Trims, Powertrain, and Fuel Economy

The three trim levels of the ’21 Santa Fe Hybrid – Blue, SEL Premium, and Limited – employ a 226-horsepower (combined output) powertrain consisting of a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas-burning engine, an electric motor, and a 270-volt lithium-ion polymer battery. It also has a hybrid-specific six-speed transmission that provides exceptionally smooth shifting; paddle shifters come standard, too.

Fuel economy is exceptional, with the base Blue rated by the EPA to return 36 miles per gallon around town and 31 mpg on the open road. The two higher trims carry more weight due to their increased standard features; they’re both rated for 33 mpg city/30 mpg highway. Regenerative braking keeps the battery charged by harnessing kinetic energy formed as the vehicle is stopped.

Standard Amenities

The standard features in the base Blue reflect this hybrid’s state-of-the-art demeanor. It gets LED headlights and taillights, heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn-signal indicators and puddle lamps, a hands-free liftgate, Hyundai Blue Link connected car services, wireless smartphone charge pad, push-button ignition, Hyundai Digital Key (which allows a smartphone to replace the key fob), Blue Link connected car services, dual front and rear USB ports, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, a backup camera with parking guidance, and the previously mentioned large digital gauge cluster. The comfortable cabin presents heated front seats, automatic climate control with two zones, a power driver’s seat with two lumbar support settings, power-folding 60/40 split second-row seats, and Rear Seat Quiet Mode, which will turn off the back speakers if second-row passengers need silence. To improve cargo transport, the Blue trim gets rooftop rails and a hidden underfloor storage area.

The SEL Premium ramps up its appeal with leather seats, a panoramic glass roof, driver’s seat memory, a power front passenger’s seat, and LED interior cabin lighting. The top-of-the-line Limited is loaded up with the likes of a heated steering wheel, power-folding exterior mirrors, projector-style LED headlights, chrome door handles, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a leg-cushion extender for the driver, ventilated front seats, and heated rear outboard seats.

Technology and Safety

Hyundai’s advanced driver-assist technologies are included on every Santa Fe Hybrid, with more added to the higher-priced trims. The Blue receives automatic high beams, forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane keep assist, lane following assist, driver attention warning, rear occupant alert (so that sleeping children or pets aren’t left behind), blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, and reverse parking distance warning. Highway driving assist is added to the SEL Premium; the Limited gets the full treatment with a surround-view monitor forward parking distance warning, smart parking assist, and a blind-spot monitor.

The Blue gets the most basic infotainment system, whose features include wireless smartphone integration (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, and high-definition radio, all of which can be controlled using the 8-inch touchscreen. That changes with the SEL Premium and Limited, which upgrade to a 10.25-inch touchscreen – although the larger screen isn’t compatible with wireless smartphone integration, and so the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto revert to the conventional plug-in method. These trims also get navigation and a high-end Harman Kardon audio system with surround sound and 12 speakers.