Hyundai revealed the 2021 Santa Fe, which is supposed to be a facelift but features some big changes. The current-gen SUV was released in 2018 and just over two years later, the company has refreshed it.

You’d expect the standard aesthetic changes and upgrades, but for the 2021 model, Hyundai has moved the Santa Fe to a new platform altogether. The South Korean automaker has also added new colors to the palette. There are many changes in the tech department as well. Is it right to call this a mere facelift?

What Are The Changes On The Outside?

The headlight cluster now looks to be a part of the grille, unlike the setting from the current model where it sits in a separate housing on the bumper and looks pronounced. The daytime running lights now come in a split ‘T’ design. Two vertical parallel strokes on each side start at the top and run into the headlight cluster below with a break in between. The LEDs have an uncanny resemblance to the Tesla logo. But, the integration is fantastic and it looks pretty sharp. Even the lower part of the bumper is redesigned.

The wheel arches on the side are slightly widened. Hyundai is offering new 20-inch wheels. No other changes are made to the side profile. Move to the rear and you’ll notice a few prominent changes. The automaker has redesigned the elements inside the taillights and it looks cleaner now. The shape is still the same, though. A slim LED bar that runs on the tailgate connects both the taillights. It replaces the chrome strip seen on the current iteration.

The rear bumper looks fresh with a neat pattern of elements on it. The reflector blocks are now replaced with a slim bar. The skid plates have less ‘teeth’ and the exhaust pipes are now out of view. Overall, it looks clean and has a minimalistic design when compared to the model it replaces.

Is There Anything New On The Inside?

Hyundai has used soft-touch materials throughout to give a premium feel. The company has made use of Nappa leather on the seating surfaces and the soft-touch padding areas. The door panel accents are new as well and the headliner is now made od eco-suede. Behind the steering wheels sits a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that has new drive profile settings.

The South Korean automaker has redesigned the center console completely. The waterfall console now sits a lot higher, “giving the driver and front passenger the feeling of sitting in an armchair.” The Santa Fe’s eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system is now replaced by a 10.25-inch touchscreen. On the SE, SEL, and the SEL Convenience trims, the system comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It loses all physical knobs and buttons. The center console now houses all the HVAC controls and a few new controls that weren’t there before. The traditional gear lever is also dropped in favor of a push-button gear selector.

The 2021 Santa Fe also can also be had with a Heads-Up Display. It projects an 8.5-inch virtual color image onto the windshield that displays information such as speed, Cruise Control status, navigation, safety features, speed limit, and audio system data. Apart from this, some other new features include:

-* Digital Key

-* Harmon-Kardon Audio System

-* Voice Recognition System

-* Wireless Charging Pad

Are There Any Changes Mechanically?

It is capable of supporting electric powertrains as well. Hyundai says this platform will offer “improved performance, efficiency, and safety.” The automaker has moved all the heavy components at the bottom of the chassis for a lower center of gravity, resulting in better handling overall.

The Santa Fe’s steering arms are also relocated, and a new ventilation system is in place to improve the airflow in the engine bay. Better insulation equipment is also added to control sound and vibration.

There Are New Engines Under The Hood

The 2021 Santa Fe now comes with three new engine options. The preceding model was offered with two engines to choose from – a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder mill that makes 185 horses and 178 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that churns out 235 ponies and 260 pound-feet of torque. Power was either sent to the front wheels or all the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

For the 2021 model, both these engines are getting replaced, plus there’s a new hybrid mill being offered. The standard powertrain now is a 2.5-liter Smartstream, four-cylinder mill that makes 191 horses and 182 pound-feet of torque. The power outputs aren’t very high when compared to the 2.4-liter engine it replaces, but the slightly higher displacement and the new architecture should provide a better driving experience and an improved ride quality. It also features an Idle, Stop and Go feature, which is essentially a start/stop system.

The engine that replaces the 2.0-liter mill is also the 2.5-liter Smartstream in a higher power output ratio. It comes with a turbocharger and churns out 277 ponies and 311 pound-feet of torque. Both these engine options are paired to an eight-speed automatic and will be offered in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. The combined fuel efficiency for the standard engine is 26 mpg and 24 mpg, whereas for the turbo iteration it’s 25 and 24 mpg for the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models, respectively.

A hybrid mill was almost certain to feature in the 2021 model and it is now officially confirmed. We had speculated it to be the 1.6-liter, T-GDi powertrain from the Kia Sorento that makes 227 horses and 258 pound-feet of torque. The one that made its way in here is also a 1.6-liter mill, but it makes 225 horses and 195 pound-feet of torque combined. Power will be sent to all the wheels via a new HEV-tuned six-speed automatic transmission.

The HEV starter-generator and the electric drive motor are both permanent-magnet type systems, with the hybrid starter-generator rated at 13kW and the electric drive motor rated at 59 horses. The system utilizes a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. This hybrid mill also features the company’s HTRAC all-wheel-drive system that includes three drive modes – Normal, Sport, and Smart.

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Specs

Drive Assistance System and Warranty

The 2021 Santa Fe features the automaker’s SmartSense Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This includes: 


-* Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian, Cyclist and Junction-Turning Detection

-* Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist

-* Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist

-* Highway Driving Assist

-* Blind Spot View Monitor

-* Safe Exit Assist and Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert

-* Driver Attention Warning

-* Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go

-* Parking Distance Warning (Forward and Reverse)

-* Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (Reverse)

-* Remote Smart Parking Assist

Hyundai also offers a 10-year/100,000-mile limited warranty on the powertrain, a 5year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, and a 7-year anti-perforation warranty.

Final Thoughts

The 2021 Santa Fe comes with a whole lot of changes and for most of the parts, it’s a big improvement over its predecessor. The exterior looks sharp and a lot more modern than the current-gen, especially at the rear. The cabin looks and feels plush. The gear selector buttons are not something I’d prefer in a car and it could potentially be a deal-breaker for me. It clears up space from the center console and might even be the trend these days, but I’m not sure how many people like this. The drive-by-wire system is replacing a lot of things in vehicles these days and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

What layout do you personally prefer – push buttons, rotary knobs, or a traditional gear lever? Let us know in the comments section below.