2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Review for Auto Trader UAE
Overview and Introduction
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe positions itself as a mid-sized family SUV, offering a compelling mix of practicality, technology, and modern styling at a competitive price point. Known for its versatile nature and spacious interior, the Santa Fe aims to meet the needs of families who seek comfort and reliability without breaking the bank. The key selling points of the 2025 Santa Fe include its updated bold design, generous interior space, advanced safety features, and efficient powertrains. It's an excellent choice for families looking for an affordable yet feature-rich vehicle.
Exterior Design
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe introduces a dramatic redesign, with a bold new look that’s both rugged and modern. The SUV now features a more upright front end, dominated by a large grille with intricate mesh patterns, flanked by LED headlights and a unique "H" shaped DRL design that gives it an unmistakable presence. The squared-off wheel arches, muscular fender flares, and high ground clearance lend the Santa Fe a rugged off-road-ready aesthetic, while the sleek roofline and integrated rear spoiler maintain its urban appeal. The rear of the Santa Fe has also been updated with a new set of LED taillights connected by a light bar, adding to its contemporary styling. The 2025 model offers new exterior paint colors and additional wheel options, further enhancing customization for prospective buyers.
Interior Design and Comfort
The interior of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe is a blend of comfort and practicality, designed with family needs in mind. High-quality materials, including soft-touch plastics, leather upholstery (in higher trims), and tasteful metallic accents, create a welcoming atmosphere. The cabin is spacious, with ample legroom and headroom in both rows, making long drives comfortable for all passengers. The rear seats can recline and slide, providing flexibility for both passengers and cargo. The cargo capacity is generous, with a flat load floor that makes packing easier, and folding the rear seats creates even more space for larger items.
The dashboard layout is modern, featuring a prominent 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Hyundai's latest infotainment software. This system is easy to use, with sharp graphics and quick response times. It also supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging, ensuring passengers stay connected and entertained. The digital driver’s display adds a tech-savvy touch, providing customizable views of key information.
Performance
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe comes with a choice of powertrains. The base model features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. For those seeking more power, the 2.5-liter turbocharged variant offers 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, providing a more spirited driving experience. The Santa Fe also has a hybrid variant, which combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with an electric motor for a total of 226 horsepower, delivering a smooth and efficient drive.
The handling of the Santa Fe is composed, with responsive steering and a comfortable ride quality that absorbs road imperfections effectively. The turbocharged model, in particular, offers brisk acceleration, reaching 0-60 mph in around 6.1 seconds, which is respectable for a family SUV. The braking performance is confident, providing a secure feel during both city and highway driving.
Fuel Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe depends on the chosen powertrain. The base 2.5-liter engine achieves around 25 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, while the turbocharged model slightly decreases these figures due to its higher output. The hybrid variant excels in efficiency, offering approximately 36 mpg combined, making it an excellent choice for those who prioritize fuel economy in an SUV.
Safety Features
Hyundai has equipped the 2025 Santa Fe with a comprehensive suite of safety features. Standard driver assistance technologies include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims add features like a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, and Hyundai’s Blind-Spot View Monitor, which displays a live feed of the vehicle's blind spots in the digital instrument cluster. The Santa Fe has consistently performed well in safety tests, and while the specific ratings for the 2025 model are yet to be confirmed, previous models received high marks from the IIHS and Euro NCAP, reflecting Hyundai's commitment to safety.
Technology and Gadgets
Technology in the Santa Fe is impressive, particularly for its price point. The 12.3-inch touchscreen is paired with a premium Harman Kardon audio system in higher trims, delivering excellent sound quality. The interface is intuitive, with physical buttons for key functions ensuring ease of use while driving. Additional features include a head-up display, multiple USB ports, and a customizable ambient lighting system, which enhances the cabin atmosphere. The available digital key feature allows owners to use their smartphone to lock, unlock, and start the vehicle, adding convenience to daily use.
Price and Value
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe starts at AED 110,000 for the base model, with higher trims and powertrain options raising the price up to around AED 165,000 for the fully-loaded turbocharged or hybrid variants. Compared to rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, the Santa Fe offers a more spacious cabin and better technology features at a similar price point. Its value proposition lies in its blend of comfort, technology, and Hyundai’s competitive warranty, making it a strong contender in the mid-sized SUV market.
Reliability and Warranty
Hyundai has a solid reputation for producing reliable vehicles, and the Santa Fe is no exception. The 2025 model benefits from Hyundai’s comprehensive warranty coverage, which includes a 5-year/100,000 km warranty, plus an additional 8-year/160,000 km warranty for the hybrid battery. Hyundai also offers a maintenance package, which helps keep running costs predictable and manageable.
Pros and Cons
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Verdict
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe is an excellent choice for families seeking a spacious, well-equipped SUV that balances comfort, technology, and safety. Whether you need a practical family vehicle or a stylish, modern SUV for daily driving, the Santa Fe delivers across the board. With its attractive pricing and comprehensive warranty, it represents great value in its segment and stands out among its peers for its technology and upscale features.
Comparison with Rivals
Compared to rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers more interior space and advanced features, especially in terms of infotainment and safety technology. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid may have a slight edge in fuel efficiency, but the Santa Fe's spaciousness and comfort make it a strong contender, particularly for those who prioritize roominess and a premium feel.
To learn more about the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe and explore new and used options available in Dubai, visit Auto Trader UAE. Discover a wide selection of vehicles that suit your family’s needs and budget today.