The SUV market is booming right now, and many people are still looking for the perfect SUV to add to their garage. Hyundai is known for making some great cars, and SUVs aren’t an exception. In fact, the Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the best SUVs on the market right now, and here’s why.

U.S. News says the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is the best

According to U.S. News, the best midsize SUVs from the 2020 model year is clear. In fact, of the top three midsize SUVs from 2020, all three are from the Korean car brands Hyundai and Kia. And, in this close contest between the two Korean automakers, the Santa Fe came out on top. Funny enough, another Hyundai SUV, the Palisade, was tied for second with the Kia Telluride.

This is impressive for many reasons, but the main reason is that both the Palisade and the Telluride are great SUVs in their own right. In fact, Car and Driver, after driving thousands of miles on the Telluride, said that it practically had no issues whatsoever. Essentially, Car and Driver called the Telluride a flawless SUV. But, U.S. News says that the Santa Fe is even better than that.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is extremely smart and safe

One of the things that U.S. News loved about the Hyundai Santa Fe was how good and useful its technology and safety features were. U.S. News says that the Santa Fe comes standard with an easy to use infotainment system that includes a 7-inch touchscreen display. The Santa Fe’s infotainment system is also compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Hyundai also offers upgrades for the Santa Fe’s infotainment system, which include more smart features such as proximity keyless entry and a wireless charging system. Asides from infotainment systems, Hyundai has put a lot of smart safety features in the Santa Fe too that U.S. News liked. For example, like other Hyundai models, the Santa Fe has a rear-seat reminder system as standard.

Furthermore, in addition to doing well in its crash tests, the Santa Fe has plenty of smart safety features, many of which are standard. U.S. News says that the Santa Fe has a forward-collision warning system, a pedestrian detection system, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control as standard smart safety features. 

Both practical and comfortable

Additionally, U.S. News liked the interior of the Hyundai Santa Fe. U.S. News says that not only did Hyundai use “quality materials” to make the Santa Fe’s interior but that the Santa Fe’s cabin is quiet and that its seats are very spacious and comfortable. This gives the Santa Fe a luxury feel despite not being an actual luxury SUV. 

On top of that, despite the criticism that the Santa Fe’s standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine was a bit weak – it only gets 183 hp – Hyundai liked how fuel-efficient it was. That said, U.S. News said that the other engine option – a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 235 hp – was far superior, and it also had a similar fuel economy. 

The Santa Fe’s standard engine gets 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on highways for a combined 26 mpg. The Santa Fe’s turbocharged engine gets 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on highways for a combined 24 mpg. U.S. News says that the Hyundai Santa Fe’s fuel economy was among the best in its class.

Lastly, when it comes to practicality, the Santa Fe is also relatively affordable. The Santa Fe starts at about $26,000, which is a great price for a family SUV.