Best New Cars 2025: Hyundai Santa Fe – Chasing Cars Car of the Year

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Many outright Car of the Year winners emerge after hours of intense debate that follow days of testing. 

And then there are those, like the fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe, that never relinquish their ‘strong favourite’ status during the week’s comprehensive testing program and walk away with the top trophy virtually unchallenged.

And there was no shortage of challengers for Chasing Cars’ biggest crown. 

Even after the team pared the list of entrants to only the cars that had most impressed us the most since our last COTY – plus a smattering of so-new-they-were-yet-to-be-tested ‘wildcards’ – our field comprised 35 different make-models from 20 brands (and 50 variants in total).

There were big names, too, such as the new Toyota Prado and its Lexus twin, the GX, plus the likes of the latest Ford Mustang, latest-generation BMW X3, the Q4 and Q6 luxury EVs from Audi, Kia’s EV9 large electric SUV, budget contenders in the form of the MG3 and Suzuki Swift, as well as the heavily updated Tesla Model 3 that is our reigning Electric Car Megatest champion.

Every contender was put through the testing ringer. Price lists and features were interrogated for value,  interiors were inspected for quality, practicality and versatility, while ride and handling along with performance and driveability were assessed on both public roads around regional NSW and Canberra, and at the Sutton Road Training Centre in the ACT.

While the Santa Fe’s Minecraft-escapee styling ensures this blocky SUV won’t be as visually forgettable as previous iterations, there are many more objective reasons it will prove to be a memorable family seven-seater.

It starts with the entry-level model that sits at the base of a range that suits different tastes and budgets, offering buyers an assortment of trim grades and powertrains. Or the option of some bold colours — as our Santa Fe Elite in Terracotta Orange and Santa Fe Calligraphy in Earthy Brass Matte (with Forest Green interior) attested.

Even in basic Creamy White, the base Santa Fe doesn’t look like an entry variant, helped by its stylish five-blade 20-inch alloy wheels.

These larger-than-expected wheels typify a spec sheet that is remarkably generous for a seven-seater family SUV priced from about $58,000 driveaway.

Other stand-out inclusions for the base Santa Fe include dual-zone climate control, dual 12.3-inch digital displays for both infotainment (touchscreen) and instrument cluster, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, electrically operated tailgate, electric driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, rear privacy glass, and a leather-appointed steering wheel. 

While the seat upholstery is cloth, it’s finished in a smart tartan plaid.

A mid-range Elite adds nice extras such as a Bose audio system, heated steering wheel, leather-appointed seats, and an extra phone-charging pad on the centre console.

For buyers able to splurge more on a more luxurious SUV without the premium price of models from luxury brands, the flagship Santa Fe Calligraphy ramps up the comfort and technology.

There’s Nappa leather seating, ‘relaxation function’ front seats with electrically rising leg rests, head-up display, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and even a UV-C glovebox for sterilising germ-riddled smartphones. 

The Calligraphy also offers a six-seater layout featuring two centre-row captain’s chairs, with walk-through access to the rear bench.

If the range-topping Santa Fe nudges driveaway pricing towards $80,000 and beyond, it looks and feels like an SUV that costs well into six figures.

Santa Fe’s strong value proposition is reinforced by comparisons with some key rivals. The Toyota Kluger asks for a minimum $68,000 driveaway; the Sorento from sister brand Kia starts from a lower price but comes nowhere near matching the Hyundai’s array of standard features.

Clever storage solutions include a large central storage cubby that can be accessed by both front and middle-row occupants thanks to ‘bilateral’ hinges, and includes a slide-out rear box — helpful for rationing the travel snacks for the kids!

Abundant cabin space includes a third row that provides viable room for adults, and the second-row seats in the seven-seater are on runners to add further versatility.

The huge, wide tailgate (13cm wider compared with the previous Santa Fe) opens to reveal a generous cargo capacity of 725 litres with the rearmost seats folded. Several grocery bags can still be accommodated with the third-row seats up.

Unlike previous Santa Fe generations — there is no weakest link among the drivetrain offerings.

A 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder is borrowed from the Sonata midsize sedan to replace the previous model’s 3.5-litre V6 petrol. 

Smaller in size the engine may be, but beyond the expected improvements it brings in fuel economy the 2.5L improves everyday driveability with extra mid-range torque. Greater refinement is another bonus.

The turbo petrol is relatively sporty when pushed and the Chasing Cars team’s favourite, though the carry-over hybrid is anything but short on merit.

This petrol-electric powertrain is smooth and effortless around town, though its biggest drawcard is fuel efficiency, with official consumption of 5.6 litres per 100km trumping the 2.5L turbo’s 9.3L/100km.

Factor in the Santa Fe’s decently sized 67-litre fuel tank and that’s a theoretical touring range of nearly 1200km for the hybrid (or nearly 500km more than the petrol).

In real-world testing, we achieved high-sixes in a hybrid Santa Fe Elite — still impressive for a large seven-seater SUV. 

Engineering is excellent elsewhere. Even on 20-inch wheels, the Santa Fe base model in particular delivers absolutely superb ride quality — whether it’s soaking up scarred urban streets or wafting along freeways. 

Hyundai has found a good chassis balance, too, as despite the comfortable suspension set-up, the Santa Fe’s body is well controlled through corners (if not prompting the use of the word ‘agile’), its steering well geared if prone to occasional kickback.

If Hyundai remains guilty of persisting with driver-aid technology that can annoy drivers unnecessarily, the calibration of the Santa Fe’s lane-keep system isn’t as sensitive as some other models and can be switched off easily via a steering wheel button.

Same for the speed-limit warning bong that the majority of owners would surely want to mute at the earliest opportunity.

No car is completely faultless, though, and the latest Santa Fe goes a long way to limiting entries in the Cons column.

With Hyundai’s family SUV, the deeper you look, the more surprise-and-delights there are to discover.

It’s an absolute stand-out in a crowded segment. And that’s what Car of the Year winners are all about.