In MK5 form, the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid has been revitalised. Jonathan Crouch drives it.
Ten Second Review
This fifth generation Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid manages to build three seating rows into a package that gives you most of what you get from a really large seven-seat family SUV - for not much more than the price of a mid-sized model in this segment.
Background
It wasn't long ago that Hyundai's very biggest SUV, the Santa Fe, was primarily associated with diesel power. Since 2021 though, it's been available only as a Hybrid or a PHEV and that policy has been continued with the fifth generation model we look at in Plug-in Hybrid form here.
Like the last generation Santa Fe, the PHEV version of this one benefits greatly from the fact that this car is significantly bigger than most sub-£60,000 family-sized SUVs you could choose. This means that unlike rivals, who often have to forego a third seating row in order to cram in Plug-in Hybrid tech, the Santa Fe PHEV can seat seven and now does so with avant-garde styling that will really get them talking on the school run.
Driving Experience
Not many PHEVs these days (except this model's near identically-engineered Sorento cousin) still retain a battery just 13.8kWh in size: and that really hurts this Hyundai when it comes to EV range - AER-rated at just 33.6 miles. Which is about half what you'd get from the VW Group models in this segment (though admittedly, they can't be had with seven seats).
The PHEV comes with mandatory 4WD and gets a power hike over the Hybrid (to 253PS) to compensate for its extra weight, though because the 265Nm torque figure remains the same as the HEV, there's no real performance benefit - rest to 62mph takes 9.3s. With both powertrains, brake regen paddles are provided behind the steering wheel, though the stronger settings aren't that strong. And there's a fascia button to switch between EV and HEV drive for when the battery will stand it (though no option to save EV range until later in your trip).
Since air suspension can't be justified at this price point, for car makers, getting the ride quality right in a big SUV at this price point can be problematic; it needs to be supple for ride comfort, but not to the point where the vehicle corners like a Channel ferry in a choppy sea. We think Hyundai's judged the balance pretty well here, though pot holes and speed humps are still quite keenly felt. As is the note of the engine under harsh acceleration. It settles down a lot at cruising speeds though, which makes the Santa Fe a pleasant long-journeying companion, aided by a 'Highway Drive Assist' system that can maintain a set speed while providing steering assistance on curved sections of highway. For that kind of cruising, you'll probably be leaving the car in the most frugal of the three provided 'Drive' modes - 'Eco'; the others are 'Sport' (which perks things up quite noticeably) and a 'MyDrive' setting, basically an auto mode that sorts everything out for you.
More 'Terrain'-branded drive modes are available if you've selected an all-wheel drive Santa Fe - 'Snow', 'Mud' and 'Sand'. As with the previous generation model, these work with the 4WD system's 'HTRAC' set-up, which apportions torque in varying quantities between the axles depending on the traction available, at the same time as braking individual wheels in search of better grip. As usual though with a car of this class, there's not really enough ride height to venture anywhere too gnarly, so the 'Terrain' side of the drive mode dial will probably remain largely unused. It might be useful though if you were towing on a slippery surface, though that's an unlikely eventuality with a Santa Fe which, thanks to its hybrid petrol powertrains can tug along just 1,110kgs of braked weight.
Design and Build
Hyundai's Chief Designer SangYup Lee clearly wanted a complete departure from the previous generation model, which had a conservative visual vibe the brand has now abandoned. The squarical, rugged practical look of its replacement certainly won't be to everyone's taste, but it's a look that is very much 'in', a trend started by the current Land Rover Defender. There are further shades of that car with the panel on this Santa Fe's upper flank behind the rear door, which here pops open as a grab handle so you can reach things on the roof rack. The squared-off edges make the car appear even bigger than its 4.8m length suggests and it rides on large 20-inch wheels.
Inside, it's the usual screen fest, with gently curved joined 12.3-inch displays for the infotainment and instruments, plus a further 6.6-inch climate control screen with physical dials. It's all very avant-garde and there's some nice metal-effect trimming and plenty of storage space, including a deep central cubby. The second row is spacious (legroom is improved by 35mm), with a sliding bench too; and there are plenty of cupholders and USB ports to go round. As is also the case with the third row, where that boxy shape means more headroom than is usually the case with an SUV of this class - 69mm more of it than before. Legroom at the very back is still more suited to those of school age though, despite a 15mm improvement this time round. The seating height is up by 30mm, so there's a better view forwards; and the third row backrest can recline by 10-degrees.
The square shape obviously helps boot space too: there's even a reasonable amount with the third seating row in place. And Hyundai's particularly proud of the fact that the boot opening is exceptionally wide. There's 621-litres of space with the third seating row folded (only 7-litres less than the HEV version) and 1,942-litres with everything flat.
Market and Model
This PHEV Santa Fe costs just under £5,000 more than the base HEV Hybrid model and was priced at the time of our test in early 2025 from around £52,000. All PHEV variants come only with 4WD. There are three trim levels, 'Premium', 'Ultimate' or 'Caligraphy'. And three rows of seats are standard, even in this PHEV; quite a few rival Plug-in Hybrid SUVs can only offer two seating rows.
All Santa Fe models feature roof rails, front and rear parking sensors with a rear view camera, privacy glass, dual zone climate control, heated front seats, drivers' seat height adjustment, a leather steering wheel, automatic windscreen wipers, a DAB radio, wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring Smart High Beam Assist and cruise control. There's also a huge amount of included drive assist technology, including an improved version of the brand's 'Forward Collision-Avoidance' autonomous braking system. The 'Lane Following Assist' feature that keeps the car in lane has been enhanced too, plus there's a clever 'Smart Cruise Control 2' set-up as well. Along with familiar driver aids like 'Intelligent Speed Limit Assist' and 'Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist'.
Cost of Ownership
For real frugality in a Santa Fe, you'll need this Plug-in Hybrid variant, but it's not quite as efficient as its obvious segment competitors because, unlike most of them, Hyundai hasn't dramatically increased the size of the PHEV system battery - it's just 13.8kWh in size. That's why this car can only travel up to 33.6 AER-rated miles on battery power alone - around half the mileage you'd get from, say, a Skoda Kodiaq iV (though that car has only five seats). That restricted battery size also tells with the efficiency stats - 166mpg on the combined cycle and 38g/km of CO2, which sound good but are nowhere near the level boasted by most obvious rivals. Which in turn means you'll be paying a higher level of Benefit-in-Kind taxation (12%) than you might expect to with a car of this kind.
As usual with a PHEV, what you'll actually get in day-to-day use won't be far off what you would have got from a decent diesel SUV of this sort in the past; we've been getting figures in the mid-40mpg range on this test, falling to the mid-30s with motorway use. Unfortunately, this Plug-in Hybrid gets a much smaller 47-litre fuel tank too. Once the battery gets down below 15% of capacity, the PHEV system draws on the engine a lot more and efficiency suffers. So you'll want to keep that battery topped up as much as possible. In that regard, it's worth pointing out that the plug-in Santa Fe's onboard charger has just 3.6kW of output, so a full charge from a typical 7.4kW AC home wallbox will take four hours - which is quite a long time for a PHEV wallbox charge.
Summary
As the diesel era draws to a close, but at a time when the EV era isn't quite mature, the appeal of Plug-in Hybrid tech has never been stronger. And it makes particular sense in a spacious family SUV of this kind, provided the manufacturer concerned can build it in while keeping a seven-seat format, as Hyundai has here.
We liked the previous fourth generation Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid too, but it was lacking quite a lot in pavement presence, something the Korean maker's been bold in rectifying here. Not everyone will like the end result but if you do, you might really want one. Should that be the case, the extra for this PHEV variant could be money well spent.
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