2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid review: Australian first drive

Finally, we have another mainstream seven-seat hybrid vehicle on the market that's not a Toyota.

And by hybrid, I do not mean a plug-in solution like Mitsubishi offers with its Outlander PHEV. I mean a closed-loop, set-and-forget hybrid – one suited to busy family life, and where the last thing you care about is diligently recharging your vehicle in order to achieve the claimed fuel consumption figure.

Up until just now, the 2023 Toyota Kluger hybrid was your only real choice if you wanted a regular hybrid family bus. Now you have three, with the Kia Sorento Hybrid recently launching in Australia, and also the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid following quickly on its heels.

We were invited to sample Hyundai's new large hybrid SUV over a one-day loan in Sydney, where we pinched a Hybrid Highlander model for the day and ran it around the 'burbs and then down south.

Let's discover how much it costs, how much space it has, and what it's like to drive.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid currently comes in two trims: Hybrid Elite and Hybrid Highlander.

They both use the same powertrain, which is a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and six-speed torque converter auto with in-built electric motor – to create a hybrid. Of course, there's a small 1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer battery on board, too, making combined power 169kW/350Nm in total.

Within the Hyundai large SUV hierarchy, it means you buy either the penultimate Santa Fe Elite or flagship Santa Fe Highlander model to access a fuel-saving hybrid driveline.

Currently, the self-titled Santa Fe base model and middle-rung Santa Fe Active are not offered as a hybrid, instead coming with either petrol V6 front-wheel drive or diesel four-cylinder all-wheel-drive powertrain.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Elite is priced from $63,000 before on-road costs, and the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Highlander from $69,550 before on-road costs. Both wear a $7000 premium over their respective petrol V6 counterparts, and a $4000 premium over their respective diesel all-wheel-drive versions.

Jumping behind the wheel reveals somewhat of a button-centric command centre.

The dashboard is absolutely covered with switches and dials, with everything from gearshift selection and terrain management to climate control and seat heating simply one finger tap away.

Although it looks convoluted and busy at first glance, you quickly learn where each function is, and also get used to having them all handy. The front seats are swish, with nappa leather and 14-way adjustment coming exclusively to Santa Fe Highlander models (and our test car).

We spent the day driving non-stop with breaks every two hours, and appreciated the extra comfort provided by the Highlander model. Not only are its seats heated and cooled, but also feature an adjustable thigh support that's perfect for lankier drivers (like me).

Storage is great, too, with small bottle holders in the doors, a super-cool wireless charging pad that takes your phone sideways, and a huge armrest big enough for a small bag, be it men's or women's. The centre cupholders will take your usual large bottle too.

Over in the second row, great space continues. I'm 183cm tall, and behind my own driving position in the back I found plenty of space to stretch out and get comfortable. My knees weren't buried deep in the seat backs, and my upper body left with enough back rest to lounge around in. Two other good habitability points come from a second row that slides and a nicely contoured, supportive seat base that's perfect for longer trims.

If that's not enough, Santa Fe Highlander models also come with the free choice between a traditional three-seat second row like our test car, or a two-seat second row with independent captain's chairs and walk-through access to the back. The latter choice is great if you have older kids and only really need six seats, not seven. Regardless of what you pick, both Santa Fe Hybrid models feature two USB charging ports, rear air vents and pull-up blinds in the back.

Access to the third row is conducted by pressing a button on the rear seat; however, don't expect masses of room here. It's quite compact in the third row, making it ideal for younger kids as opposed to adults. There are no ISOFIX points either in the third row, meaning loading kids in the third row with child seats in the second row can be tricky.

At least there's rear air-conditioning and rear storage all the way in the third row. Boot space varies depending on the cabin set-up, with 571–782L offered depending on where the second row is set, or 130L with seven seats in play.

In seven-seat mode, you'll find enough room for a couple of small bags for a weekend away, whereas in five-seat mode there's plenty of room to party. If you and your kids love adventuring to the park with bikes and scooters, the space is fantastic. It's a wide opening with a flat floor, too, so dragging cumbersome and heavy items in and out is easier than a boot that resembles a tub.

Both Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid models feature a 10.25-inch infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto and digital radio. The system boots up fast, responds quickly to input, and didn't crash or glitch during the vehicle loan.

Both cars also come standard-fit with a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. Although built by a brand with a quality reputation, the Santa Fe's stereo didn't hit the mark for me personally.

It lacks clarity; something that a remastered version of Black Sabbath's War Pigs made clear. Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Hunnybee also sounded a bit flat, with its wicked synth licks not as bright as they should be.

It loves a bit of low-end, however, so hopefully you like electronic music.

Although the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has not been crash-tested by ANCAP safety, petrol and diesel versions have.

They wear a five-star ANCAP safety score having been crash-tested back in 2018. The vehicle scored extremely well for adult occupant protection (94 per cent), well for child occupant protection (86 per cent), but fell down in terms of striking a road user (67 per cent).

Our 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Highlander test car is the most expensive model in the range, so naturally it has every safety system as standard.

It also has more gear than the Elite model too. All hybrids feature forward autonomous emergency braking with turning assist, blind-spot monitoring with steering assist, auto high beams, adaptive cruise, lane-keeping assist, and a rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors.

Stepping up from Santa Fe Hybrid Elite to Hybrid Highlander scores you a 360-degree parking camera, blind-spot-view monitor, reverse automatic braking, and remote smart parking assist.

If you value the parking camera, you have to buy the top-spec car.  

Servicing costs have not been finalised by Hyundai, but we're told it'll feature a 10,000km service interval and likely cost a pinch more than the diesel. We will update this review as soon as pricing becomes available.

Insurance costs are on par for the segment, costing $760 per year based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

We found the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe to be efficient on test.

After covering 500km, we witnessed highway fuel consumption sitting around 5.5L/100km, an around-town figure of 7.1L/100km, and a final figure of 6.5L/100km.

The official combined claim is 6.1L/100km, meaning so far so good. We'd love to test one over a longer duration to see whether this continues on a mixed and real-life cycle.

It's refreshing to take off silently in a large and somewhat affordable family SUV. These are cars that are likely going to be driven honestly over great distances by people and families, so it's a crime it's taken so long for them to arrive in Australia.

After the silent take-off, you'll find no shortage of power and torque from the driveline. The performance is decent considering the small electrically assisted motor, and there's enough grunt to conduct high-speed overtakes done in 110km/h zones without stress.

The low-end performance from the hybrid does feel somewhat similar to the Santa Fe diesel, and could be enough to keep you satisfied. But, a caveat to this performance on the basis you're already on the move. When you come to a complete stop – say at a stop sign or round-about – there's a horrible half-second delay from your foot burying the pedal to the car actually doing something.

Others in the segment – namely Toyota – do not suffer from this hesitation, and this strange delay almost caught me out (badly) at an intersection that I tried to exit promptly. It's as if the Santa Fe's dual-motor set-up needs some time to figure out who's providing the drive before it does, which honestly doesn't need to occur.

Flicking it into Sport mode does help, but next time you start it, it will default to the doughy Eco mode, so consider it a general annoyance. Aside from that noticeable moment of driveline dissonance, the engine generally behaves well in the background. You hear it rev up occasionally if you're tasking the car with a bit more than average acceleration, but the petrol engine's start-up and integration into forward progress are not intrusive overall.

More important for this type of vehicle is fuel consumption, which I can say is great. It meets the claim in mixed cycles, and if used solely on the freeway it will chug along in the mid-to-high fives. Ride and handling are good, too, with soft suspension rolling the road flat and adding a sense of luxury. The cabin is excellently insulated, which speaks to the same songbook of comfort.

The steering is a bit light off-centre but that's me honestly clutching at straws. On faster bends in the countryside you'll feel the weight due to the suspension's inherent softness, but it never feels offensive or off-putting by any means. There's control in the suspension still, despite the movement.

Interestingly, the hybrid only weighs around 25kg over the diesel anyway, so the switch to an auto gearbox with an electric motor inside – with associated battery and wiring – doesn't add much weight over a bulky diesel aluminium cylinder block and eight-speed dual-clutch auto.

If you don't want the masses of space and fuel bill associated with things like the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Carnival, it's spot on.

While the old Toyota is a friendly face in the dire times of inflation and rising costs, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid finally offers a more stylish take. I think the interior presents better, too, and you feel like you get a bit more value for money in terms of design and perceived quality.

Either way, it's great we have another seven-seat hybrid SUV on sale, and on first drive it feels well worth your consideration.