2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT AWD Road Test and Review

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT ・ Photo by Hyundai

The crossover SUV segment is so popular that carmakers are churning out new models and altering long-running nameplates to match the tone of the times. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is in the latter category. It has plowed the crossover field for more than two decades, but it got a rejuvenation the 2021 model year to give it more appeal as the segment blossoms. And it got another jolt this year with the addition of the stylish and trendy XRT version. Since black is the new black, the XRT is right on they money. It’s a five-passenger crossover SUV that you could describe either as a large compact or a smaller midsize vehicle. The Santa Fe’s Hyundai Palisade stablemate is almost eight inches longer and takes care of the three-row midsize segment for the brand. While smaller than the Palisade, the Santa Fe XRT is several inches longer than many of its two-row, five-passenger competitors including the GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox. It’s almost the same length as the five-passenger Ford Edge. One of the Hyundai Santa Fe’s strong suits is powertrain choice. It offers a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder, a turbocharged version of that engine plus hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains that also feature turbocharging. Front-wheel-drive is the standard configuration and all-wheel-drive is widely available up and down the lineup. Here is our road test and review of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT and its brethren.

Exterior

Prior to the 2021 model-year exterior changes, the Hyundai Santa Fe was a bland, plain-wrap crossover. The changes have improved its appearance significantly, and now the Santa Fe has the styling chops to compete with the more expressive two-row SUVs that include the Nissan Murano and the Ford Edge. The Santa Fe’s bold grille is flanked by modern headlights. Front and rear “lighting signatures” enhance the overall look and tie the Santa Fe closer to the well-regarded Palisade. Last year, Hyundai added an upscale Calligraphy trim to the Santa Fe lineup. This year, it has added an outdoor-oriented XRT version that is intended to give the Santa Fe a more aggressive look. In the tenor of the era, it has a black lower fascia and black trim plus dark-tone 18-inch alloy wheels.

Photo by Hyundai

Powertrains

When it comes to powering the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe, buyers can choose from several options running the gamut from completely conventional to starkly innovative. The base engine is as conventional as conventional gets — a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder matched to 8-speed automatic transmission. For buyers seeking more punch, a turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder yields 281 horsepower. It, too, is paired with an 8-speed automatic box. Things get even more innovative when you view the hybrid offerings. Both hybrids are distinguished by the fact that they employ turbocharging as well. With its 60-horsepower electric motor operating in concert with the turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, the hybrid offers 226 combined horsepower. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ups the ante even more with its 90-horsepower motor contributing to a combined 261 horsepower. Both hybrids have 6-speed automatic transmissions with paddle shifters, and both are all-wheel drive. Front drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional on the conventionally powered Santa Fes, including the outdoor-oriented XRT.

Photo by Hyundai

Quiet On-Road Cruiser

With 191 horsepower on tap, the Hyundai Santa Fe with the base powertrain offers reasonably good acceleration. Most buyers who don’t fill the vehicle to the roof will find its performance more than satisfactory. The hybrid and PHEV versions of the Santa Fe, perhaps oddly, give the vehicle a more sporting demeanor. First, they offer more horsepower. And then they have the shift-it-yourself 6-speed transmission that begs for more involvement. The 66.9-kW electric motor combined with the 13.8-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery enables the Santa Fe PHEV to deliver 30 miles of all-electric range. With 261 horsepower and plenty of low-end torque courtesy of the electric motor, the PHEV feels almost as strong as the 281-horsepower turbocharged version of the vehicle. The Santa Fe XRT hints at off-road abilities with a front skid plate, but the low side steps that seem superfluous aren’t a hot ticket when you leave the highway behind. In total, the Santa Fe XRT is a comfortable and quiet on-road cruiser.

Photo by Hyundai

Interior

With a broad range of trim levels, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe offers buyers the opportunity to specify their level of interior comfort, convenience and style. The base SE has fabric-upholstered seats, a 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and 60/40 split fold-flats rear seats. Big pluses in the base model include a generous 8-inch infotainment display, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, and remote keyless entry. From there, things just get more opulent as you climb the trim ladder. The XRT has 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat and heated front seats. The Limited and Calligraphy models have leather seats (Nappa in the Calligraphy), 8-way power passenger seat, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats. Dual automatic climate control is standard on the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims. While the base model is, well, basic, the interior style and conveniences make the XRT a much more comfortable places to spend time.

Photo by Hyundai

Infotainment

The 2022 Santa Fe’s infotainment systems are easy to use and satisfying, but they offer one quirk. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto is standard with the 8-inch display in the SE, Blue, Hybrid, SEL, PHEV, and XRT versions but is not offered in the Limited and Calligraphy trims with the 10.25-inch touchscreen display. The infotainment system associated with the larger screen does offer navigation and real-time traffic information, however. Both touchscreens feature large, easy-to-understand icons and intuitive operation. Those seeking upscale sound will find it in the Harman Kardon 12-speaker system with surround sound and music restoration technology. (Should you want your music restored.) The powerful sweet-sounding system is standard in Limited and Calligraphy trims and available on the hybrid, PHEV, and mid-range models. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display, wireless device charging, and Hyundai Digital Key are other nice pieces of available tech.

Photo by Hyundai

Safety & Driver Aids

The 2022 Santa Fe XRT offers a variety of electronic active safety and driver-assist features. Hyundai SmartSense is the safety and driver assistance array. It includes forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, safe exit assist, rear occupant alert, high-beam assist, smart cruise control with stop and go, and driver attention warning. All trims have lane-following assist, and the Limited and Calligraphy trims have Highway Driving Assist and navigation-based smart cruise control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded both front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 5-Star overall ratings in its 5-Star Safety Rating program.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the Hyundai Santa Fe a Top Safety Pick+, its highest honor.

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Fuel Economy

Fuel economy in the Hyundai Santa Fe ranges from below-average in the base model to virtually class-leading in the plug-in hybrid. The PHEV is rated at 76 MPGe in combined city/highway driving. Things come back to Earth with the other powertrain choices. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a front-drive 2022 Santa Fe with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine will deliver an estimated 25 mpg city and 28 mpg highway for a 26 mpg overall figure. With all-wheel drive, that drops slightly to 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The Santa Fe with the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine is EPA-rated at 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. With that engine, all-wheel drive has virtually no fuel-economy penalty.

Photo by Hyundai

Cargo Capacity & Towing

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe has more than 110 cubic feet of passenger volume, which means it has average interior space for a vehicle in its class. It falls between the Ford Edge and the Nissan Murano in that stat. It also has a slight advantage in cargo space over the Murano and trails the Edge by about 3 cubic feet. The Santa Fe has 36.4 cubic feet of luggage area behind the second-row seats. With the second-row seats folded, the cargo room in the Santa Fe grows to 72.1 cubic feet, again a bit bigger than the Murano and a tad smaller than the Edge. Equipped properly, the Hyundai Santa Fe is rated to tow 5,000 pounds. 

Photo by Ron Sessions

Trim Levels

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is available in seven trims: SE, Blue HEV, SEL, PHEV, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The SE is the entry-level version and the price leader. It lacks bells and whistles, but it is a solid value. That said, the majority of customers will want the added features available in the SEL, hybrids, and the Limited and Calligraphy trims. The new-for 2022 XRT includes the SEL Convenience feature set and includes exclusive exterior touches like black lower fascia, dark silver skid plate, dark-finish grille, side steps, and roof cross rails. It also features special 18-inch dark-finished alloy wheels. The Calligraphy trim is the most luxurious of all the Santa Fes with 20-inch alloy wheels and premium Nappa leather upholstery. It also features a wide variety of other comfort and convenience items.  

Photo by Hyundai

Pricing & Value

With a base price of around $27,500 plus the destination fee, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe has a significantly lower entry price than the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. The all-new XRT version with all-wheel-drive has a sticker price of about $35,000. An AWD Calligraphy model lists at about $42,000. The highest-priced model is a Limited trim PHEV. It has an MSRP of a bit over $45,000. Are the Santa Fes the equal of the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano from a styling point of view? That’s in the eye of the beholder. A top of the line Edge Platinum has a suggested retail a bit lower than the Santa Fe Calligraphy. A top of the line Murano, on the other hand, is more expensive by a couple of thousand dollars. One thing the Santa Fe has going for it in addition to a lavish feature set and excellent product quality is its lengthy warranty, one of the best in the industry.

Photo by Hyundai