There are plenty of three-row SUVs that do a good job hauling people and cargo. There are fewer that manage to do that while also having an actual personality. The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe is one of them because Hyundai wasn’t afraid to make it a little different. It’s also one that I keep coming back to because it has character.
The boxy styling stands out in a parking lot full of lookalike crossovers, the interior is packed with features, and you can get it as either a gas model or a hybrid. If it were my money, I’d skip the gas engine entirely and buy the hybrid. It’s the version that makes the most sense for how most families use a vehicle, and it’s the one I’d happily park in my own driveway.
Brought To You By The Letter H
If Hyundai ever decides to sponsor Sesame Street, the Santa Fe is ready. This SUV is brought to you by the letter H.
Once you notice it, you can’t stop seeing it. The front lighting forms an H. The grille design creates an H. The rear lighting includes an H. The taillights are H-shaped. Even the little hooks on the backs of the seats are shaped like an H. Somewhere in Hyundai’s design studio, someone decided there was no such thing as too much branding.
The funny thing is that it works. The Santa Fe looks distinctive, and that’s getting harder to do these days. So many SUVs look interchangeable that you need to check the badge to know what you’re looking at. The Santa Fe has enough personality that you know exactly what it is when it comes into view.
Skip The Gas Engine And Buy The Hybrid
One of the Santa Fe’s strengths is that Hyundai gives buyers options. For 2026, you can choose either a turbocharged gas engine or a hybrid powertrain depending on your priorities.
The gas model uses a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 277 horsepower, while the hybrid pairs a turbocharged 1.6-liter with an electric motor for a combined 231 horsepower. Gas models range from $35,050 to $49,400, while hybrids range from $36,400 to $50.500, not including destination
If you’re wondering which one I’d choose, it’s the hybrid. No, it’s not quite as powerful as the gas model, but the fuel economy advantage is worth it. Better yet, it’s a traditional hybrid. You don’t have to plug it in. You don’t have to think about charging. You just drive it.
A Roof Access Handle Designed By Linebackers
One of the Santa Fe’s more unusual features is the grab handle integrated into the pillar just behind the rear doors. It’s supposed to help you reach gear on the roof. It’s a little detail that should make life easier. Unfortunately, I think it may have been designed by a room full of 6-foot-3 linebackers.
At 5-foot-6, the handle sits just a little too far to the side for me to reach it easily. Instead of pulling yourself upward, you’re reaching sideways at an awkward angle. Maybe taller people will find it perfect. For shorter drivers, the whole thing misses the mark by just enough to be frustrating.
It does, however, make an excellent hiding spot for spare keys. But now that I’ve shared that with the universe, no one can ever do it again.
Tell Me This Was Designed During COVID Without Telling Me
The Santa Fe’s interior is comfortable, roomy, and attractive, but my favorite feature might be one that most people never use. There’s a UV-C sterilization compartment in the dashboard to disinfect small personal items.
For anyone with kids, this feature is fantastic. Think about pacifiers, teething rings, and all the little things kids drop. Being able to truly disinfect it after it rolls across a parking lot? Amazing. I once heard that we all manage to eat a pound of dirt before we die. Maybe this will shave a few ounces off the total.
Why The Santa Fe Just Works
The reason I like the Santa Fe so much isn’t because it’s the fastest SUV in the segment or the most luxurious. It isn’t trying to be either of those things. What Hyundai has created is a family SUV that’s genuinely useful while still having a sense of humor about itself.
The styling stands out. The interior is comfortable. The available hybrid is the powertrain I’d recommend without hesitation. The technology is easy to live with, and thoughtful touches make ownership easier.
Most importantly, the Santa Fe doesn’t disappear into the background the way so many family SUVs do. It has personality. It has quirks. It has entirely too many H-shaped design elements. And somehow, all of that makes it one of my favorite three-row SUVs on sale today.
