New & Used 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe for Sale nearPalm Desert, CA

Compare 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Trims

The Santa Fe offers a range of trims from budget-friendly options to fully loaded models, all featuring versatile AWD and FWD choices.

• Starting at $29,266
• Best MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 29 hwy
• Most Popular: SEL AWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

Missing data displayed as "—".

Trim Deep Dives

SE FWD — "Who It's For"

The SE FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a budget-friendly option without sacrificing essential features.

• Avg. market price: $30,258 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 29 hwy
• Inventory: 501 listings
• View SE FWD listings

SE AWD — "Who It's For"

The SE AWD is the pick for shoppers who want all-wheel drive without a hefty price tag, offering solid features.

• Avg. market price: $33,093 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 28 hwy
• Inventory: 495 listings
• View SE AWD listings

SEL FWD — "Who It's For"

The SEL FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a well-rounded vehicle with a wide selection and standard features.

• Avg. market price: $29,266 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 29 hwy
• Inventory: 1,914 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View SEL FWD listings

SEL AWD — "Who It's For"

The SEL AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a popular trim with great features and all-wheel drive capability.

• Avg. market price: $30,683 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 28 hwy
• Inventory: 2,527 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View SEL AWD listings

XRT AWD — "Who It's For"

The XRT AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a sporty trim with all-wheel drive for enhanced performance.

• Avg. market price: $36,945 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 25 hwy
• Inventory: 680 listings
• View XRT AWD listings

Limited FWD — "Who It's For"

The Limited FWD is the pick for shoppers who want luxury features without the AWD price premium.

• Avg. market price: $37,216 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 29 hwy
• Inventory: 474 listings
• View Limited FWD listings

Limited AWD — "Who It's For"

The Limited AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a luxury experience with all-wheel drive capabilities.

• Avg. market price: $40,303 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 28 hwy
• Inventory: 772 listings
• View Limited AWD listings

Calligraphy AWD — "Who It's For"

The Calligraphy AWD is the pick for shoppers who want the ultimate luxury experience with all the features.

• Avg. market price: $41,032 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 28 hwy
• Inventory: 916 listings
• View Calligraphy AWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — SEL AWD

With 2,527 active listings, the SEL AWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse SEL AWD listings

Best Budget Option — SEL FWD

At $29,266 avg market price — below the lineup median of $35,019 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse SEL FWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — SE FWD

The SE FWD offers the best fuel economy in the lineup at 20/29 MPG.

Browse SE FWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from November 5, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe earns a 7.3/10 expert rating. The standout strength is Technology at 9/10.

The 2026 Santa Fe is a midsize, three-row SUV that sits at the smaller end of its segment, but its boxy shape and thoughtfully crafted interior help it feel more practical than its footprint suggests. It also gets a new transmission, added safety features, and minor equipment and packaging updates, which give it a more polished and current feel for the model year.

The trade-offs are clear: the design is polarizing, the fuel economy is poor, and the third row is cramped. That means you should view it as a family-friendly crossover that prioritizes usefulness, safety, and value over maximum efficiency or passenger space.

The market signal is solid, with 40.6% of listings priced as good or great deals.

Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe comes across as a well-rounded, easy-to-live-with SUV, with Hyundai’s strong warranty and roadside assistance coverage adding confidence for used buyers. Its updated transmission also helps the driving experience feel smoother and more refined than before.

From a dependability standpoint, the expert review describes the Santa Fe as fundamentally impressive and loaded with thoughtful details, while also noting that the new automatic is smooth and unobtrusive. The lifetime Bluelink+ connected-services perk for original owners adds convenience features such as automatic collision notification, SOS assistance, remote functions, and safety-related alerts.

For long-term ownership, the main risk is that the least-efficient versions can be costly to run, so you’ll want to focus on the trim that best matches your driving needs.

What should I look for when buying a used 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 93.3% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

You should still run a vehicle history report and prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if you’re considering a higher-mileage example or a trim with more equipment. Focus on overall condition, signs of hard use, and whether the features you care about are present and working as expected.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy are the listed trims. The base trims use a 4.2-inch center display in the gauge cluster, while Limited and Calligraphy get a larger 12.3-inch display. The XRT adds a more rugged look and all-terrain tires, but the review notes that buyers who do not need that should pick a different trim level.
• Powertrain: A standard 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, all-wheel drive is optional on most trims, and the XRT gets all-wheel drive standard along with a smoother eight-speed automatic for 2026.
• Safety package: Hyundai’s standard safety suite includes junction turning detection, front and rear parking sensors, and safe-exit assist. Higher trims add Highway Driving Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, plus a driver-attention monitor. The XRT test vehicle also had this higher-level setup.
• Infotainment: The Santa Fe uses a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and standard equipment includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Bluelink+ connected services. Optional features include native navigation, dynamic voice recognition, and Hyundai Pay.
• Fuel efficiency: The XRT is rated at 21 mpg combined, while other AWD models are rated at 23 mpg combined. The Santa Fe Hybrid is rated at 34 mpg combined with AWD.

Which 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe trim should I buy?

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe is offered in 5 trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy.

Here's the short version:

• SE: This is the entry point, and it gives you the Santa Fe’s core packaging, safety, and tech without moving up the price ladder. It makes sense if you want the model’s practicality and value with the fewest extras.
• SEL: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it should give you a more balanced mix of equipment and price than the base model, while staying closer to the Santa Fe’s value sweet spot.
• XRT: This is the rugged-looking choice, with all-terrain tires, a raised suspension, extra ground clearance, and off-road drive modes. It suits you if you actually plan to use those capabilities, but the review says it is the least-efficient version and arguably the worst value of the lineup.
• Limited: This trim adds the larger 12.3-inch driver display and a more upscale feel, making it a strong pick if you want more comfort and tech without going all the way to the top.
• Calligraphy: This is the most luxurious version, and it is the right choice if you want the most upscale Santa Fe experience and are willing to pay for it.

Higher trims add Highway Driving Assist, while the XRT gets the off-road-focused safety and driving setup described above.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe?

The used-market backdrop looks favorable if you want a Santa Fe now, with a meaningful share of listings priced attractively and a large pool of inventory to choose from.

• Deal availability: 40.6% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,805 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 93.3% of listings are accident-free.

Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe safe?

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe earns a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA. It also earns five-star individual scores for frontal and side crashworthiness, and four-star rollover resistance.

It earns an 8/10 safety score from our experts.

Hyundai equips the Santa Fe with a long list of standard safety features, including junction turning detection, front and rear parking sensors, and safe-exit assist. Higher trims add Highway Driving Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, along with a driver-attention monitor that can bring the SUV to a safe stop if needed.

One caveat is that navigation-based speed and curve control for adaptive cruise control can slow the Santa Fe too much, which the review found aggravating.

Should I buy a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2026 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2026 if:

• 40.6% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 93.3% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• It gets a new transmission, added safety features, and minor equipment and packaging updates.

Consider the 2025 if:

• The 2025 emphasizes bolder styling and more interior space.

The bottom line: If you want the more polished version with updated hardware and safety improvements, the 2026 is the better default choice. If you’re shopping mainly on price and want a similar family-friendly layout, the 2025 can still make sense as the value play.

How does the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe compare to the 2026 Kia Sportage?

Expert Pros & Cons (per CarGurus review team)

2026 Hyundai Santa Fe:

• Pros: Ample storage cubbies and compartments, Great safety ratings, Excellent value.
• Cons: Polarizing design, Poor fuel economy, Cramped third row.

2026 Kia Sportage:

• Pros: Stylish design, Great safety ratings, Impressive technology.
• Cons: Fairly pedestrian performance, X-Pro’s underwhelming value proposition.

Our experts score the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe 7.3/10 and the 2026 Kia Sportage 7.3/10. The Santa Fe leans harder into family utility, value, and storage, while the Sportage counters with a more stylish design and impressive technology. If you care most about practicality and safety, the Santa Fe has the edge; if you want a more design-forward compact SUV, the Sportage is the more appealing pick.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from November 3, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.