Hyundai Santa Fe Awarded Best Family Car of 2026 by Cars.com

Jarrodon February 6, 2026
69979-2026santafecalligraphy
Image courtesy Hyundai
69979-2026santafecalligraphy
Image courtesy Hyundai

The Hyundai Santa Fe was today named the Best Family Car of 2026 by Cars.com. The Santa Fe stood out among contenders for its space-efficient three-row layout, confidence-inspiring performance, and smart, family-friendly features. This category win builds on the model’s already impressive Cars.com Best Car of 2025 award, which the all-new fifth-generation Santa Fe captured in its first year on the market.

For 2026, Cars.com also recognized Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ 5 and Palisade SUVs as finalists in the influential auto-shopping marketplace’s Best Car and Best EV categories, respectively. Hyundai continues to collect accolades for its product lineup’s bold designs, intuitive interiors, advanced technology, and exceptional real-world usability. The Best of 2026 by Cars.com list acknowledges exceptional vehicles in quality, innovation, and value as judged by Cars.com’s editorial team of veteran car reviewers.

“Winning the Best Family Car category is a strong testament to our continued commitment to safety and highly functional, family-friendly vehicles,” said Ricky Lao, director, product planning, Hyundai Motor North America. “The Santa Fe offers a slew of new convenience technologies including available First-in-class Panoramic Curved Display, dual wireless device charging, Digital Key 2, Over-The-Air (OTA) updates and a full array of advanced safety technologies ranking it an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) TSP+.” [i]

The Santa Fe leverages its longer wheelbase, offering superior interior space for maximum passenger comfort. Fully foldable second- and third-row seats create a terrace-like space at the rear liftgate opening, enabling users to effortlessly enjoy outdoor surroundings. The vehicle’s impressive cargo capacity is an advantage for both urban lifestyles and outdoor adventures, with plenty of room for sporting equipment, travel gear, and everyday shopping. The Santa Fe offers a powerful Smartstream 2.5L Turbo GDI four-cylinder engine, as well as an available 1.6L hybrid powertrain that delivers up to 36 miles per gallon (highway). Santa Fe’s Calligraphy trim is ideal for premium urban lifestyles, while the Santa Fe XRT is designed to satisfy adventure-oriented enthusiasts with enhanced off-road hardware and rugged good looks.

“The Hyundai Santa Fe hits the sweet spot for families. It delivers excellent passenger and cargo space, top-tier safety scores, and genuinely thoughtful family-friendly features — all without feeling oversized or intimidating to drive,” says Mike Hanley, Sr. Road Test Editor, Cars.com. “ It’s that rare ‘tweener’ SUV that works just as well for growing families as it does for everyday life, which is why it stood out and was recognized as Cars.com’s Best Family Car of 2026.”

[i] The 2025 Santa Fe (built after Nov., 2025) is an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+

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Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the founder of Motoring Chronicle and an FIA accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following motorsport and the global automotive industry. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered Formula 1 races and automotive events at venues around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every race report, car review, and industry analysis he writes. His work spans the full breadth of motoring — from the latest EV launches and road car reviews to the cutting edge of motorsport competition.

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