Hey - remember how in the mid-aughts people would s*** on GM for basically making a dozen versions of the same vehicle? And remember how that almost killed the company? Well, apparently only Pepperidge Farm remembers, because car manufacturers are once again making fleets of vehicles that will cannibalize their own sales.

Case in point: Hyundai. At the time of this writing, Hyundai is offering no less than 15 SUVs on its website, and in terms of product positioning, a good number of them overlap each other. Sure, over-analyzing the spec sheets of each will reveal slight differences in numbers, but in day-to-day use, you won’t really feel the difference between, say, a new Tuscon and our current press loaner: the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

Thankfully, unlike those GMs of old, this hybrid Hyundai is actually good. Really good. Fresh for 2021, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is yet another example of the Korean car maker finding its groove.

In terms of exterior, the Santa Fe Hybrid is on the milder end of Hyundai design, lacking the trick exterior lighting or shattered-metal character lines seen on some of the brand’s newer models. The lighting elements we do get look good, and opting for the correct color choice will do a lot to temper the exuberance of the massive front grille. But as your eye moves from the front fender back, the Santa Fe looks and feels like any other mid-size SUV. This isn’t the car to buy if you want to make a bold statement, but you can count on it still looking respectable five to ten years from now.

You won’t find a bold interior, either, but what you will find inside is phenomenal. Knock us out, have us wake up inside and tell us it’s a Lexus and we’d believe you. From the tweed-like eco-suede headliner to the quilted Nappa leather trim, there’s not one interior panel that resembles the cheap Hyundai of old. And if you’re looking for a bit of the edgier, new Hyundai, those mogul-like speaker grilles have got you covered.

In terms of tech, there’s a high-res 10.25-inch touchscreen that looks nice, but has a mediocre UX that takes a bunch of time to get used to. But the Santa Fe Hybrid comes standard with Apple CarPlay, so it’s not like you’ll actually be spending much time using Hyundai’s proprietary software anyway. This SUV even has that automatic “pahk the cah” feature, if you’re into that sort of thing.

The glass in the gauge binnacle looks great, and offers up that cool side-view mirror feature whenever you hit the turn signal. But what stood out most is the fact that there are so. many. buttons. Buttons for the gear shift. Buttons for the climate control. And media buttons that we still haven’t mastered. After having spent so much time with clunky touch-screen-only interiors, it took us a minute to get reacquainted with having so many physical controls.

The driving experience is nice. Nothing exciting, but nice. From a technical standpoint, the drivetrain is impressive, though. This Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline four, with the hybrid assist coming in the form of a 44kW electric motor and 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. Your one transmission choice is a 6-speed auto, but at least it’s sending the power to the ground via Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system.

Around town, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is a great commuter. The ride is quiet and smooth, and we got an observed 30 mpg in mixed driving. There is a sport mode, but as with all sport modes, we’re not sure why anyone would want to use it. You hear more of the engine - and it doesn’t sound that great, and the acceleration only feels a smidge quicker. And the steering gets way too artificially heavy - it almost makes it feel as if you’re driving through mud. It’s not like electric-assist power steering offers much in the way of natural-feeling feedback in the first place, but this just makes the front tires feel even more disconnected from the steering wheel. It’s pretty bad, if we’re honest, and gives us more reason to just keep things set to normal.

But as a whole, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is a solid machine, and it doesn’t just feel nice “for a Hyundai” - it just feels nice. Period. And at nearly $40k fully loaded, it’s actually a solid bargain for the segment. But if you don’t feel that the Santa Fe Hybrid is right for you, Hyundai literally offers 14 other SUVs that may suit your fancy.

Highlights	Description
Engine	1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder Engine/Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Horsepower	226 combined
Torque	195 lb-ft. @ 0-1600 rpm, 195 lb-ft. @ 4000 rpm
Transmission	6-speed auto with SHIFTRONIC
Suspension, F/R	MacPherson strut/Independent Multi-Link
Brakes, F/R	12.8-in. ventilated disc/12.0-in. solid disc
Wheels and Tires	19-in. alloy, 235/55R19 tires
Curb weight	4204 lbs.
Overall length	188.4 in.
Overall width	74.8 in.
Overall height	67.3 in.
Wheelbase	108.9 in.

Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Limited