Hyundai Santa Fe: A Better Land Rover Defender for £20k Less?

Check out the best Hyundai Santa Fe deals on carwow: https://bit.ly/Buy-Sell-WOW Is the new Hyundai Santa Fe actually the best family car on sale in 2026, or is that boxy "Land Rover" design just for show? Mat Watson is putting the 2025/26 "Seven-Seater of the Year" through its paces to see why it achieved a flawless 100% reliability rating and if it’s truly a better buy than a Land Rover Defender or Skoda Kodiaq. We’re putting the 215hp Hybrid and 253hp Plug-in Hybrid to the test to see if a 1.6-litre engine is enough for a massive 7-seater, and finding out if the "H-shaped" lights and sci-fi interior live up to the hype. From the adult-sized third row to the reality of its real-world 55mpg efficiency, here is the definitive verdict on the world's most improved SUV. Chapters 00:00 Intro: Why is everyone talking about the Santa Fe? 00:28 Engine Truth: Is a 1.6L engine enough for a giant SUV? 00:48 0-60mph: How fast is the 253hp Plug-in Hybrid? 01:51 Price Check: Is £46k-£50k a bargain in 2026? 02:16 Design: Does it actually look like a Land Rover Defender? 03:10 Interior Truth: Has Hyundai finally gone "Premium"? 04:08 Town Driving: How does it handle heavy traffic? 06:14 Back Seats: More room than a Volvo XC90? 07:24 Tech Check: Is the curved screen actually lag-free? 09:42 Motorway Driving: Is the boxy shape too noisy at 70mph? 11:24 Third-Row: Can adults actually fit in the back? 12:29 Storage: Why there are literally 12+ cupholders! 14:12 Boot Space: Why the "wide-opening" tailgate is a win 14:49 3 Annoying Features: What drives Mat mad? 16:30 5 Good Features: The hidden passenger-side tray! 18:38 Country Roads: Does it handle as well as a BMW X5? 20:20 The Verdict: Should you buy, sell or avoid? Sell your car for free with Carwow: https://bit.ly/Sell-Your-Car-For-Free-1010 Check out Mat's preferred trim & engine for each car: https://bit.ly/Mats-Engine-Choice