2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the best mid-size SUVs that you can buy especially if you are looking for a SUV with two rows, sharp looks, smart safety features and must have tech options.

Hyundai redesigned the Santa Fe for 2019 to replace the Santa Fe Sport, and the decision pays off with a crossover SUV with an affordable starting price that is able to hang with the new Honda Passport and the Mazda CX-9.

Is the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe a Good SUV?

If you’re looking for a two-row SUV, the new Hyundai Santa Fe is a great option to test drive. This is now a two-row SUV, which is a great size for many owners and the perfect size for me. If you’re looking for a three-row Santa Fe, you need the 2019 Santa Fe XL.

With the 2.0L Turbo Charged engine, the Santa Fe has a good amount of power, it’s not as engaging and zippy as the Mazda CX-5 or CX-9, but the acceleration comes in nicely. The Interior is comfortable, modern and it’s also more spacious thanks to a slightly larger overall size.

Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay offer up easy access to your phone, navigation and music and there are plenty of places to charge in the front and back seat. With adaptive cruise control and other safety features you can drive with confidence.

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Driving the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai offers two engine options in the Santa Fe, and the upgraded 2.0L turbocharged is the better choice, but it is only available on the Limited and Ultimate, which are the highest trim levels. I spent the week testing the Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T with all wheel drive and enjoyed the performance and handling.  There is some lag between pressing on the gas pedal and full acceleration, but once it starts, the acceleration is strong. All wheel drive is a very handy option and it was nice to have during an icy and snowy week of testing.

The 2019 Santa Fe offers a very comfortable ride even on rougher roads and over ice and snow bumps that accumulated during my testing. The handling is good and even though the 2019 model is longer and wider it is still easy to maneuver around a parking spot.

Fuel economy is 24 MPG highway, 19 MPG city and 21 MPG combined based on EPA ratings with the 2.0T AWD model. This is similar to what I observed while testing.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Interior & Design

The new Santa Fe is a little longer and a little taller with a more SUV-look than the outgoing model. This is a good thing, akin to filling out in all the right places in the summer before high school. The look is more distinct and I’m a big fan of the style on this 2019 model. The new grille is bolder without being too much, and there are some beautiful accent pieces on the hood, sides and rear that really pull the exterior together.

The 2019 Santa Fe interior is comfortable and roomy thanks to the larger cabin. The cabin is very quiet, with very little road or wind noise coming through. The front seats are great thanks to the right amount of support and cushion. The new dash looks very modern and materials throughout the Ultimate look upscale and have a nice feel as well. I love the panoramic moonroof that adds to the roomy feel of the cabin.

This spaciousness carries over to the cargo area where there is up to 71.3 cubic ft of space. It’s easy to use thanks to the hands free liftgate and on the SE Plus and higher trim levels the rear seat slides to easily add more cargo space.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Tech & Safety

A standard 7-inch touch screen is easy to use, responsive to touch and within reach of both the driver and passenger. On the Ultimate trim level this is a 8-inch touch screen. Hyundai’s built-in system is good, but the best part about plugging your phone in is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Once you plug your phone in, you get full access to calls, messages, maps, apps and music as well as Siri or Google Assistant. This means Waze or Google Maps on the main screen and directions over the speakers, plus quick access to playlists.

If you don’t want to plug-in, there is a convenient wireless charger in higher trim levels and you can use the Bluetooth connection for calls and streaming. Call quality is good and thanks to the lack of wind and road noise it is easy to carry on a conversation. The upgraded speaker system is above average and definitely lets you get into your music. An optional heads up display puts important information at a glance right on the windshield.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe boasts an impressive set of standard safety features that will help you while you are driving and an awesome feature that is great if you are hauling kids and have to park on the street. The Safe Exit Assist feature is on every Santa Fe model. When you park on the street, these sensors detect if a car is driving past, and locks the rear door so that your kid cannot exit into traffic.

The new Santa Fe also includes an array of awesome safety features that we look for on new cars. These include;

• Forward Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian Detection
• Blind Spot Collision Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• High Beam Assist
• Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert

You can also get an optional Rear Occupant Alert that will honk the horn, flash the lights and even send an alert to your phone if sensors in the back seat detect that you’ve left a pet or child in the car. An optional surround view monitor makes it easy to get in and out of tight parking places.