo]

Hold mute button on the steereng wheel for three seconds to mute speed warning sound, and also press and hold for three seconds lane keeping assist button on the steereng wheel to turn it off✌️😎

[brekdown]

I've owned the Calligraphy Hybrid FWD for 6 months now and I can attest the car is fantastic. 35mpg+ in town and a luxury, high tech interior. Looks are subjective and I absolutely love the front AND rear!

[MilesAnastasios]

All brands have become premium nowadays. At least they try

My favourite part of this car is the rear, interestingly. I think it gives off the vibes of older american SUVs such as Cherokee

[techpappee]

According to the designer, they started with the large boot opening and then went forward. Sorta design in reverse. Apparently, it was to allow for large items to be stored/hauled. They claim it has the largest opening in its class.

[rajatshr]

I actually ordered this car before the Carwow review. Scary, scary times…

Now that the review is out, I’m so glad I did!

[EvilBikerGangOfTheSky]

4:09 did you just reach for the centre gearstick while explaining how the stork is so easy?😅

[kevinlucas]

I just got the calligraphy hybrid and absolutely love it. I've owned hyundai since 2007 and had limited veracruz, santa fe sport turbo, tucson and palisade. But love the hybrid and the total luxury for the price.

[Bloggermansbikingnews]

wow Matt, I can’t believe it. My first car was the XR2 and couldn’t wait to get a 205GTi. Bring back the 90’s😢, any how we are in the 20’s now and i think the way things are going in the motor industry is a bit ridiculous, especially when Big UV like that should be powered by at least 2 L four
pot 😂 I think it’s too much strain on these lower litre engines. cheers for the video mate 👍

[GlenRippon]

Imagine putting all the settings deep into touch screen menus and then introducing a warning light that tells you off for not watching the road.