2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: Which Engine Ought to I Select?

January 10, 2026

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The Hyundai Santa Fe was redesigned for the 2024 mannequin yr to be bigger, blockier, and roomier, with a 3rd row of seats that may deal with extra than simply emergency carpool responsibility. One other vital change was the addition of a extra environment friendly hybrid powertrain choice.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe presents a compelling choice for customers searching for a midsize 3-row crossover SUV: Do you prioritize extra energy or higher gas economic system? As a household car, the reply would possibly have a tendency towards the latter, which is among the the reason why the Santa Fe Hybrid is one in all our top-ranked Finest Hybrid SUVs.

Automobile procuring is usually extra about choice than practicality, and a few customers would possibly want energy. Right here’s a have a look at how the 2 engine choices stack up by way of energy, effectivity, price, and packaging, that can assist you decide which is the appropriate Santa Fe engine in your wants.

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: Which Engine Ought to I Select?

What’s the Worth Distinction?

There’s solely a couple of $1,000 upcharge for the hybrid powertrain. The EPA estimates you possibly can make that up in gas prices in lower than two years of regular driving. However after all, nothing is as straightforward as that.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe is obtainable in 5 trims, beginning with the bottom SE for $35,795 (all listed costs embrace the necessary vacation spot payment). There’s additionally the off-road-adjacent XRT trim, which incorporates a raised floor clearance and all-terrain tires. Neither of those trims is obtainable on the Santa Fe Hybrid. As an alternative, the hybrid begins at $39,295 for the SEL trim. That’s $1,000 greater than a equally geared up Santa Fe SEL non-hybrid. The Hybrid’s Restricted and Calligraphy trims price $1,000 greater than their gasoline-only counterparts.

Including all-wheel drive (AWD) prices $1,800 on any mannequin, besides on XRT, the place it’s customary.

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: Which Engine Should I Choose?

Which Santa Fe Is Extra Environment friendly?

The hybrid, clearly. The EPA estimates the gas economic system of those two fashions as follows, in metropolis, freeway, and mixed mpg codecs:

Santa Fe Hybrid: 36/35/36 mpg
Santa Fe Hybrid AWD: 35/34/34 mpg
Santa Fe: 20/29/24 mpg
Santa Fe AWD: 20/28/23 mpg
Santa Fe AWD XRT: 19/26/22 mpg

The EPA estimates you’ll save $650 to $700 per yr with the Santa Fe Hybrid, primarily based on driving 15,000 miles yearly. The hole narrows should you log extra freeway miles, at speeds the place combustion engines are extra environment friendly. Round city and at low speeds, the hybrid’s benefit grows. The extra miles you drive, the extra money a hybrid saves you in the long term.

Which Santa Fe Engine Is Quicker?

The usual Santa Fe is extra highly effective. The turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine makes 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It’s loads of engine to inspire this 3-row SUV, and outpowers each the Subaru Ascent and Toyota Highlander. Anticipate a zero-to-60-mph time within the mid-6-second vary. After a slight lag from a cease, the facility comes on rapidly, and also you received’t second-guess single-lane passing strikes or freeway merging.

Word that for 2026, Hyundai changed its troublesome 8-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission (DCT) with a extra conventional 8-speed transmission that includes a torque converter, paired to the usual engine. Though easy, the DCT led to a recall requiring new transmissions in sure Santa Fe fashions.

The Santa Fe Hybrid additionally makes use of a turbocharged 4-cylinder, nevertheless it’s smaller at 1.6 liters. Paired with a small however strong motor, the hybrid system generates 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. It’s faster off the road, however the energy plateaus at velocity. It’s constructed for consolation and effectivity. Anticipate it to hit 60 mph in about 8 seconds.

One of many neat methods of the Santa Fe is its 6-speed computerized transmission. Most hybrids by different automakers make the most of an electronically managed variable transmission, which will be noisy and trigger the engine to pressure when pushed. The predictable gearing of the Santa Fe Hybrid makes it drive, really feel, and sound like an SUV with a standard transmission (as a result of it’s). The hybrids even have paddle shifters to offer drivers some management in the event that they wish to dig deeper within the rev vary. However then, should you swap the drive mode selector into Eco mode, the paddle shifters rework into 4 ranges of regenerative braking to optimize effectivity. Hyundai, its sister firm Kia, and its luxurious imprint Genesis are among the many few automakers to have such a function of their hybrids.

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe front cabin from driver's POV.

Which 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Is Finest?

It’s actually a selection between energy and practicality. Each powertrains have their deserves.

Yet one more factor to contemplate is the inside house. Generally, hybrid parts can eat into cargo or passenger house. That’s not the case within the Santa Fe Hybrid. As a result of the high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack is ready within the ground body of the car, beneath the entrance passenger seat, there’s nearly no distinction by way of house and luxury between the hybrid and gas-only fashions. A slight hump accounts for the 1 cubic-foot distinction in inside quantity between the 2. That’s sensible, and in the end, we’re a sensible individuals. It’s one other nod to the Santa Fe Hybrid.