With everyone driving SUVs, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe’s design helps it stand out. The unique LED headlight design has what I call a false headlight. The top design makes it appear as if they were the headlight when in reality, it is the bottom fog-like design is the actual headlights. The big grille also lends to the aggressive front end.

Unfortunately our loaner was in Hyundai’s Shimmering Silver color which did dull the exciting front end. I would’ve personally gone with the Stormy Sea blue, or the Calypso Red to help stand out even more. A louder and bolder color would’ve helped with the somewhat bland side and rear profile. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an ugly design. The front end is so strong, that the rest of the design looks like it was rushed to meet a deadline.

That same excitement from the front end did make its way into the interior. The biggest things that stand out are the center console, diamond stitched seats, and the massive panoramic roof. I’ve named the center console the command center because all it’s buttons seem like if you’re controlling a space ship. Don’t worry though because they’re laid out and labeled in a great way. The seats weren’t just beautifully designed, but they were also comfortable and had effective venting to cope with Texas summers.

The biggest surprise of the Santa Fe was its performance. The 2.5L turbo 4-cylinder made for some extremely responsive performance. The throttle response was extremely fast even in the comfort mode. With that being said, it did hinder the MPGs as well as there being no ECO mode available to ignore accidental throttle inputs.

I was pretty impressed with the Santa Fe and all the options that the Calligraphy trim has to offer. It’s exciting to see Hyundai continuing to offer a lineup to challenge its competitors to offer better options to keep up.