Hyunda announced the introduction of its 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV with a freshened design motif, advanced front and rear lighting signatures, new hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive and extensive new driver safety and convenience features. The hybrid propulsion system is the first application of its kind in the Hyundai SUV line-up. In addition, a new, upscale Calligraphy trim will be offered for the first time. Santa Fe internal combustion models will be produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and will arrive at dealerships by the end of the year, while the Santa Fe Hybrid model will be produced in Ulsan, Korea and will arrive in the first quarter 2021. In addition, a Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid model will arrive later in 2021.
The bold new face of the Santa Fe is enhanced with a wider, three-dimensional grille and a striking T-shaped LED illumination signature, including daytime running lights. The new silhouette sports a horizontal cabin profile, scalloped lower door panels and a long, highly-defined hood, with character lines extending from front to rear. Sharp shoulder crease lines connect front and rear LED lights, while rear reflector accents visually link the LED rear taillights.
The profile of the Santa Fe features a large daylight opening (DLO) with a satin surround that provides a sleek appearance with excellent visibility. The alloy wheels receive all new designs and add a new 20-inch alloy wheel. The roof side rails have a fresh design, and power-folding side mirrors with turn-signal indicators and puddle lamps are now available.
The Santa Fe interior now features a high-position console design indicative of a premium SUV interior. A new floating center console design adds a more spacious feel throughout the cabin. Available premium materials, including soft Nappa leather, soft-touch padding, new ambient lighting and a new 10.25-inch touchscreen display further enhance the luxurious character of the interior. A multi-layered, three-dimensional instrument panel and contrasting seat stitching convey premium touches throughout the cabin. Santa Fe’s large DLO enhances the feeling of openness for occupants with generous amounts of natural light. In addition, rear cargo area volume has increased by one-half cubic foot through optimization of the interior packaging.
2021 Santa Fe adds a new premium Calligraphy trim for buyers seeking the ultimate in styling differentiation, premium materials, exclusive features and advanced technologies. Calligraphy builds upon the Santa Fe Limited model with the more powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, adding HTRAC® AWD with downhill brake control, exclusive-design 20-inch alloy wheels, quilted Nappa leather, full-color heads-up display, premium-finish front grille, premium door and seat accent trim, eco-suede headliner, expanded ambient lighting themes and auto up/down rear windows.
2021 Santa Fe Highlights
Exterior
- New, range-topping Calligraphy trim adds even more content and differentiation
- New front and rear bumper fascia, grille, headlamp, tail lamp and LED lighting signatures
- New power-folding side mirrors and puddle lamps
- New front and rear skid plates and muffler design
- New alloy wheel designs
Mechanical
- New, standard Smartstream 2.5-liter direct-injected and multi-point injected four-cylinder engine(with idle, stop and go) with eight-speed automatic transmission replaces former 2.4-liter direct-injected engine
- New, available Smartstream 2.5-liter turbocharged, direct-injected powertrain with eight-speed wet, dual-clutch transmission (DCT) replaces former 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an 18 percent increase in power
- New, available Smartstream 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid electric powertrain variant with six-speed automatic HEV-tuned transmission and HTRAC® all-wheel drive standard
- New shift-by-wire transmission mode selector frees up center console switchgear space
- New 7-pin trailer wire connection replaces former 4-pin design on 2.5T models
- New trailer sway control function for towing
Safety
- Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist with Pedestrian Detection
- New, additional Cyclist and Junction-Turning Detection
- New Parking Collision Avoidance Assist – Reverse Function
- New Highway Drive Assist (new, next-generation convenience functions)
- New Lane Following Assist
- New, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Road Curve Control
Interior
- New quilted premium Nappa leather seating surfaces and soft-touch padding
- New premium door panel accents and eco-suede headliner
- New center stack and console design with new lower instrument panel design
- New driver profile settings (Integrated Memory System, HVAC Control, Radio)
- New ambient lighting selections
- Rear cargo area volume increased by one-half cubic foot
Technology and Multi-media
- New, larger eight-inch audio display (formerly seven-inch), new, larger 10.25-inch widescreen navigation display (formerly eight-inch)
- New, segment-leading 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display
- New Digital Key functions, a segment-exclusive feature
- Remote Start cabin temperature, heated and ventilated seat settings control
- New Harman-Kardon premium audio system
- New Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), a segment-exclusive feature
- New Dynamic Voice Recognition system (voice commands for temperature, radio, trunk)
- New wireless charging pad for devices
- New wireless Android Auto® and Apple CarPlay® (SE, SEL and SEL Convenience trim)
Powertrains
2021 Santa Fe now offers three new and improved powertrain options. The standard powertrain is a Smartstream 2.5-liter direct-injected (DI) and multi-point injected (MPI) four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, replacing the former 2.4-liter engine. This standard four-cylinder engine produces an estimated 191 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and an estimated 182 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm for effortless driving in a wide variety of conditions. The powertrain also features Idle, Stop and Go (ISG) capability to maximize efficiency in various heavy traffic conditions. The new 2.5-liter engine fuel economy is targeted to increase approximately eight percent over the 2020 powertrain from these improvements.