We had the top-trim Hybrid Calligraphy for a full week as our daily driver, piling on over 400 miles of errands, highway stints and a Monday business run to Ogden. By week’s end, the stat that stood tallest wasn’t just the boxy silhouette; it was the fuel log: an impressive 37 miles per gallon average.

First impressions and curb appeal

The new Santa Fe’s stance was confident. A tall, near-vertical grille flanked by “H” signature lighting gave the front end a purposeful look, while the squared-off wheel arches and crisp body lines kept things modern. Hyundai leaned into the functional box shape for cargo and third-row space, but the Calligraphy trim added all the extras: intricate 20-inch wheels, brightwork that’s tasteful rather than flashy and fine detailing in the lighting elements.

A real three-row, every day

Photo supplied

We called on the Santa Fe for true family duty — groceries, a couple of school pickups for the grandkids, a hardware store run and the usual shuffle of meetings and appointments. The third row was there when we needed it and folded away in seconds when we didn’t. With the third row down, the cargo area became a canyon–tall, square and easy to load thanks to a low lift over and one of the widest tailgate openings in the class.

Our Calligraphy tester came with second-row captain’s chairs, which we recommend if you’re regularly carrying four or five people. They’re supportive on long drives and created a clear walkway to the third row so kids could hop back without gymnastics. Adults would fit in the way-back for shorter trips; headroom was decent and knee space also manageable if the second row gives a courteous click forward. For daily life, this flexibility was the whole point of a three-row SUV, and the new Santa Fe nailed it.

Monday to Ogden

We put the Santa Fe on I-15 for a Monday business meeting at the Standard Examiner office in Ogden. The drive showed off the hybrid’s easy, polished character. The powertrain — seamlessly blending its gasoline engine and electric motor — moved the Santa Fe with smooth authority. Wind and road noise were impressively hushed for a vehicle with this much frontal area, a credit to both the aerodynamics and the extra sound deadening Hyundai has fit to the Calligraphy trim.

Driver assistance was well-tuned and helpful, not bossy. Lane-centering kept the Santa Fe tidy in its lane, adaptive cruise was smooth on the brakes and the blind-spot camera feed in the cluster made lane changes stress-free around semis. After the round trip, Craig stepped out in Ogden and back in Springville with the same thought: ‘this is an effortless road companion.’

Photo supplied

Calligraphy comforts

Inside, the Santa Fe Calligraphy made a statement with materials and design. Quilted leather seats, micropiping, soft-touch surfaces where elbows actually rested and a thoughtfully textured dash all gave the cabin a near-luxury feel without shouting about it. The front seats were generously cushioned, with ventilation that actually moved air and heat that warmed quickly — both used more than once as the Wasatch weather did its daily mood swing.

The tech suite felt modern without being hard to use. A broad, gently curved panel housed twin displays that were crisp and easy to read. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connected instantly for us all week, and the dual wireless charging pads — angled and grippy — kept two phones topped off without the usual dance. There were USB-C ports in every row, storage cubbies aplenty (including a clever pass-through shelf under the center console) and cupholders that hold the serious hydration bottles.

On the road: Quiet confidence

Hybrids can sometimes feel like they’re negotiating between two power sources. Not here. Around town, the Santa Fe would glide on electric power in neighborhoods and parking lots, then brought in the gas engine so smoothly that most passengers didn’t even notice the handoff. The brake pedal — another hybrid weak spot in some vehicles — had a firm, natural feel, blending regeneration and friction braking without the dreaded “grabby then mushy” syndrome.

Photo supplied

The suspension tune leant itself to comfort, as it should in a family SUV. Broken pavement gots a rounded-off thump rather than a crash, and body motions were controlled enough that passengers will not be fishing for the ginger mints on the floor.

The big number: 37 miles per gallon

We tend to reset trip computers out of habit, and we kept careful track this week because we were curious how the reshaped Santa Fe would fare with more frontal area and the weight of a third row. Over a week of mixed driving — suburban errands, freeway commuting and that Ogden round trip — we clocked a hair over 400 miles and wrapped at 37 miles per gallon indicated.

That’s a remarkable figure for a genuinely roomy three-row SUV, and it’s the kind of real-world efficiency that shows up in your monthly budget. We didn’t baby it, either; traffic flowed as traffic flows, and we kept with it. The hybrid system simply extracts more from every gallon while still delivering the easygoing power we want in a family vehicle.

At the end of the week

Photo supplied

The Calligraphy trim placed the Santa Fe squarely in the “treat yourself” end of the mainstream spectrum. You’re paying for the top materials, the full technology deck and the kind of craftsmanship that makes every trip — short or long — feel a notch nicer. What sealed the deal was that 37 miles per gallon result we saw across our week. It’s not often you can have genuine space for six, luxe touches and fuel economy that would embarrass a compact car.

Hyundai’s redesign didn’t just make the Santa Fe bigger; it made it better at the everyday. It’s easier to load, simpler to live with, more comfortable to spend time in and far more efficient than a vehicle of this size has any right to be. The hybrid powertrain is the smart pick in the lineup, and the Calligraphy spec elevates the whole experience with its serene cabin and tasteful design details.

Base price: $49,050

Destination charge: $1,415

Price as driven: $50,675

Photo supplied