Hyundai Motor Company continues to refresh its lineup. I wrote recently about the all-new Hyundai Palisade, I’m currently testing the MY21 Hyundai i30 and now I’m pleased to introduce the refreshed MY21 Hyundai Santa Fe.
- Introducing the substantially upgraded & boldly restyled new 2021 Santa Fe
- 2021 Santa Fe brings powertrain upgrades, new technology and extra SmartSenseTM safety
- Elevated premium interior featuring Nappa leather and real aluminium
- Santa Fe, Active, Elite and Highlander offered as turbo-diesel AWD or petrol 2WD
- 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe on sale now from $44,700 MLP
Starting from a $44,700 for the V6 Auto 2WD, the range topper sells for $65,200 but gets AWD, Diesel and the nice bits and pieces that you’d expect from any Hyundai Highlander. Of course these prices are excluding dealer delivery and state on road charges, but you get the picture.
Premium paint attracts a $695 premium and if you like ‘camel’ trim, that will cost you another $295 over the standard black. I hope to be able to give you a full review early in the new year
15 December, 2020 – The multi award-winning Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seater SUV has been upgraded and restyled for 2021.
New 2021 Santa Fe boasts extra luxury, with upgrades to standard technology and additional SmartSenseTM safety features, along with significant powertrain improvements.
2021 Santa Fe adopts Hyundai’s new naming convention, opening with the eponymous Santa Fe variant.
The four-variant line-up continues with Active and Elite variants, to the flagship Highlander.
All-new SmartStream engines feature in the form of a 3.5-litre petrol V6 and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four, available for each variant.
The turbo-diesel is paired with a new eight-speed twin-clutch DCT automatic to deliver an engaging and decisive driving experience along with a 19% improvement in fuel economy.
Refreshed styling is headlined by a wide cascading grille and stacked headlight design, tied via a crisp character line to distinctive connected taillights, with stylish wheel designs in up to 20-inches, and a classy new treatment for Highlander.
A more premium cabin experience ushers in greater levels of comfort and space and the Highlander features Nappa leather with brushed aluminium inlays and a suede headlining.
Along with all-new Palisade 8-seater SUV, 2021 Santa Fe leads Hyundai’s ’18 models in 18 months’ onslaught towards a new and comprehensive line-up, which will include seven SUVs by the end of 2021, encompassing EV, FCEV and Hybrid powertrains, the latter set to be adopted by Santa Fe in the second half of next year.
“Santa Fe has become a favourite for adventurous Australian families over the four-generations since its debut in 2000,” Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jun Heo said.
“Now, with the arrival of the upgraded and enhanced 2021 Santa Fe, families are treated to an evolution of our long-running seven-seater which sets a new standard for styling, space, comfort, luxury and technology,” he said.
2021 Santa Fe: Range Overview
New 2021 Santa Fe is offered in four variants, each with a choice of two powertrains.
The range-opening Santa Fe variant features as standard an 8.0-inch multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a colour instrument cluster display, and wireless (Qi standard) smartphone charging.
Also standard are a rear view camera, rear park distance warning system, tyre pressure monitoring system, and LED headlights and daytime running lights.
A range-standard suite of SmartSenseTM technologies includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning (FCA-JT), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) and Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance-Assist (BCA) systems.
There are also Lane Following Assist (LFA) and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) systems, and Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop & Go.
2021 Santa Fe Active builds on the generous standard specification with leather-appointed seats and dashboard, a front park distance warning system and dual-zone climate control.
Santa Fe Elite introduces a 10.25-inch navigation unit featuring DAB+ digital radio, premium audio by Harman Kardon, a hands-free Smart Power Tailgate, and 20-inch alloys.
The flagship 2021 Santa Fe Highlander introduces a futuristic 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster, a Surround View Monitor, Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard second-row seats, heated steering wheel, body-coloured wheel arch cladding and exclusive 20-inch alloys.
In addition, Highlander features Head-Up Display, Blind-Spot View Monitor, panoramic glass sunroof, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist systems.
INTERIOR
New 2021 Santa Fe grows by 15mm in length, 10mm in width and 5mm in height yet offers a more spacious and comfortable interior, with a 39mm increase in legroom for second-row passengers, and a bigger cargo area.
Active variants and above feature a new bridge-type centre console that places all the key controls within easy reach.
Shift-by-Wire transmission buttons are mounted flush with the climate-control and multimedia switches, to create a minimalistic space around the cup holders, with a cavernous storage area beneath.
A clever, vertical wireless charging pouch accommodates even the largest of smartphones, and is easily changed out for a storage cubby.
Elite features leather upholstery as standard in either black or the new Cognac Brown.
Highlander Sante Fe steps up the tactility and ambience with supple Nappa leather throughout the cabin, in a choice of black or Camel Beige.
A perforated leather steering wheel with alloy-look controls ties in with brushed aluminium surrounds for the centre console controls, with a premium black suede headlining above.
User-configurable ambient lighting with the choice of 64 colours completes a classy cabin mood after dark.
EXTERIOR
A low and wide cascading grille for 2021 Santa Fe flows into the Hyundai SUV signature stacked headlight design to develop a more mature look.
Santa Fe and Active variants sport a blacked out grille treatment and Elite and Highlander feature dark chrome grille inserts.
Multi-reflector front LED lighting is now standard, with split T-shaped DRLs connect down from the upper stack,. For Highlander, the DRLs perform double duties, with the upper section acting as indicators.
At the rear, a distinctive connected taillight design is mirrored by a full-width reflector strip with integrated indicators, in a clean and attractive treatment.
A range of stylish wheels features for 2021 Santa Fe, in 17, 18 and Hyundai-first 20-inches.
A unique treatment for Highlander replaces two-tone body cladding with smooth body-coloured trims that enhance Santa Fe’s muscular stance.
The flagship Highlander also features specific, machined-face 20-inch alloy wheels along with LED projector front lighting and LED taillights.
Colours & Upholstery
New 2021 Santa Fe is available in eight mica and metallic paint colours, with cloth, leather or Nappa leather upholstery depending on the variant.
Santa Fe paint and upholstery availability by variant is detailed in the table below.
| Trim | Interior | Exterior | |||||||
| Glacier White | White Cream | Typhoon Silver | Magnetic Force | Phantom Black | Taiga Brown | Rain Forest | Lagoon Blue | ||
| Standard | Standard | Premium | Premium | Premium | Premium | Premium | Standard | ||
| Santa Fe | Black with Grey cloth | – | ● | ● | – | ● | – | – | ● |
| Active | Black leather | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | – | ● |
| Elite | Black leather | ● | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cognac leather | ● | – | – | ● | ● | – | – | ● | |
| Highlander | Black Nappa leather | ● | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Camel Nappa leather | ● | – | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
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Hello. I’m Bob Aldons, the owner and editor of The Car Guy.
The Car Guy is an independently owned car review website. I’m currently testing cars for Mazda, Nissan, Kia, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Renault, Subaru, and Hyundai. Through Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport I’m also writing about the 2020 Formula 1 season
I’m not paid by any car company for my opinion and my companies don’t receive advertising revenue to say nice things about them. I call it as I see it.
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