A Short Drive In The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
A Discovery of Active Grille Shutters and an Electric Shaver Shift Lever
My brother, Tyler Stender, who is responsible for the lovely photos accompanying my weak attempt at prose, recently purchased a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Limited. As evidenced by his collection of crossovers - older Tucson surf vehicle, previous-gen Santa Fe, and this Ecotronic Gray unit - Hyundais are popular in the Maine Stender’s household.
Driving The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
This makes sense because as far as I can tell, Hyundai kills it with the value proposition, stuffing vehicles with all the features for less than all the money. Then they go and casually shove aside the competition in the hotly contested mid-size crossover space with the sharp-edged design of this all-new Santa Fe.
I dig it and so does Tyler, so we took it for a spin to chat about what else there is to like - and dislike - about Hyundai’s latest headliner. Like how surprisingly easy it is to put the car in Park…while driving. The Ecotronic Gray finish looks dope with its “floating roof” vibe that wraps around the back end, and those wheels. Be still my heart! 20 inches of chunky 5-spoke glory.
Exterior Look At The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
Up front, I had my first hands-on discovery of active grille shutters, the excitement of which you can share in with the video above. Inside, it’s a lot of nice fabrics, fast-acting displays, and nattily knurled buttons. Something that rubs Tyler the wrong way is how Hyundai has done a 180 on the driver’s interface versus the prior Santa Fe generation. Stalks are swapped, orientations are flipped, and chaos ensues.
But really, that aside, you’re looking at an ideal family vehicle. Seats for 6, hybrid fuel efficiency, plenty of creature comforts, and did I mention those knockout looks? Nice job Hyundai, already looking forward to our next foray in the new Santa Fe!
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.