Road Test: 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 2.0T FWD

Practical, Well-equipped Midsize Crossover

The Santa Fe is the best-selling SUV in Hyundai’s history. When the fourth generation Santa Fe was completely redesigned in 2019, they had to get it right. They did, and those changes continue to the 2020 model, reinforcing it as one of the most popular midsize SUVs.

Drivetrain

Clean Fleet Report drove the front-wheel drive (FWD) 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Running on unleaded regular, the 235 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque moved the 4,063-pound Santa Fe with confidence. The EPA has rated the fuel economy at 20 city/27 highway/23 combined. In 198 miles of mostly freeway driving throughout Southern California, and aided by the Idle Stop and Go (Hyundai’s name for its start-stop system that shuts down the engine when it’s not needed), we averaged 25.6 mpg. We did a bit better on a 111-mile freeway run, with the smart cruise control set at 65 mph, achieving 30.7 mpg. Cracking 30 mpg on the open road was a nice surprise, but it shouldn’t be that big of deal. Clean Fleet Report feels all cars, at a minimum should get for 30+ mpg on the highway.

The 2.0T has peak torque kicking-in at a low 1,450 rpm and pulling strong through 3,500 rpm, so highway onramps and passing big rigs was a breeze. It did produce a hoarse sound under heavy acceleration, but was quiet when cruising. And cruising is what it does best. Hyundai’s eight-speed automatic transmission, with a Shiftronic manual shift mode, ran smooth through all demands and was never searching for the right gear to be in.

The base engine, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, has less horsepower and torque, but better fuel economy. Regardless of the engine, neither earned a 30 mpg EPA rating. The all-wheel drive Santa Fe, with either engine, gets about two miles per gallon less than the front wheel drive Santa Fe.

Driving Experience: On the Road

Our 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe FWD handled well and was easy to drive. The relaxed feel in-town and at highway speeds extended to maneuvering, which was easy thanks to the Hankook DynaPro 235/55R all-season tires on 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The agile and responsive steering delivered taught handing with little body roll when pushed on corners. In general, the Santa Fe is a comfortable riding and handling SUV. The 2.0T has a tow rating of 3,500 pounds with trailer brakes; 1,650 pounds without.

Drive Mode Select helps you get the most performance from the engine, offering choices of Eco, Normal and Sport settings. Eco should be used on long stretches of road to squeeze-out every last drop of fuel, with Sport holding the transmission in each rev band a bit longer, sending more available torque to the front wheels. Normal is right in the middle, the default setting. We were glad to find no paddle shifters as, for the most part, they are unnecessary on most of the cars we drive. Normal or Eco will be the way to go for most of your driving.

Stops were solid and consistent with a power-assisted braking system consisting of vented front and solid rear discs, anti-lock brake system and electronic brake-force distribution. The latter adjusts brake proportioning to compensate for added weight from passengers or cargo, and even adjusts as fuel is consumed. This is invisible to the driver and passengers, making for a comfortable and controlled ride.

Driving Experience: Exterior

Except for a few cosmetic touches, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe continues the complete redesign that was done for the 2019 model year. Hyundai says it has a “bold new look” that begins with the cascading grille and the squinty-eyed LED headlights. There is an attractive strong detail line that runs the length of the body from the headlights to the tail lights. The nearly flat roof has a power panoramic sunroof, rack rails that can hold 200 pounds, and a body-color shark fin antenna, which for Clean Fleet Report’s Santa Fe was Symphony Silver. The integrated spoiler sits above the hands-free power liftgate, LED tail lights and chrome-tipped exhaust.

Driving Experience: Interior

The Santa Fe Limited seats five, with the black-on-black front power leather seats heated and ventilated, and the outbound rears heated. The front seats were comfortable and the multiple power adjustments, aided by the tilt and telescoping steering column, made finding a comfortable driving position easy. Rear leg and head room were plentiful, with nice touches of a reclining rear seat, second row HVAC vents and window shades. Storage space behind the rear seat was good, but when the 60/40 split-folding seat was in the full down position, the storage space could handle pretty much whatever you like. The door pockets were a bit tight, but the large center console is deep. There is underfloor storage in the cargo area with recessed tie down hooks. When it comes time to do the jigsaw puzzle of loading luggage for that road trip, the Santa Fe is up to the task.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited’s interior is not fancy or edgy, which is appreciated as far too often form over function creeps into cabin design. The soft-touch material dash has a simple layout, starting with the deep-set analog tachometer and speedometer gauges that are easy to read with white lettering on a black background. The heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel has audio and telephone controls.

Operating the sound system was easy and met Clean Fleet Report’s minimum requirement for a driver-friendly system, as it had knobs for the channel and volume functions. Our Santa Fe Limited came with the 8.0-inch HD, color touchscreen with navigation and a multi-view camera system. The powerful and great sounding 630-watt Infinity surround-sound high-definition audio system came with an external amplifier, subwoofer and 12 speakers. SiriusXM satellite radio is included (three-month trial subscription) as is the AM/FM/CD/MP3 radio, USB ports with iPod connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Aux-in jacks and Bluetooth streaming audio with voice recognition completed the system. The Blue Link connected services includes being able to start the Santa Fe remotely. One of the best features that adds to driver safety is the full-color head-up display. This allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road while vital information is projected onto the windshield. Clean Fleet Report feels the head-up display should be standard on all cars.

Adding to the interior comfort and convenience was an acoustic laminated windshield with rain-sensing wipers, wireless charging, push button start, dual zone automatic climate control, power windows with one-touch up/down, power door locks, power heated outside mirrors with turn indicators, carpeted floor mats, an auto dimming rearview mirror with a compass and Homelink, multiple beverage holders, 12-volt accessory outlets and 110V power inverter.

Safety

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe comes with a long list of safety features, including eight air bags, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, back-up warning, electronic parking brake, hill start assist, surround view monitor, tire pressure monitoring system, automatic stop/start and electronic stability control. One very cool feature is that, when using the right or left turn signal, a camera comes on automatically to show the sides of the Santa Fe, depending on which direction is being turned.

The 2020 Santa Fe has not been rated for safety, but the identical 2019 Santa Fe earned a US Government National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score, where 5 Stars is their highest safety rating.

Pricing and Warranties

There are 10 different 2020 Santa Fe models to choose from, ranging in base price from $26,125 to $39,425, depending on the engine, drive system and trim level. Clean Fleet Report’s Santa Fe Limited 2.0T FWD, had a MSRP of $37,635 which included $135 in options. All prices are before the $1,095 freight and handling fee.

The 2020 Santa Fe comes with these warranties:

Observations: 2020 Santa Fe Limited 2.0T FWD

Clean Fleet Report can write a thousand-word review on the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, but maybe the more succinct owner comments tell the story just as well. When you consider “superb vehicle,” “my favorite vehicle,” “Great SUV, the best car I have ever owned” and “smartest vehicle for the money,” it is time to take this SUV seriously. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers clean, contemporary styling, and a class-up, comfortable interior with convenient and desirable seating and storage flexibility. The features list is long and deep. Having choices of front-wheel and all-wheel drive means everyone looking for a midsize SUV will find something to fit their needs.

The Santa Fe is sized right for parking and has a ride that is quiet and calming, with respectable handling. The Santa Fe’s high safety rating is also a plus when driving any tall vehicle, and the warranty is outstanding.

The 2020 Santa Fe is a very capable SUV and should be on your shopping list.

Whatever you buy, Happy Driving!

Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews.

Related Stories You Might Enjoy—Midsize Crossover Choices

Road Test: 2020 Kia Telluride

Road Tet: 2019 Mazda CX-9

Comparison Test: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas V vs. 2.0T

Road Test: 2019 Subaru Ascent

Road Test: 2016 Kia Sorento

Road Test: 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Road Test: 2018 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Road Test: 2019 Buick Enclave

Road Test: 2017 Nissan Pathfinder

Road Test: 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid

Road Test: 2019 Chevrolet Blazer

Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.