The Hyundai Santa Fe is back in 2021 and it’s better than ever, with some modern updates inside and out. From its appearances, you wouldn’t get that this sporty SUV is as affordable as it really is, and with a starting price of almost $28,000, you might be surprised by everything it has to offer. The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe might just have enough upgrades to make it worth buying new, instead of a slightly used 2020 model.

What’s new with the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe features some great updates that make an already good SUV great. With only a few years since the latest generation came out, this year’s Santa Fe isn’t a complete redesign. In fact, upon first glance, you might not even realize that much has changed. Taking cues from the market, Hyundai decided to give the SUV some premature upgrades, and it seems like they were well-needed.

A hybrid drivetrain

Rather than making a completely new car to provide drivers with a hybrid drivetrain, Hyundai decided to take an already popular model, the Santa Fe, and give buyers the option to own it as a hybrid. You don’t lose the pleasant driving experience that the SUV offers by switching over to the hybrid option, but you do get a boost in fuel economy, making it an even more responsible option. According to Consumer Reports, the Hyundai Santa Fe feels a bit quicker with the hybrid drivetrain.

A new trim level

The 2021 Santa Fe also comes with the option for an additional trim level that we didn’t see in previous model years. It’s called the Calligraphy, and it is slightly more expensive than the base model, with a sticker price of around $42,000. It does come with all-wheel drive, which makes it a great vehicle on or off the road, as well as in bad weather conditions like ice or rain.

The refreshes were just what the Hyundai Santa Fe needed in 2021, offering a little bit more variety to fit the needs and wants of a wider range of buyers. In fact, it’s almost like the car got a complete refresh, even though it wasn’t redesigned.