The 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD is a mid-sized crossover that delivers on all fronts from versatility, to comfort, to value. It’s a true family-friendly SUV with enough room for six passengers and all the creature comforts to keep those passengers happy.
| STATS | Starting Retail Price | As Tested Price | HP / Lb-Ft |
| 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD | $35,450 | $41,290 | 290/252 |
| EPA Rating MPG | As Tested MPG | ||
| Rating: BUY IT! | 18 /24 Combined 20 | 21.6 Combined |
The exterior styling on the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe is modern without falling into the territory of glitzy or brash. There’s something understated to its smooth lines with every element well-balanced to provide a cohesive look. The hexagonal grille is large without being overwhelming as seems to be the trend with many SUVs of late. It looks deceptively compact for a mid-size, like something that wouldn’t think to have a third row, but the interior somehow finds the space.
Inside there is no doubt that this is a mid-size SUV as there is space galore for passengers and cargo. There’s plenty of head and leg room with power adjustable front seats and the driver even gets lumbar support, so no matter your height you’ll be able to find a good driving position. Especially with the optional and absolutely huge panoramic sunroof, there is enough headroom to make even a basketball player happy.
Seats are leather throughout and are comfortable and supportive. There’s plenty of bolstering and the lumbar support on the driver’s side, once relaxed, lets you really sink back and get comfy. The second row in the LTD gets equally comfortable captains chairs that are also heated if you opt for the Limited Technology Package ($4,850). That same package ventilates the front seats and heats up the steering wheel.
The best part about the captains chairs is that they make getting to that third row possible without having to be double jointed. There’s plenty of space to pass between the chairs, so families won’t have muddy little footprints all over the leather seats, and the ceiling, as kids catapult themselves into the rear of the car. Once they’re back there, they’ll be sitting in a bench seat that splits 50/50. There’s 13.5 cubic feet of space behind the third row or you can fold those seats flat and you’ll have 40.9 cubic feet of cargo space.
One area where the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe particularly stands out is in its impressive list of features. Without adding any optional packages, you’re getting 18″ alloy wheels, front fog lights, chrome-tipped dual exhaust, heated exterior mirrors, roof side rails, windshield wiper de-icer, power liftgate, proximity key entry with push button start, dual zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming interior mirror, HomeLink, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, manual rear side window shades, and rear seat heating and air conditioning vents. It’s fully-loaded even before you add anything.
The Limited Technology Package adds on the panoramic sunroof, 19″ alloy wheels, HID Xenon headlights, LED taillights, rear parking assist, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats and a heated second row, navigation with an 8″ touchscreen, Infinity Logic7 surround sound, driver’s memory seat and premium door sill plates. Even with that $4,850 addition this is a mid-size SUV coming in at just $41,290.
Both ride and handling of the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe are quite good. Once you hit the mid-size SUV range, the bump and sway of highway driving can be intrusive but the suspension on the Santa Fe keeps this to a minimum. It’s a calm and very quiet ride no matter where you sit with solid wheel control for the driver. Wind noise is also kept admirably in check.
The 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD features a 3.3L V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It’s very responsive and quick, moving the car’s bulk without hesitation. It beats out the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder on the horsepower front. This is no performance vehicle, but it is agile and quick enough to make driving on the highway a joy instead of a chore.
It also has a Driver Selectable Steering Mode (DSSM) to further enhance the drive with one of three different modes. Normal is just what it sounds and perfect for everyday driving while Comfort softens everything up and is best saved only if you want no sportiness to your drive at all. Sport mode makes highway driving even smoother, tightening everything up and providing a greater level of control.
Power, versatility, comfort and loads of features all at a great price make the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe a very attractive mid-size SUV.
On the TFLcar scale of:
- Buy it!
- Lease it!
- Rent it!
- … or Forget it!
I give the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD a Buy It!
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
