Used Hyundai Santa Fe Buying Guide

• Both recent generations share the same hybrid engine, making it easy to find a model in your price range.
• If you’re wanting something that can go off-road, then you can look for XRT trims that were introduced in 2022. This adds some much needed gear to tackle the trails.
• If you’re wanting a model that can almost drive itself, then you want to look for one that comes after 2021 as these may come with semi-autonomous driving.

With this generation being a few years old, there’s 5 trims to pick from so far. These trims are the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. There’s also two engines to be aware of, one being a hybrid option, and the other is a regular gas engine.

The first engine we’ll look at is the 2.5L I4, and while this isn’t the largest, it does output some power. This engine outputs 277 horsepower, and 311 lb-ft of torque, and when properly equipped with the towing package on the XRT, you can tow up to 4,500-pounds. While this engine is capable, it is also efficient, coming with an EPA rated 24 MPG combined.

While the hybrid engine can’t tow like the base gas engine, it makes up for that with better mileage. This engine is a 1.6L I4, and has an EPA rated 36 MPG combined, able to go more than 600 miles on one tank. This is the perfect option for people who want something efficient for family road trips, or those who don’t want frequent stops at the pump.

Moving on to the interior, for all trims, you can find a pair of 12.3-inch screens that sprawl across the dashboard. Unlike other models, Hyundai made wireless phone connectivity as a standard option across the board, making it easy to get into your vehicle and connect right away. If you’re wanting the most features, then you can look for models that are equipped with a dual wireless smartphone charging pad that can charge two phones at once.

This generation came with a few trims much like the newest one: the SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Limited and Ultimate.There are a few engines that you can find with these being the 2.4L I4, and the 2.0L turbocharged I4 that were on models prior to 2021, and the pair of 2.5L engines that replaced both of the older engines. This year a few hybrid options were also available, making this a solid year to look for.

Since this generation is in the books, we can give you the best engine from this generation without that changing over time. If you’re wanting the best engine for range, then you can look for the base hybrid engine. While the plugin may seem like a tempting option, you’ll get more overall range from the regular hybrid as it comes with the same numbers as the one on the most recent generation.

During the first few years from this generation, you can find some decent creature comforts that will make it worthwhile to keep an eye out for. These features being a head-up display, heated rear seats, and ventilated front seats.

If you want the best features from this generation, then you can look for models after 2021, this is because they have the chance to come with a semi-autonomous driving mode, larger 8.0-inch and optional 10.3-inch infotainment displays. This is also the year that wireless phone connectivity became standard for the lineup.

While this generation was around for a few new years, there was nothing new in terms of features, but a new trim did join in for 2022 models, this being the XRT. This is when some off-road fun came to the line, and with it came skid plates, side steps, and unique wheels, making it stand out, and helping keep the underbody safe.