How’s the Santa Fe’s interior?
The newly styled exterior is grabbing the headlines, but we’re even more excited about the changes to the interior. Though the Santa Fe is a bit longer, it’s still half a foot shorter than the Palisade, Hyundai’s other three-row midsize. But clever packaging and this new boxy shape mean that if you measure from the dashboard to the tailgate, the Santa Fe is just as long and it now has improved interior space. In a welcome change from the last generation, its third row can finally fit adults. Hyundai has significantly boosted the Santa Fe’s third-row headroom, which makes its back seat feel less claustrophobic than the third rows of rivals.
The second row can be had with captain’s chairs or a bench, for six- or seven-passenger seating, respectively. Those captain’s chairs offer power recline as an option. We also see the introduction of the Relaxation Seat that debuted in the Ioniq 5. This feature allows the seat to lean back into a nearly flat position with a leg rest that pops out as well, like a lie-flat seat on an airplane, making it an ideal spot for quick naps on the go. And second-row passengers will also have access to the center console between the front seats, thanks to a secondary opening at the rear of the console. Sounds like a great place to store (and share) some snacks.
The Santa Fe’s rear cargo opening is massive. The taillights have been mounted low to allow the struts to move outward, so when the hatch lifts, it seems as though the entire rear of the car is opening up. The opening measures 50.2 inches across, an increase of 5.7 inches over the last-generation Santa Fe. This, combined with the flat-folding second row, creates easy loading into a large, flat cargo area that’s perfect for bulky items or an inflatable bed. We still don’t have all of the official cargo measurements from Hyundai, but cargo room behind the second row is estimated at 40.5 cubic feet, an increase of 4.1 cubes.