2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT 2.5T AWD – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

Gets my top rating!

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

You can special order "PTS" at your local Porsche Dealer, but it will cost you about $8,000 extra. And no, that extravagant surcharge isn't to cure Post Traumatic Stress, but rather, to order "Paint To Sample." At Hyundai, you'll have to ante up just $1,000 for the most amazing special order paint job imaginable. This shade was applied to my 2024 test Hyundai Santa Fe XRT. The shimmering satin sheen is called "Earthy Brass Matte," and carries the internal code YBM. Buy it, you'll love it. I loved it so much I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.

Of course the attraction of the off-road oriented XRT Santa Fe transcends the exotic color. Hyundai has designated this model as their dirt path trailblazer, and to that end, have equipped it with standard HTRAC all-wheel drive, jacked the suspension up by 1.5 inches, and bolted on a set of "XRT Exclusive" blackened alloy rims supporting tall treaded Continental TerrainContact off-road compatible radials (245/60R18). The beefy Contis carry a rock defiant TW 680 wear designation. The suspension improvements result in a significant upgrade of the XRT's tow rating from the standard model's 3,500 pounds to 4,500 pounds. Note that to secure the tow limit bump, you must order your XRT with the optional factory tow package.

In addition to the suspension revisions, the XRT model is distinguished by dark chrome grill trim, blackened exterior model designations, charcoal rear view mirrors and roof rack, and flat black fender flares and lower valances. The only glint of chrome on the whole SUV is the bright finisher to the tailpipe. Inside, XRT logos are stamped into the front seat backs, and the front floor mats are adorned with the model designation.

Off-road addicts who have fallen in love with the boxy good looks of the Land Rover Defender will instantly note that Hyundai's Santa Fe XRT shamelessly copies the look of that Rover. Hyundai completes their slam dunk by selling the XRT for a price that verges on half what the Rover costs. You should also note that the notorious penny pinchers at Consumer Reports have assigned the new Santa Fe a cushy overall reliability rating of 72/74 compared to the Land Rover Defender's feeble score of 46. In part, that yawning canyon separating the ownership experience of these two look-alike SUVs is attributable to Hyundai's reassuring 5-year/60,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty, 3-year 36,000 mile Complimentary Maintenance and 5-year Unlimited Mile Roadside Assistance.

The practical appeal of the Santa Fe's box-on-box shape can't be denied. By enlarging the tailgate to epic airplane hangar height and width, Hyundai has made loading bulky cargo through the back door mere child's play. The Santa Fe features three rows of seats, with remote electric buttons located at the tailgate to drop the second-row seats flat without needing to clamber through the interior searching for manual levers. Rear wheel-well intrusion has been effectively minimized by the Santa Fe's generous 75-inch width, so slipping a full size bike into place through the tailgate proved simple. In fact, with both second and third row seats folded flat, the interior of the XRT resembles the landing deck of a Navy flattop.

The trail-worthy stance of the XRT does it no favors on pavement. The extra 1.5 inches of ride height adds to the head toss that makes this taller Santa Fe less inclined to comply with your steering commands. Slow and steady is the preferred gait over switchback pavement, with 55 percent of the XRT's 4,255 pounds of curb weight located over the front wheels. At times, the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission seems unsure of which gear it needs to select. At those junctures you feel a slight hesitation at the helm as the gearbox stumbles indecisively. You will, however, be suitably impressed by the Santa Fe's straight line verve. Its 2.5 liter turbocharged inline-4 cranks out a reputable 277hp and 310lb.-ft. of torque. Those figures combine to accelerate the XRT through the standing start quarter mile in 14.8 seconds at 96mph, and crank off zero to sixty mph runs in just 6.3 seconds.

In sum, the XRT version of the Santa Fe is without question the one I would select owing to its subtle trim revisions, simple non-hybrid drivetrain, and exceptionally reasonable price tag. And don't forget to dress it up with the most alluring $1,000 Earthy Brass Matte finish you can buy today.

2024 HYUNDAI SANTA FE XRT 2.5T AWD

• ENGINE: 2.4 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC 16-valve, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 277hp@5800rpm
• TORQUE: 311lb.-ft.@1700rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 19MPG City/26MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $43,205

HYPES: Haul 6 Passengers or 80 Cubic Feet of Cargo

GRIPES: Cheap Manual Controls of Front Passenger Seat

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman