The Hyundai Santa Fe is a master class in design, maximizing interior space with the smallest possible exterior footprint, all while somehow looking fantastic. In fact, it does this so incredibly well that you might miss some important details, like what’s under the hood. There are two engines available for the Santa Fe, each one coming with its own strengths. Let’s take a closer look, so you can determine which is right for you.
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.5-Liter Inline 4-Cylinder Turbo
- Displacement - 2.5 liters
- Horsepower - 277
- Torque - 311 lb-ft
- Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined) - 20 / 29 / 24
- HTRAC AWD Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined) - 20 / 28 / 23
- Towing Capacity - 3,500 pounds
The standard engine for the Santa Fe is also the most powerful, which isn’t usually how this works, but it does explain a certain amount of the Santa Fe’s popularity. The 2.5-liter engine has 16 valves and dual overhead cams. The compression ratio is a turbo-friendly 10.5:1, and the engine produces more power than you usually see from a four-cylinder. Some of this is due to the turbocharger and the gasoline direct injection, but the engine is also a bit bigger than the ones found in competitors. This is why the Santa Fe has an above-average towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. An advanced 8-speed automatic transmission comes standard and will send power to either the front wheels or all four, depending on whether you select the HTRAC all-wheel drive. And thanks to the advanced drivetrain tech in the Santa Fe, there’s barely any difference between FWD and AWD fuel economy numbers.
Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Drivetrain
- Displacement - 1.6 liters
- System Horsepower - 231
- System Torque - 271 lb-ft
- Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined) - 37 / 36 / 36
- HTRAC AWD Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined) - 35 / 34 / 34
- Towing Capacity - 2,000 pounds
The Santa Fe is a popular car for all kinds of daily driving activities, like school runs, trips to the grocery store, and so on. These kinds of trips tend to come with pretty poor fuel economy, so a hybrid drivetrain has become a popular option for these kinds of utilitarian vehicles. The Santa Fe gets good fuel economy in standard form, but opting for the hybrid version does dramatically improve those numbers, even when paired with all-wheel drive. The gasoline engine in the hybrid uses all of the same advanced tech as the engine in the conventional model; it’s just a smaller displacement. Giving the hybrid a bump in power is a 44.2 kW electric motor, which also makes for smooth and responsive acceleration in city conditions. Power is sent through a 6-speed automatic transmission, and just like the conventional model, you have a choice between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
