2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Pros vs Cons. Should You Buy?

A midsize SUV like the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe can be an excellent choice for buyers looking to get a good mix of utility and comfort from their vehicle. The vehicles in this category typically accommodate five or more passengers with plenty of head room and space in the rear for cargo. The newer versions of the midsize SUV also add efficiency and comfort to their list of strengths. Hyundai has put plenty of thought into the redesign of the Santa Fe for 2019 and the fresh design is still very appealing today.

The Santa Fe is one SUV that stands out in the midsize SUV category. It has plenty of cargo space, a fuel efficient engine lineup and a comfortable and luxurious ride. The list of standard and available features for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is also very impressive.

What’s New for 2020?

After a complete redesign in 2019, the Santa Fe has trimmed its list of trim levels to three for 2020. It also comes equipped with a standard rear seat reminder and an optional blind view monitor. The blind view monitor gives the driver a view of the vehicle's blind spots when the turn signal is activated. The Santa Fe is no longer available with third row seating. Buyers looking to get third row seating should check out the Hyundai Palisade. Also out for the 2020 Santa Fe is the sliding rear seat capability.

 

Top 10 Reasons to Buy a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe – The Pros

1. Bold exterior styling

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe features a bold exterior design. It has an aggressive mesh grille as well as distinctive lighting. The Santa Fe features available LED headlights, daytime running lights and taillights for a sharp appearance. It can also be equipped with hands free liftgate for added convenience.

2. Exceptional warranty

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers buyers one of the top warranties available. It features a five year or 60,000 mile limited warranty. On top of that, it has a 10 year or 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The extensive coverage offers buyers additional confidence that the Santa Fe will be a dependable vehicle well into the future.

3. Cutting edge driver safety assistance

The Santa Fe comes standard with the Hyundai Smart Sense technology package. It includes lane keep assist, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. Also included in the Smart Sense package are a rear view camera and a driver drowsiness alert system. The Santa Fe can be equipped with blind spot monitors, rear park assist and a surround view parking camera.

4. Available heads up display

The Santa Fe offers an optional heads up display feature that allows the driver to monitor speed and other information without taking their eyes off of the road. This feature is available at the top trim level along with many other high quality features.

5. Sure footed all wheel drive

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers optional all wheel drive capabilities at every trim level. The advanced HTRAC system manages engine power and braking individually at each wheel for added vehicle stability in multiple weather conditions.

6. Optional turbo engine

The Santa Fe comes standard with a 185 horsepower four cylinder engine. The base engine is capable and efficient. It gets 22 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The two upper trim levels offer buyers the option of upgrading to a 235 horsepower turbo charged engine. The added performance from the turbocharged four cylinder doesn't cost buyers at the pump either. The Santa Fe with the turbocharged engine still gets a respectable 20 miles per gallon in the city and 27 miles per gallon on the highway.

7. Great standard features

The base Santa Fe comes equipped with the Safety Sense technology suite standard. It also offers buyers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth capabilities. It is also equipped with a seven inch touch screen and four USB outlets. The base trim also offers keyless entry and front wheel drive. The only available upgrade at the base trim level is all wheel drive.

8. Cargo hauling capabilities

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe can accommodate five people in its spacious cabin. It also offers 36 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear 60/40 split bench seat. With the rear seats folded down, the Santa Fe offers over 70 cubic feet of cargo space. To make loading cargo more convenient the Santa Fe can be equipped with power fold down rear seats as well as a hands free power lift gate. If this isn't enough cargo space, a properly equipped Santa Fe can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

9. Mobile device compatibility

Aside from including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in every 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai has equipped upper trim levels with additional mobile device compatibility. The top trim levels of the Santa Fe come with wireless device charging capabilities. Also available is Hyundai's Blue Link Connected Car Services. This feature comes with a three year subscription that allows users to operate functions of the vehicle with their supported smart watch or smart phone.

10. Exciting upgrade packages

Stepping up from the base Santa Fe offers buyers plenty of premium upgrades. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL comes standard with heated seats, proximity keyless entry and additional safety technology like rear cross traffic alert. Also available in the SEL trim level are two add on packages. The Convenience package and the Premium package allow the buyer to add extra features to the SEL. Buyers opting for the Convenience package will get dual zone climate control, wireless device charging and the hands free power liftgate. The Premium package includes leather seats and a panoramic sunroof.

 

Reasons Not to Buy a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe – The Cons

1. Low power in the base engine

One of the main drawbacks of the Santa Fe is that it is slightly too large to move around easily with the base four cylinder engine. Buyers that test drive the Santa Fe will likely opt for the turbo charged four cylinder option. This engine is not available in the base trim level, so buyers will have to get the SEL version of the Santa Fe equipped with the turbo engine.

2. Only seats five passengers

The seating capacity of the Santa Fe is limited to five people. Other vehicles in this class offer a third row bench seat for more passengers. This is the first year that the Santa Fe has been limited to seating for five. Hyundai has introduced the eight passenger Palisade into the same category as the Santa Fe for buyers looking for more passenger room.

3. Limited trim options

The Santa Fe has three trim levels including the SE, SEL and Limited. Compared to previous year offerings of the Santa Fe, this is a limited range of options. While the two add on packages for the SEL allow for some variety in the buying options, it may not be enough to attract pickier buyers.

How It Stacks Up to the Competition:

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers plenty of benefits compared to the competition. The category is packed with competitors. Volkswagen, Subaru and Kia have just entered their newly designed midsize SUVs in the last couple of years, but the Santa Fe has been around for well over a decade. Some of the other perennial competitors in the category include the Mazda CX9 and the Toyota Highlander.

Compared to the CX-9, the Santa Fe offers a much lower starting price and a much longer warranty. It also has more standard features that Mazda buyers will have to pay extra for. While the CX-9 does offer seating for seven, the Santa Fe has a more powerful turbo charged engine and a more modern interior.

Compared to the Toyota Highlander, the Santa Fe offers lower price tag and a superior warranty. It is also a more modern and updated vehicle as the Highlander was refreshed with new updates in 2017. The Highlander offers seating for eight compared to the Santa Fe's seating for five. The Highlander does offer a more powerful engine option than the Santa Fe with a V6 upgrade. Buyers will have to decide which features they want more when comparing these two vehicles.

Conclusion

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe makes an excellent midsize SUV choice for many buyers. The low price tag and fresh, modern design make it one of the more desirable vehicles in the category. It also comes with the lengthy warranty and loads of standard driver technology.

The three trim levels offer a variety of options for buyers to consider, and the available all wheel drive and turbo charged four cylinder engine make it a capable daily use vehicle. The premium upgrades like wireless device charging and panoramic sunroof are excellent options to consider as well. The Hyundai Santa Fe offers buyers an affordable family vehicle with plenty of standard and optional equipment to make it seem like a very upscale ride.