Sometime after the turn of the millennium, crossover utility vehicles started to shed their image of implied ruggedness. The Nissan Murano and Infiniti FX led the charge of minimal cladding and complex curves, and the formula spread across the industry for well over a decade. However, over the past few years, the winds have started to shift. The current crop of crossovers has seen a resurgence of squared-off lines, and one manufacturer is taking it to the extreme. The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe asks what boxy can do for you, and it uses that straight-edge form to be a genuine three-row crossover with a proper midsize footprint.
After all, if you’re moving, you don’t put your stuff in orbs, you put it in boxes. The humble box or crate has been the preferred shape for carrying stuff for centuries, and when you’re trying to cram all the people and belongings and electronic devices that come with being a modern parent into a vehicle, it should help a great deal if that vehicle were shaped like a box. Add in some clever touches of design, and the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is exceptionally promising indeed.
[Full disclosure: Hyundai Canada took me on a multi-vehicle trip to British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast to drive the new Santa Fe, with jets, a seaplane, a ferry, and a bus all involved in the transportation process to and from a gaggle of yurts. Yep, that’s B.C. for sure. In addition to transportation and accommodations, Hyundai provided food and hydration. -TH]
How Does It Look?
Someone call Huey Lewis and the News, because it’s once again hip to be square. Although the previous Santa Fe looked nice, it wasn’t quite sized or packaged correctly to gain an edge over the Tucson compact crossover, which resulted in something weird happening on sales floors. According to Hyundai Canada, the previous-generation Santa Fe attracted an older clientele than the much larger Palisade, and empty nesters probably aren’t the ideal main buying group for a family crossover.
So, Hyundai went back to the drawing board and attacked it with a ruler and a marker. The result is the boxiest midsized three-row family hauler we’ve seen since the Land Rover LR4 — pragmatism as a fashion statement to the extreme. The new Santa Fe looks huge, but it isn’t some 200-inch behemoth. At 190.2 inches long, it’s 5.8 inches shorter than the larger Hyundai Palisade, 4.8 inches shorter than the Toyota Highlander, and 5.5 inches shorter than a Honda Accord midsize sedan. I’d say that’s right on the money. Oh, and despite the blocky silhouette, this thing has a drag coefficient of 0.294, down from 0.33 in the previous model. Neat.
Beyond the striking silhouette, the new Hyundai Santa Fe gets more interesting the more you look at it. While the hand grips for getting up to the roof rack in the C-pillars are generating buzz, there’s plenty more to notice here. Unlike every other Hyundai crossover, the rear turn signals aren’t in the rear bumper, but are instead in the taillight assemblies, exactly where you’d expect them to be. Speaking of lighting, the headlights and taillights both feature H motifs, although thanks to a little extra negative space, they also look a lot like dog bones. Less ambiguous is the giant H in the front bumper grille, a design element that, once noticed, is hard to unsee.
What’s The Interior Like?
Sliding inside the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, you’re greeted by a sweeping dashboard featuring a driver-centric screen arrangement and an interesting mix of physical and virtual controls. There’s a physical home button for the infotainment and hard keys for frequently used functions along with volume and tuning knobs and HVAC temperature control knobs, although controls for the heated seats are in a separate climate control touchscreen. Thankfully, said virtual controls are always top level, and they seem to exist for a surprisingly dignified reason. For instance, if a new Santa Fe isn’t a trim level with cooled seats, the touch panel means there are no blanked-off physical buttons in the center console. It’s an affordable way of doing something upscale, and I can’t be mad at that.
Speaking of interesting decisions, by mounting the electronic shifter to the steering column, Hyundai’s made space for up to two wireless smartphone charging pads. Also worth noting, the oddly funky steering wheel that features dramatically thicker rim circumference near the two horizontal spokes than anywhere else around the rim. That’s definitely an ergonomic quirk, although the scroll wheel for the steering wheel mounted volume control is genius, and the difference in rim thickness is surprisingly easy to get used to.
Every 2024 Santa Fe gets three rows of seating, and before we get to third-row seat room, it’s worth noting that the first is extremely comfortable. The cushions have just the right amount of give, and a little curve in each seatback really supports your upper back well. No risk of numb butts in this thing. As for the second row, it’s either a bench or a pair of power-adjustable captain’s chairs and is also surprisingly plush. With nice seat foam, a high seating position, and plenty of legroom, it feels like the second row in a bigger vehicle. Moving to the all-important third row, the boxy silhouette of the Santa Fe allows it to boast some impressive figures. Hyundai’s claiming 2.32 inches more third-row legroom and 1.3 inches more second-row legroom than a much longer Toyota Highlander, while only giving up 1.4 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row.
It’s still enough cargo space for a handful of backpacks, and a welcome tradeoff for a genuinely useable third row. I probably wouldn’t want to put two taller adults in the third row for a long trip, but for hour-long journeys, it’s not just doable, it’s comfortable. Oh, and did I mention that those third row seats recline? It’s an unexpectedly nice touch, but then again, the Santa Fe is all about nice touches.
If you’ve ever been around kids, you know that kids have stuff and stuff eventually needs to be put away. Well, not only is there a slide-out center console bin for second-row passengers, the lid of the center console hinges both fore and aft for easy access by adults in the front seats and anyone in the second row. It’s a clever little trick that really makes us wonder why more automakers aren’t doing it. Oh, and if your kids’ stuff does take up the entire center console storage area, there are dual gloveboxes for occupants up front. On the top trim, the upper glovebox is even a UV-C disinfecting chamber, because the stuff we carry around on a daily basis gets gross sometimes.
Speaking of gizmos, every 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe gets a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen running Hyundai’s latest software, which means it comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that works remarkably well. All trims but the base model also get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and while configurability isn’t quite as thorough as on previous Hyundai digital clusters, simple readouts and clean fonts go a long way. Add in up to two available wireless smartphone charging pads, digital key capability, an available household outlet in the third row, and oodles of USB-C ports, and the new Santa Fe has all the electronic gadgets you could reasonably want.
While more expensive Santa Fe trims get a 12-speaker Bose sound system that’s competitive as far as branded systems in the segment go, the unbranded stereo in the XRT I drove is still good enough for most people’s needs. Sure, it scoops the mids a touch, but with a little EQ tweak, you end up with a perfectly respectable stereo with ample power for most buyers. Bass notes hit with some jaunty little punch, treble notes aren’t shrill, and the soundstage is totally reasonable. It’s not a bad listening experience by any measure.
How Does It Drive?
Let’s get a little asterisk out of the way first. Hybrids are hot right now, and the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe will soon be available with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack both feeding a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission with an integrated 59-horsepower electric motor. Total output? A cool 231 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and an impressive 271 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,000 rpm to 5,100 rpm. Yep, that plateau starts at 1,000 rpm. It’s impressive on paper, and I’ve experienced both the engine and the transmission in the Tucson Hybrid, but I haven’t driven the new Santa Fe Hybrid yet. See, all hybrid models come from Ulsan, in Korea, and they aren’t here yet. Expect them to arrive in showrooms this summer.
However, the other powertrain certainly isn’t a consolation prize. In fact, it absolutely rips for the segment. See, Santa Fe models built in Alabama get a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed wet clutch DCT. You might recognize this combination from the Hyundai Santa Cruz compact pickup truck, and it makes 277 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque on 87 octane gasoline in the Santa Fe. This turbocharged ripper is a strong, willing powertrain with incredibly refined DCT behavior. There’s no oddly fast low-speed creep or clunkiness in slow driving that you may expect from a DCT, and if it weren’t for the remarkably quick shifts, you’d have no idea it wasn’t a conventional torque converter automatic. While this transmission did have some initial teething issues when it launched a few years ago, hardware and software revisions in late 2022 seem to have sorted those out, including in demanding applications like the Elantra N sport compact car. If it can take back-to-back launch control starts without complaining, it should be able to handle life in a family car just fine.
Starting out in the top Ultimate Calligraphy trim (just Calligraphy in America), light parking lot-friendly steering is the first thing I noticed when putting tire to pavement. Sport mode adds desired heft, as the Pirelli Scorpion tires fitted to the Ultimate Calligraphy model are generally known for quick response at the expense of linear steering weighting. Still, thanks in part to those rubber band sidewalls, the Santa Fe manages to shrink around you when the roads get twisty. Okay, it doesn’t do a hot hatch impression, but until you glance in the mirror or need to make a U-turn, you’ll completely forget that you’re driving a cinderblock-shaped three-row crossover with more third-row legroom than a Toyota Highlander.
As for suspension tuning on the top-trim model, it’s pretty good. You won’t find cetacean body roll in the bends or dismaying flaccidity over whole-lane bumps, although you might get some extra body motions if one rear wheel hits a massive divot in the road. For the most part, the package feels just right, planted without ever feeling harsh. Sure, minor road cracks are faintly telegraphed through the chassis as hushed murmurs on models with 21-inch wheels, but how many Santa Fe buyers are opting for the big rollers? Sidewall is suddenly sexy again, and there’s a trim level that washes away low-profile sins.
Say hello to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT, a soft-roady trim that has the Honda Pilot TrailSport right in its crosshairs. Not only does it get a front skid plate, extra vents, and a towing capacity increase from 3,500 pounds to 4,500 pounds with the 2.5-liter engine (the hybrid can tow 2,500 pounds), it also gets a 1.3-inch lift from different springs and dampers, along with a set of 245/60R18 Continental TerrainContact A/T all-terrain tires. While these meats aren’t three-peak mountain snowflake-rated, they do offer up some serious perks on the beaten path.
For a start, those little whispers you get if you opt for 21-inch wheels are Thanos-snapped with this 18-inch wheel and tire package. Pattern noise? Nonexistent, and these tires’ management of potholes make them library quiet, noticeably more hushed than the top-spec Pirelli highway tires. It’s genuinely remarkable that Continental made a set of all-terrain tires that rides this well, and as an added perk, steering weight builds far more naturally on these tires. Sure, there may be a 4.34 percent combined cycle fuel economy hit from 23 mpg to 22 on the all-terrains (detailed mpg breakdown: 20 mpg city, 28 highway for AWD models on highway tires, 19 mpg city 26 highway on all-terrains), but looking around the richly appointed cabin with big screens, a stitched dashboard, supple leatherette seats, a household outlet in the third row, and a sunroof makes you wonder if anyone actually needs the top trim. After all, $7,700 ($6,500 in Canada) buys a lot of fuel.
What’s The Verdict On The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Going into the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, we already knew that Hyundai put some good stuff into it. Prior experience tells us that the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine is pleasurably strong, the eight-speed DCT is quick, the new infotainment system is fluid, and the N3 platform is stiff and well-insulated. What I didn’t expect was this three-row crossover to be greater than the sum of its major parts. From the Mensa-grade center console to the properly comfortable seats to the awesome interior space for the footprint to the monolithic styling, Hyundai didn’t just plan a midsize three-row crossover, it executed the concept exceptionally well. It feels to have been designed not just with care, but by people who have children, meaning it’s about as practical as most people could realistically want.
It’s also priced competitively. In America, the base SE FWD model stickers for $35,345 including a $1,395 freight charge, the SEL FWD lists for $37,845, the all-wheel-drive-only XRT trim costs $41,995, the Limited FWD will run you $44,745, and the top-banana Calligraphy trim with FWD goes for $47,895. All-wheel-drive will run you an extra $1,800 on all trims save for the XRT, and the hybrid powertrain pulls a $500 premium on top of AWD on SEL AWD trims and up, excluding the soft-roady XRT trim.
In Canada, things are a little different. All models come with all-wheel-drive, trim level names are slightly different, and the hybrid powertrain is only available on the lower two trims, with XRT trims and up being 2.5-liter exclusively. In Canadian dollars and including a $2,000 freight charge, the base Preferred trim lists for $42,999, the Preferred with Trend package (20-inch wheels, dual-pane sunroof, digital cluster) lists for $46,999, the XRT lists for $48,999, the Luxury (equivalent to the American Limited trim) costs $51,999, and the Ultimate Calligraphy trim stickers for $55,499.
No matter which market you’re looking at, those figures are on the less expensive end of the true three-row crossover spectrum, significantly undercutting the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, and Mazda CX-90. Money talks, and the new Santa Fe is saying all the right words. With non-hybrid models in showrooms now, it’s only a matter of time before you start seeing these squared-off CUVs in your neighborhood, adding some unique style to the suburbs.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
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Ugh, that fuel economy. Just abysmal for the turbo engine. There’s no way it’ll see that in real life. And a DCT is just wrong for towing anything. Even a few tows a year is going to shorten the life of the 1st and reverse gear clutches with the creeping back and forth to align everything. Or going slowly up a slick ramp so not to break traction.
At least Kia has the EV9. Now if they’d only build that in the States so it was eligible for tax credits.
They are gonna print money and Stellantis is going to have to up their discounts on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I’m all about this! I want to see the Santa Cruz update to something similar.
Is XRT pronounced Ex-Ar-Tee or EXERT? Just wondering.
“Zert”
I was somewhat excited about these and started shopping them a bit to replace my wife’s aging SUV. Then I showed her a picture of it, specifically the rear, and she immediately said no way no how. I like that they made the hatch extra wide, but I don’t understand why they didn’t move some of the lights onto the hatch.
Has Hyundai solved the disappearing oil issue yet? That made us leave the brand after 20 years and several Hyundais.
That sounds problematic. What models were affected?
for sure our 2015 Sonata not sure all of the rest.
Do I think it looks cool? Yes. Do I trust this brand? Not really. There is very little confidence that I have that this won’t grenade its engine.
I’m on board with the design and let me tell you why. It’s different.
If you lined up all of Hyundai’s crossover offerings, I wouldn’t be able to tell you which one is which. Not only that, they all just disappear into the landscape. Five years ago, I would have said the same thing about Buick but Hyundai has recently stolen the anonymity crown.
I don’t think it’s particularly attractive and I’m certainly not in the market for anything in this segment but it will be a refreshing addition to the roads for the next few years until they just disappear into the landscape again.
So if its supposed to rule the suburbs why are the photos showing it cowering in the woods?
Because that’s the image grocery-hauling suburbanites want to project.
boss 1: “what could be uglier than 1 screen popped above the dash?”
boss 2: “oh I know, two screens!”
big boss: “You boys just earned a raise!”
Same as “Tasteful Noodles” below, this also looks like an updated Ford Flex to me from many angles, but I’m not digging the back end. Maybe I just need to see it in person. Pricing seems pretty good compared to similar offerings in the market. It does look like a comfortable place to be, and I appreciate that they didn’t throw everything in a touchscreen.
Yeah it looks odd at the back, saw a Rivian the other day and thought the same thing like it has been hit already
I have seen a few CX90s, which were beautiful in pictures, and they also look like they were rear-ended.
“At 190.2 inches long, it’s 5.8 inches shorter than the larger Hyundai Palisade, 4.8 inches shorter than the Toyota Highlander, and 0.9 inches shorter than a Honda Accord midsize sedan. I’d say that’s right on the money.”
The Volvo 245/265 and 700/900 series/original V90 would agree.
Anyway, I like the way this thing looks, though I’m not in the market for one.
The figure for the Accord is a bit off the current (and now full-sized, according to the EPA) spec – it’s 195.7 inches long, which is probably a lot of Canadian “millimetres” (sic) as well. It’s really big on the inside – I’ve been in the back seats of several ride-share Accords – but it’s God-awful enormous on the outside.
This is the Flex if Ford hadn’t discontinued it in 2019.
Came here to say the same thing. It’s a Flex that is a little more butchy.
Also the rear face of the car has a nasty fivehead. Looks like Dooneese from those SNL Lawrence Welk sketches.
https://youtu.be/8KLSg1h0e-M?t=86
A Flex that went to British boarding school (get some Land Rover vibes from the front grill) with tuition paid by the rich uncle in Seoul.
That’s what came to mind when I first saw and skimmed over pictures a few months back, but now I also see a little bit of an updated Isuzu Axiom in the beltline and side details. Not 20 years’ worth of updated, but updated.
I like the steering wheel. So many modern steering wheels don’t have a place to set your hand on the bottom of the wheel. This one looks to have a nice hand-sized hole in just the right spot.
Tee hee.
Giggity
Lol, I guess I shouldn’t go on about hole sizes before my brain is fully awake.
Just toddle over to the rim-blow comments until the caffeine gets fully absorbed.
The Hyundai emblem on the hood is causing cognitive dissonance. To me, it’s channeling major Excursion and Ford truck vibes and I’m expecting a blue oval there instead.
Saw one of these yesterday in its natural habitat… a Lowe’s parking lot.
I betcha’ can haul a lot of mulch in that baby.
ok, those thin tires look comical. Seriously, this looks like a hi-riser.
it’s exacerbated by the black plastic that is trimming in the wheel wells. Makes the wells look huge with those thin tires sort of floating in there somewhere.
Range Rover styling looks good though.
The tires are supposed to be 245s. Maybe they look skinny because the wheel diameter is so huge.
245 is the tread width. I meant skinny as in the sidewalls. The sidewall ratio is 45 from what I can find. So sidewalls are like 110mm. Which isn’t uncommon. But I think because of the dubs and the extra black trim around the wheel arches it has a wagon wheel effect.
Everything about the wheels looks wrong. the top spec version looks like it has piano black trim around the wheels – which is one of the worst things I can think to use there.
Yeah, it’s an ugly vehicle.
I like the styling with the exception of the rear. I can’t put my finger on why I’m put off by it – need Adrian to tell me why it sucks.
I can confirm that powertrain rips – my wife’s 2022 Kia Sorento has it and we never had the transmission programming issues even before they reflashed it as part of a recall. If you put it in sport mode it’s shockingly fast even loaded down with kids and their stuff.
This power train combo is kinda new though (I don’t think it was around before 2020) so no idea on long term reliability.
Realistically though, just buy a CX-90 – this styling has the potential to look very dated down the road. The Mazda will look good forever.
OK, lets stop with the “Pleather” crap and call it what it is…..VINYL. These are plastic seats and have nothing to do with leather….well except that it is sticky and hot in summer and cold as hell in winter.
That’s why it’s called pleather. It’s a portmanteau of plastic and leather that specifically describes it as imitating leather. It’s not meant to be complimentary.
Yeah, I’ve always understood “pleather” to be specifically the plastic fake leather, as opposed to honest vinyl.
This might be the first comment I’ve ever read in all my years on the interwebs that used the word, “portmanteau.” You get a gold star.
Let’s leave “pleather” alone and attack the real enemy: “vegan leather.”
Unless it’s made out of mushrooms, it’s just pretentious plastic.
Very much this.
Personally, I feel like all leather is vegan. Unless there’s something about cows they aren’t telling us…
Personally, I feel like all leather is vegan. Unless there’s something about cows they aren’t telling us…
China stopped taking scrap plastics so we had to get *creative*…
The MB Tex in my 80s S-class proves that pleather can be hard wearing. I also prefer it for cleaning purposes. MUCH easier to clean up after children or pets and the odds of permanent staining are almost zero.
If I could have (and I guess I could have ordered something with COM spec’d since you can get it by the yard for restorations), I would have gotten a sofa upholstered in Tex.
MB Tex must be made out of cockroach exoskeleton powder
We checked one out at the auto show last month, and were super impressed by how thoughtfully designed it seemed to be. I think it looks better in person than in photographs, and the down-the-road graphic is so distinctive.
C to D windows are tapered too much. I love the silhouette, though. And the interior ain’t with the exception of the angling of the screen to the driver. I prefer flat for easier access from the passenger seat. 6 out of 10.
I can’t decide if I love or hate the looks. Hyundai/Kia/Genesis definitely go all out on just about every design, but a lot of the results just wind up looking a bit busy to me. They also essentially completely redesign their exteriors with every mid-cycle refresh, so who knows what this will look like in a few years. It’s one of the reasons why their residuals are so putrid.
Anyway, this seems like a useful enough suburban hauler. I’ll be interested to see how the fuel economy on the hybrid is, because Hyundai/Kia products usually lag significantly behind the Japanese on that front. There will also likely be a PHEV soon enough considering they already offered in on the old Santa Fe.
IMHO whether or not this is good will mostly come down to longevity and ownership costs. That’s what really separates haulers. I can’t imagine it will be able to touch the Japanese offerings on that front…but at a comparatively cheaper price point with cars that will actually available and being sold at or below MSRP?
They’ll sell a boatload. I’m going to drag my wife to look at one for her next car but despite mine being great she’s pretty firmly anti Hyundai because of how hard the Kia Boys crap has hit DC. We’ll see. I still think we’ll wind up in a CX90 when all is said and done.
I spend a lot of time in an upper-class/upper-middle-class area of my city for work, and the CX90 seems to be in driveways one would expect more Mercedes/BMW suvs. It’s no surprise, the CX90 looks extremely elegant but is, at the same time, understated. This on the other hand, looks too weird to be accepted by the private-school pick-up line crowd. Will they sell a boatload of these? Yes. Will they steal sales of the legacy luxury manufacturers like Mazda? I doubt it. Report back with what you guys end up with. I do not need an SUV at this stage of my life, but the CX90 looks quite desirable.
Im crossing my fingers that the new straight 6/RWD platform leads to a sedan. I’d absolutely love a discount M340i.
I was just looking into this, and the rumor is that this program is back, coming maybe 2025, more likely 2026. Hopefully, they give the back seat some leg-room, unlike current Mazda sedans.
Prices just dropped on the gas-powered CX-90s but increased a noticeable amount on the hybrid. Even so, a mid-grade CX-90 PHEV is only about ten percent more than a fully loaded AWD hybrid Santa Fe, and I suspect I’d prefer the former despite the extra length. (I really wish they’d shortened the CX-70 instead of just deleting the third row.)
The CX-70 is not coming to the US, correct? I would assume the US will get a different mid-size SUV to slot between CX-5 (CX-50?) and the CX-90. Also, Toyota has proved that people want hybrids and MPG over just about everything else, even if the alternative has a sweet I6.
It is, but only as a two-row version of the CX-90 with the exact same body and price.
That’s lame. Just sell it as the CX-90, make the third-row an option.
I mostly like the looks now, but I think I’ll be tired of it in two years. When the current gen Sportage/Tuscons came out, I thought they looked fantastic, but now I’m kind of sick of looking at them, especially the Tuscon.
This is the issue with how aggressive the Koreans are with their designs. They change things so often and so significantly that a lot of the design language winds up being very here and now a lot of the time. Sometimes it ages well. Most of the time it doesn’t.
Beware the CX90. I was in the market back in the fall, and was super excited about it. The press loved it without exception, they looked great, the interior looked amazing, the specs were right, it’s safe, had a PHEV variant.
Then we drove one.
We both knew before we were out of the dealership parking lot that it was a hard no. Brittle, rattling suspension, uncanny steering feel, and then horrible torqueing and shuddering of the body over minor street imperfections – and then, with the PHEV variant at least, the drivetrain was an absolute mess. Surging, lurching, snapping, but sloppy and sluggish at the same time. I don’t know what on earth people were talking about when they described that thing as a driver’s car, but it was an absolute chore to steer around for a half hour. I’d tested Subarus, Hyundais, Volvos, Hondas, Toyotas – they had their positives and negatives, but the CX90 was a mess, start to finish, in terms of driving quality. I was absolutely shocked. The pure-ICE versions might be better in some respects but I can’t imagine the suspension / body dynamics issues being much improved.
That combined with the fact that the infotainment insists on primarily sticking with a wheel interface, and that it locks everyone in the car out of the entire infotainment system even when using AA or Carplay was an absolute dealbreaker.
I know Mazda are the golden boys of automotive press. Hell, I literally race a Miata. But the CX90 was the worst car I’ve driven since I rented an old-gen Mitsubishi Outlander, and possibly even worse than that. I really, really wanted to like that car and was super surprised, but man, I’d have taken the Highlander over the CX90 every day and twice on Sunday, and I race cars for fun!
Ended up busting the budget and getting a PHEV XC-60 with a very, very long factory warranty. Do not regret it.
Noted, thanks for this info. For what it’s worth I’m aware of a lot of the first gen teething problems that they’ve been having and we won’t be shopping for at least another year or two when (hopefully) things will be a little more sorted. It seems like in this initial batch there have been some really good cars and some…not so good ones.
I wouldn’t actually say it’s loved across the board. Savagegeese was rather critical of it, largely due to the lack of refinement. I know his opinion isn’t held in very high regard around here but Doug was pretty critical of it too. It does seem like it could’ve benefited from staying in the oven a little longer, and the combination of a brand new platform and brand new powertrains is quite the double whammy.
I mean look at how Stellantis is doing with the first batch of Hurricane straight 6s. Yikes…but yeah, the CX90s have been rather hit or miss so far. I do wonder if you drove a bad one. Regardless I’ll report back when we’re looking. Maybe some of this stuff will be sorted by then, maybe it won’t.
We’d love to look at a XC60 recharge but the combination of size and price is a tough pill to swallow. It’s expensive AND not that spacious. Boy is it compelling though…
Yeah, maybe I just got a bum one. But there’s no excuse for the infotainment lockout. The CX90’s raison d’etre is as a family hauler, and if I’m hauling my family along the interstate, it’ll be a cold day in hell before I’ll choose a car that makes me find a rest stop so my wife can search for a Mickey D’s.
The XC60 Recharge is amazing for a particular set of circumstances. The negatives are real – reliability is a massive concern; if you look at Reddit you’ll be convinced it’s suicide. I only countenanced it because I was able to warrant it out to 170k miles and because I drive a lot, so the warranty is easy to justify. And because of the way our family drives (lots of individual 30 mile trips – we’re in the sticks) the PHEV component lowers the cost per mile a lot vs pure-ICE stuff like a Palisade or Ascent or Santa Fe. Without a few weird externalities it’s harder to justify.
It’s also a bit old on the tech side, if that’s something you care about. The Google infotainment in the new ones is actually quite excellent, but it’s the same 9″ screen from 2016, and the digital dash has two options – map, and no map. Audi it’s not.
But it’s, IMO, one of if not the best-looking small crossovers out there. The interior quality is fabulous. It’s bank-vault solid. And the powertrain in the MY23+ models (with the fatter electric motor) is just brilliant. It’s everything the Mazda wasn’t. Handoffs between regen and friction braking, between the ICE and the electric motor, the torque delivery – nearly every aspect of the powertrain is executed flawlessly. My only complaint is that in default hybrid mode (where it’s mostly an EV) it takes a beat to really get up and go, and it’s so #@$@# fast that by the time it’s gotten up to go, it’s probably already going as fast as you wanted to go in the first place. You can solve that problem, at the cost of fuel consumption, by sticking it in ‘power mode’.
And in power mode, it’s fast. It’s not just fast, it’s “passengers literally screaming in shock” fast. It’s ’90s Ferrari fast. It’s “I passed one car and I’m going 100” fast. It’s “if I stop light race this LC500 I’ll win” fast. It’s “Ahahahaahah!!!” fast. It’s “Sub-$100k Panameras no longer interest me because they’re slower” fast.
It’s not as instant-fast as new-gen fast EVs (EV6, Mach E GT, etc), because the ICE still needs to do ICE things. But it’s a super safe, unassuming family hauler that will, at your whim, violently move all the loose objects in it to however far back they can get.
If you drive little enough to make a lease practical, or much-enough to buy a really long warranty and drive it until the heat death of the universe, go do it. Otherwise, stay away unless you like paying large bills to expert tradesmen.
It needs more lines on the surfaces for me too like it. /s
WTF is this shit? Boxy is fine, but, it looks like it’s put together with legos due to all of the separate areas on the surfaces that are just superficial lines.
This thing is so friggin’ cool I almost wanna trade in our ’17 Q7 for one. It won’t have anywhere near the power or driving dynamics, but man it’s so cool looking. I’m so over “sportback” style SUV’s taking the U out of SUV. The X6, Benz whatever and Q5 Sportback prove the Youabian Puma was just ahead of it’s time, and this Hyundai is the antithesis of those fat, tall cars.
Yes. I hate the sportback SUVs, which I just call giant cars. All the negatives of a car with all the negatives of an SUV!
Right? The sculpted back hatches destroy so much cargo space.
One of the reasons I love my ’07 Volve XC70 wagon is the nearly vertical rear window. The cargo area is essentially one big box. Same with my current gen 4Runner.
I had forgotten about the Youabian Puma. That’ll teach me not to Google recklessly, and I hope I can hold out until my next therapy appointment.