Hyundai Santa Fe Generations: Through the Years

It’s an SUV that continues to outdo itself. Travel back to 2000 and take a look at all of the Hyundai Santa Fe generations along the way!

A Headliner in Hyundai’s Lineup

As SUVs were emerging as a dominant force in the automotive industry near the turn of the century, Hyundai unveiled the Santa Fe, a two-row mix of off-road capability and on-the-road practicality. Named after the city in the southwestern U.S., the Santa Fe is now one of Hyundai’s longest-running current models. The South Korean car company had an immediate hit on their hands with the Santa Fe, as it sold well in Europe, in the United States, and in other countries.

We’re giving you a visual evolution of this SUV. You can also learn about the tech improvements, powertrain upgrades, passenger capacity changes, and the Santa Fe’s move to electrification.

1st Generation Hyundai Santa Fe (2001-2006)

2001 Hyundai Santa Fe – hyundainews.com | Shop Hyundai Santa Fe on Carsforsale.com

Hyundai announced their new sport utility vehicle in 2000, making the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe the first model year.
The Santa Fe was designed to give its owners a sense of outdoor adventure with off-roading abilities, but without giving up the comforts of the cabin.
The North American version was equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that could pair with a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. A Delta V6 was also offered, but only with the automatic transmission.
Five passengers could fit in the 2001 Santa Fe.
Hyundai had to ramp up the production of the Santa Fe because of huge consumer demand for the SUV in the United States alone.
The 2001 Santa Fe debuted in Europe, too. Europeans got their first look at the Santa Fe during the 2000 Geneva Motor Show.

Australian version of the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe all came with a 2.7-liter V6 that was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. A few months later Hyundai added a 2.4-liter four-cylinder to Australian models.
Convenience features in the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe included a CD player, electric windows, air conditioning, electric mirrors, and a sunroof.
The Santa Fe badge on the back of the vehicle had a little extra flare that included a sun, which was rare for a Hyundai vehicle.
Speaking of badging, the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe received a very minor change, raising the V6 emblem to a higher location on the tailgate. However, Hyundai made a rare mid-year model change to the 2002 Santa Fe, too.
The fuel tank capacity increased from 16.9 gallons to 18.8 gallons. A sunroof was also added to the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe in May.
A 3.5-liter V6 was introduced in the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe, adding one extra option to the two engines the North American models still utilized.
The 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS also added a Monsoon sound system while the LX came with a 6-disc CD changer.

U.S. sales of the 2003 Santa Fe surpassed 100,000 vehicles, up from 78,000 the year before.
In Australia, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine was dropped from the 2003 lineup due to slow sales.
2004 Hyundai Santa Fe models didn’t receive many changes. For GL and GLS trims, Hyundai ever-so-slightly revised manual climate controls.
The most notable changes to the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe were made to the outside of the vehicle, including the grille, tail lights, and rear bumper. The instrument cluster also got a minor update.
The final year for the first generation of the popular SUV was the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. For this model, the LX trim was renamed the ‘Limited.’
It was mostly color changes made to the 2006 models. Merlot and Canyon Red were dropped, Dark Emerald Green was added mid-year at dealerships, and a monochromatic paint scheme was also made available for the first time.

2nd Generation Hyundai Santa Fe (2007-2011 or 2012)

Hyundai kicked off the second generation of the Santa Fe with a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $21,595.
Several changes were made for the start of the second generation 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe, all the way down to the new unibody platform that was 3.1 inches longer than the previous models. In total, the 2007 Santa Fe had a 106.3-inch wheelbase. This Santa Fe rode on 16-inch alloy wheels.
Although it was bigger than before, engineers were able to tighten the turning radius of the 2007 Santa Fe by over a foot.
Under the hood of the 2007 Santa Fe was a 2.7-liter V6 that made 185 horsepower and 183 lb-ft of torque. The 2.7-liter was mated to a five-speed manual transmission, but buyers could choose to pay a little extra for the four-speed automatic transmission, too.
The other option, on higher trims, was a 3.3-liter V6 that made 242 horsepower and 226 lb-ft of torque. The automatic transmission was standard in this engine.

Inside the vehicle was a six-speaker stereo system with AM, FM, CD, and MP3 capabilities.
This version of the Santa Fe came in three trim levels: the GLS, the SE, and the Limited. Rear-seat climate control, heated power side mirrors, and remote keyless entry were standard on all trims.
2008 models offered an Infinity sound system and a navigation system from LG.
The sunroof was made standard on 2007 Santa Fe Limited models.
Apple found its way into the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe in the form of an iPod plug-in to be used with the stereo system. USB inputs were added as well.

By the time the 2009 Santa Fe rolled out of the factories Hyundai surpassed 2 million units sold.
Two new engines were offered in the 2010 Santa Fe. So was a six-speed transmission.
The base engine was a 175-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder that put out 169 lb-ft of torque. It replaced the 2.7-liter V6 that achieved 185 horsepower. Even though it lost some horsepower, the new engine gained two miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.
The second engine, available on the Santa Fe Limited, was a 3.5-liter V6 with 276 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque.
A 10-speaker Infinity sound system became standard on the Limited trim in the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The following year Hyundai added hill-descent brake control as a standard feature on 2012 Santa Fe GLS models.

3rd Generation Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)

A big update happened with the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, which kicked off the third generation of the SUV. It was available as a five-passenger SUV or a larger seven-passenger SUV. The seven-passenger version had a longer wheelbase that measured four inches longer than the Sport.
Engine choices in the 2013 models included a 2.4-liter Gasoline Direct Engine or a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The 2.4-liter increased to 190 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque while the turbo put out 264 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque.
Passengers in the third row of the seven-passenger version are given 31.5 inches of legroom. 41.3 inches is dedicated to second-row passengers in the longer wheelbase 2013 Santa Fe. Finally, passengers up front have 41.3 inches to stretch out in, too
The Sport trim has second-row legroom that measures 39.4 inches. Up front is 41.3 inches reserved for leg space.
After the major overhaul of the Santa Fe in 2013, the 2014 Santa Fe didn’t receive many updates. 18-inch wheels became standard on the 2014 Santa Fe Sport with its 2.0-liter turbo engine. Blind-spot monitoring, ventilated front seats, and rear parking sensors also became available features.
A power liftgate was another available feature starting with the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe.

There were no big updates for the 2016 Santa Fe, but the base GLS trim was renamed the Santa Fe SE.
Hyundai gave the 2017 Santa Fe a little refresh that included a 7-inch touchscreen standard on all trims and USB charging ports for the models with a third row. Outside, LED daytime running lights were added to the lineup.
Also new, are a variety of available safety features like an overhead 360-degree camera, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with forward collision mitigation, and adaptive cruise control.
After offering just two trims in 2016, the 2017 Santa Fe comes in four trims: the SE, the Limited, the SE Ultimate, and the Limited Ultimate.
The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe was the last model of the third generation, so there weren’t many updates, but Hyundai did make some trim level changes again. The Limited

4th Generation Hyundai Santa Fe (2019-Now)

The latest generation of the Hyundai Santa got started with the 2019 model, and it started with some name changes right out of the gate. The three-row Santa Fe was renamed the Santa Fe XL. The fourth generation, unlike the third generation, is a two-row SUV.
A more athletic look resulted from the Santa Fe’s wider stance.
Other changes can be found in the cabin. The navigation was updated to operate quicker, the window switches and grab handles were moved forward to provide passengers with more elbow room, and the map pockets on the doors were reduced in size so passengers could have more legroom.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration became standard in the 2019 Santa Fe, too.
Passenger volume increased from 108.0 inches in the 2018 Santa Fe to 110.7 inches in the 2019 Santa Fe. Cargo space dipped 0.2 inches from the 2018 model, but legroom increased from 41.3 inches in the front row and 39.4 inches in the second to 44.1 inches in the front row and 40.9 inches in the second.
Hyundai also moved the rear shock in the 2019 Santa Fe to an upright position, hoping to improve ride and handling.

A list of safety features were updated so that blind-spot collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were included on every 2019 Santa Fe.
Buyers could choose between two engines in the 2019 Santa Fe: the 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder with 185 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, or the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo that made 235 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.
The engines may not have been updated, but a new eight-speed automatic transmission was available for the first time on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe.
Hyundai eliminated the Ultimate trim level in the 2020 Santa Fe, leaving the SE, SEL, and Limited as the three trims to choose from.
By 2020, Hyundai sold more than 5,260,000 units of the Santa Fe around the world.

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV - hyundainews.com

For the 2021 Santa Fe, Hyundai provided new powertrain options. There’s a 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a turbocharged 2.5-liter that makes 235 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.
Another new offer in the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe was a hybrid option, which also uses an electric motor and a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This hybrid puts out 225 combined horsepower.
The Calligraphy trim was added to the top of the trim ladder as well.
We have in-depth analysis on our 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe review.
Hyundai included a plug-in hybrid for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT – hyundainews.com | Shop Hyundai Santa Fe on Carsforsale.com

The new trim lineup consisted of the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The Santa Fe, more than 20 years old at this point, still impressed us, making it onto our list of the Best Two-Row Mid-Size SUVs of 2022.
The new XRT trim features body-colored door handles, roof rack cross rails, side steps, and 18-inch wheels. A dark exterior trim is exclusive to the XRT.
The latest version of the time-tested SUV is the 2023 Santa Fe. It starts at $28,200 and, depending on configurations, can get up to 281 horsepower.
It now comes in five trim levels: the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. At the top, the Calligraphy has a price of $42,050.
The Santa Fe is already so well-equipped from the 2021 update that there aren’t a lot of big changes for the 2023 models. However, you can get a full look at it, inside and out, by clicking on our 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe review.
For even more content on this versatile SUV, head over to our New vs. Used: Hyundai Santa Fe comparison. You can also judge how it compares in our Head-to-Head Hyundai Santa Fe vs VW Atlas Cross Sport battle.