PHEV Review: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid

Photo Credits: Hyundai Media Gallery

The Hybrid SUV for Your Family Adventures

Overview

Performance: 66.9-kW electric motor, turbocharged 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder, 260 horsepower

Mileage estimate: 76 mpge

Price estimate: $39,500 to $45,510

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Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles

Drivetrain Warranty: 10 years / 100,000 miles

Roadside Assistance: 5 years / unlimited

Corrosion Warranty: 7 years / unlimited

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid Review

Intro

When it comes to variety, it’s tough to beat what Hyundai has to offer in the popular Santa Fe.

Some shoppers might opt for the traditional gas-powered Santa Fe, a smart choice among midsize SUVs.

Yet so are two other versions of the Santa Fe – a hybrid and the new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that gets roughly 31 miles in electric-only mode. This review will focus primarily on the Santa Fe PHEV.

What makes the Santa Fe a sought-after SUV? It has an appealing exterior, gets solid gas mileage, handles well, and offers acceptable performance. In short, the Santa Fe is a lot of car for the money, starting at roughly $39,600 for the new PHEV and much less for the other options.

The Santa Fe has been around since 2005 and in recent years has been making Hyundai some cash. For the past eight years, the Santa Fe has hit sales of 101,000 or more, after having never reached that mark in its first nine years. It had an all-time high of 133,171 (2017) and last year’s sales were 112,705.

The new PHEV is the first time the South Korean automaker has put a plug-in hybrid drivetrain into a production SUV crossover. Note that sales of the PHEV are limited to 11 states, including California and Oregon.

Exterior Style

In the Hyundai lineup, the Santa Fe fills the gap between the compact Tucson and the midsize Palisade, the brand’s largest-ever vehicle.

There’s no doubt that Hyundai is enamored with its SUVs. Besides introducing the Venue last year, it also debuted the Palisade. Other Hyundai SUVs are the Kona and Ioniq, an electric-powered model.

Interior Space

The Santa Fe interior is smartly designed and fairly spacious. It has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. All the controls are laid out within easy reach and can quickly be mastered.

Standard features include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration with wireless connectivity, and four USB ports – two in front and two in back.

Hyundai made numerous changes to the Santa Fe brand in its 2019 redesign, the biggest one being the elimination of the third row. Since the seating was undersized and only suited for kids, a third row is hardly missed.

The front seats are comfortable and offer ample head and leg room for taller passengers. The rear seats are also comfortable, spacious and we love that they also recline.

The cargo area is extremely roomy at 36.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expanding to 72.1 cubes with the second row folded to the floor – same as the gas-powered Santa Fe.

Charging and Range

The Santa Fe utilizes a 13.8-kWh battery pack that’s smartly located under the floor. Charging takes 4-5 hours on a 240-volt Level 2 charger and 11-12 hours on a standard 120v home outlet.

Performance and Features

Every version of the Santa Fe PHEV comes with standard all-wheel drive. It employs a 66.9-kW electric motor that combines with a turbocharged 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder to generate 260 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The electrified Santa Fe has mediocre performance, one area where the brand takes some frequent criticism. It goes 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds and gets 76 MPGe in electric mode and 31-36 mpg overall.

Although not considered athletic, the Santa Fe is satisfying to operate and provides the driver with a strong degree of confidence. The SUV corners with efficiency and there’s no problem squeezing into tight parking spaces.

Standard safety features include blind-spot avoidance with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic and reverse emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian/cyclist detection, rear occupant alert, adaptive cruise control, and safe exit assist.

Conclusion

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe plug-in hybrid stands out for its overall quality and good price point. Like the gas-powered model and the hybrid, the PHEV has many admirable qualities and there’s no mystery why it’s a popular choice among midsize SUVs.

–  J.W.

User Video Review: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV