SANTA FE

About the Santa Fe

The Santa Fe has been Hyundai's mid-size SUV since 2000, and watching it evolve is like watching Hyundai grow up in real time. The first generation was rough — capable enough, priced right, but clearly a step behind the CR-V and RAV4 in refinement. The second generation closed the gap. The third generation, with its flowing design and vastly improved interior, was the moment reviewers stopped using "for the price" as a qualifier. The fourth generation went bold with a split headlight design that polarized opinions but won awards. The fifth generation abandoned curves entirely for a boxy, angular aesthetic inspired by the Santa Cruz pickup — a design statement that said Hyundai was done following trends and had started setting them. Available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the current Santa Fe offers genuine three-row practicality with a design that stands alone in a sea of jellybean crossovers. On Revnut, the Santa Fe generations chart Hyundai's transformation from budget option to genuine contender.