The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: Powertrain Lineup for Performance
The Hyundai Santa Fe represents a dramatic evolution for this long-standing nameplate, showcasing a bold, boxy design language that stands in striking contrast to its predecessor. This fifth-generation model has undergone a complete transformation, embracing a rugged, adventure-ready aesthetic while maintaining the practical, family-oriented features that have made the Santa Fe a staple in the midsize SUV segment. With its distinctive styling, innovative technology, and diverse powertrain options, the Santa Fe aims to appeal to a broader audience seeking both on-road comfort and off-road capability.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
Design Revolution: Breaking with Tradition
The most immediate impression of the Hyundai Santa Fe comes from its radical exterior redesign. Gone are the curved, flowing lines of the previous generation, replaced by an angular, upright profile that communicates strength and purpose. The front fascia features a bold H-shaped lighting signature that spans the vehicle’s width, creating an unmistakable presence on the road.
This boxy silhouette isn’t merely aesthetic—it translates to a more spacious interior with improved headroom and cargo capacity. The squared-off rear section maximizes storage space, making the Santa Fe even more practical for adventure-minded families. Large windows enhance visibility while contributing to a more airy cabin atmosphere.
Interior: Where Technology Meets Comfort
Inside, the Santa Fe continues its transformation with a thoroughly modern cabin that balances digital technology with tactile controls. A panoramic curved display houses the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment touchscreen, creating a seamless high-tech command center. Yet Hyundai has wisely retained physical controls for frequently used functions, ensuring usability isn’t sacrificed at the altar of minimalism.
Materials quality has taken a noticeable step forward, with sustainable options like recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics and bio-based leatherette available across various trim levels. The interior design emphasizes horizontal lines, creating a sense of width and spaciousness that complements the exterior’s boxy shape.
Comprehensive Powertrain Lineup: Something for Everyone
The Santa Fe offers a diverse range of powertrain options, catering to different priorities from fuel efficiency to performance. This multi-engine strategy allows the Santa Fe to serve various customer needs while maintaining competitive positioning in an increasingly crowded segment.
Standard Gasoline Engine: The Foundation of the Lineup
The entry-level Preferred trim introduces the Santa Fe base powertrain: a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. This proven powerplant delivers 191 horsepower and 181 Nm of torque, providing adequate acceleration for daily driving scenarios. The engine has an 8-speed automatic transmission that offers smooth, predictable shifts.
This traditional powertrain option achieves a balanced fuel economy rating of approximately 10.1 L/100 km in city driving and 8.2 L/100 km on the highway. While not class-leading in efficiency, these figures represent acceptable performance for a midsize SUV with standard all-wheel drive.
The standard all-wheel-drive system features an intelligent control unit that continuously monitors driving conditions and distributes power accordingly. In normal driving situations, the system primarily powers the front wheels to maximize fuel efficiency, seamlessly transferring torque to the rear wheels when additional traction is required.
Turbocharged Performance: Urban Plus and XRT Trims
Moving up to the Urban Plus trim introduces a significant powertrain upgrade in the form of a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. This more sophisticated powerplant generates 277 horsepower and an impressive 421 Nm of torque, delivering noticeably enhanced acceleration and passing power compared to the base engine.
The turbo engine has a more advanced 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), offering quicker shifts and improved efficiency. Despite the substantial increase in power, fuel economy remains reasonable at approximately 10.9 L/100 km city and 8.7 L/100 km highway.
The rugged XRT trim, designed with off-road capability in mind, utilizes this same turbocharged powertrain but adds additional features to enhance its all-terrain performance. The XRT’s all-wheel-drive system includes a center locking differential and unique terrain management modes specifically calibrated for various off-road conditions. Ground clearance increases to 210 mm, providing greater obstacle clearance for light trail duty.
Hybrid Powertrain: Efficiency Without Compromise
The Santa Fe Hybrid, available in Luxury and Ultimate trims, combines performance with impressive fuel efficiency. This sophisticated hybrid system pairs a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with a 44.2 kW electric motor and a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Together, this system produces a combined 231 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque.
What distinguishes the Santa Fe Hybrid from many competitors is its use of a conventional 6-speed automatic transmission rather than a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This engineering choice provides a more engaging driving experience with defined shift points while delivering excellent efficiency. The hybrid achieves approximately 7.1 L/100 km in city driving and 7.4 L/100 km on the highway, significantly improving the conventional gasoline powertrains.
The hybrid system is particularly effective in urban environments, where frequent stops allow for regenerative braking to recharge the battery. The electric motor provides instant torque at low speeds, creating responsive acceleration from standstill—a welcome characteristic in city traffic situations.
Plug-In Hybrid: Maximum Efficiency and Versatility
At the pinnacle of the Santa Fe efficiency spectrum sits the Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) variant, available exclusively in the Ultimate trim. Building upon the standard hybrid architecture, the PHEV incorporates a substantially larger 13.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a more powerful 66.9 kW electric motor.
This configuration enables the Santa Fe PHEV to travel approximately 50 kilometers on pure electric power when fully charged, sufficient for many daily commutes without using any gasoline. Once the electric range is depleted, the vehicle operates as a conventional hybrid, seamlessly blending power from the gasoline engine and electric motor as needed.
The combined system output increases to 261 horsepower while maintaining the same 350 Nm of torque as the standard hybrid. Like its hybrid sibling, the PHEV utilizes a 6-speed automatic transmission for a more natural driving feel. When operating in hybrid mode after the electric range is exhausted, the PHEV achieves approximately 7.4 L/100 km combined.
The PHEV can be fully recharged in approximately 3.5 hours using a Level 2 (240V) charging station, or overnight using a standard household outlet. This flexibility makes the PHEV an excellent option for customers who have home charging capability but also require the freedom to undertake longer journeys without range anxiety.
Trim-Specific Powertrain Features
Beyond the core engine options, each trim level of the Santa Fe incorporates specific powertrain technologies and calibrations that influence the driving experience.
Preferred Trim: Prioritizing Efficiency
The entry-level Preferred trim with its 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine emphasizes fuel economy through several technological features. An active ECO system modifies throttle response and transmission shift points to maximize efficiency during typical driving scenarios. The Intelligent Variable Transmission Management System adapts to individual driving patterns, learning to optimize shift timing based on how the vehicle is most commonly driven.
Urban Plus: Balanced Performance
The Urban Plus trim’s turbocharged engine introduces a dual-mode drive system with distinct Normal and Sport settings. These modes adjust throttle response, transmission shift patterns, and steering feel to suit different driving preferences. In Sport mode, the dual-clutch transmission holds gears longer and downshifts more aggressively when decelerating, enhancing the responsive feel of the powertrain.
XRT: Off-Road Capability
The adventure-oriented XRT trim builds upon the turbocharged powertrain with additional features for off-pavement excursions. Its Advanced Traction Control System offers specialized drive modes for Snow, Mud, and Sand, each with unique calibrations for throttle response, transmission behaviour, and all-wheel-drive torque distribution.
The XRT also features Hill Descent Control, which automatically manages braking on steep declines to maintain a controlled speed without driver intervention. A unique Off-Road View camera system provides multiple exterior viewing angles to assist in navigating challenging terrain.
Luxury and Ultimate Hybrid: Refined Efficiency
The Hybrid variants in Luxury and Ultimate trims incorporate a sophisticated hybrid control unit that maximizes electric-only operation in appropriate conditions. The system’s “Green Zone” feature uses GPS data to automatically increase electric operation in designated environmental zones or residential areas, reducing emissions and noise.
The regenerative braking system offers adjustable intensities, allowing drivers to choose between conventional braking feel or increased energy recuperation with a more pronounced deceleration when lifting off the accelerator. This adjustability provides a customizable driving experience that prioritizes conventional driving dynamics or maximum efficiency.
Ultimate PHEV: Integrated Power Management
The Ultimate PHEV adds further sophistication through its comprehensive power management system. A predictive energy efficiency assistant uses navigation data to optimize battery usage based on the planned route. For example, when approaching urban areas, the system preserves electric range, knowing that electric operation is more beneficial in congested city environments.
A programmable charging schedule allows owners to take advantage of off-peak electricity rates, while climate pre-conditioning enables the cabin to be warmed or cooled while still connected to an external power source, preserving battery range for actual driving.
Performance Across the Range
Despite their different powertrain configurations, all Santa Fe variants deliver confident performance that aligns with their intended use cases. The base model provides adequate acceleration for everyday driving, the turbocharged versions offer satisfying responses for more enthusiastic drivers, and the hybrid models balance efficiency with smooth operation.
The standard all-wheel-drive system across all trims ensures year-round confidence, while specialized tuning for the XRT model provides genuine capability in moderate off-road scenarios. The Santa Fe isn’t positioned as an extreme off-roader, but rather as a versatile family vehicle that can confidently venture beyond paved roads when adventure calls.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: A Powertrain for Every Lifestyle
The Hyundai Santa Fe diverse powertrain lineup represents a comprehensive approach to meeting varied customer expectations in the competitive midsize SUV segment. From the balanced performance of the base 2.5-litre engine to the efficiency of the hybrid options and the adventure-ready calibration of the XRT trim, there’s a Santa Fe variant to suit a wide range of driving preferences and lifestyles.
This powertrain diversity, combined with the model’s bold new design language and enhanced technology offerings, positions the Santa Fe as a compelling option for consumers seeking a versatile, capable SUV that doesn’t require compromise between utility, efficiency, and driving enjoyment. As the automotive landscape continues its gradual shift toward electrification, the Santa Fe hybrid options provide an accessible entry point for customers interested in reduced environmental impact without the commitment to a fully electric vehicle.