Subaru Uncharted vs Hyundai Santa Fe

What's the difference?

The Uncharted follows the Subaru promise of offering compelling all-wheel drive and a capable driving experience at a reasonable price, but only if you compare it to its traditional rivals.

The trouble for Subaru is that this part of the market has moved on, and EV buyers now have a different set of expectations relative to its usual point-of-difference.

In that sense, this is a good electric Subaru - but is it objectively a good electric car? With the circa-$60K pricing, that’s a harder argument to make.

So I asked at the beginning if the Hyundai Santa Fe FWD petrol offered enough for families looking for a large seven-seat SUV and the answer is: YES!

It's practical, has people-mover space and storage and is downright comfortable to drive. There's so much to like here.

The Uncharted continues to shift Subaru into new styling territory, sharing its panelled, grille-free face and two-line light signatures with the other two Subaru EVs, the Solterra and Trailseeker.

It is notable that Subaru has chosen a distinct design language for its electric cars, which is a change from the blocky and busy designs adorning its familiar combustion nameplates like Forester or Outback.

For what it’s worth, I think the Uncharted is a striking car with its wide stance, huge wheels and coupe-style tailgate. The burnt orange colour of our car also helps it to stand out from the crowd. Hard to do in a world of new wacky designs from rivals unafraid to push the envelope.

Inside will be familiar if you’ve been in any car on this e-TNGA platform which Subaru co-opts from Toyota.

There’s a squircle steering wheel, modern layered dash, screens which fill the space, and a lot of hardware which will feel familiar to Toyota owners, but not so much Subaru drivers.

This includes the rotary shifter in the centre console, indicator stalks and even the screens and software. It feels a bit less Subaru than some repeat buyers might expect, but I don’t think it’s foreign enough to scare people off.

It's boxy and bold and you certainly won't mistake it for anything else on the road. That's both good and bad.

The front works beautifully; pairing a chunky and square aesthetic with cool H-shaped LED headlights (a running motif throughout the car). The front and sides look like the chiseled face of a Greek hero or the latest Romantasy crush, but the rear is just awkward. It's essentially just a big blank body panel and the only interesting thing about the back are the H-shaped tail lights.

Head inside and the interior is exactly the same as the base FWD hybrid variant - you get an interesting black and grey tartan fabric upholstery across the seats, and enough soft touchpoints scattered throughout to stop you looking too hard at the heavy use of plastics.

The dashboard shares similar chunky proportions with the exterior and you can see lots of H shapes in the air vents and panelling, so it flows pretty well inside.

The highlight is 100 per cent the large curved panel on the dash that houses the dual 12.3-inch displays. They look high-end and instantly lift the cabin from feeling 'basic'.

Joinery is flush, nothing rattles and there's an overwhelming sense of high-build quality inside. It's a cabin you'll be able to spend a lot of time in.

The Uncharted is a comfortable place to be, with nicely bolstered seats, and Subaru has nailed the basics of ergonomics with dials for the climate and volume controls, some shortcut buttons and consistent labelling for the array of steering wheel controls.

The digital instrument cluster, perched atop the dash, might not be to everyone’s taste. It leads to a slightly odd situation where if you’re a certain height, the top of the steering wheel might obstruct your view. It was okay for me, but felt a bit like the steering wheel was sitting in my lap.

The software, while functional, doesn’t offer the depth or innovation of many of this car’s rivals. Some of these things are gimmicks, others, like pet modes and deeper efficiency analysis screens are quite useful.

As it is, it offers an uninspired interface with built in navigation and some basic sub-menus. Hardly a stand-out in an era of fun, customisable software not just from Chinese rivals, but from others, too.

The trade-off is a modern-feeling interior which is also easy to use, surprisingly rare in this segment.

In terms of cabin space and storage, the front doors have two large bottle holders each, and there are two cupholders with spring-loaded ridges in the centre console.

The console features dual wireless chargers, although they could do with a more rubberised surface, as your phone may move in the corners, particularly if you have a hard-finish case. An annoying oversight.

Beneath the bridge-style console, there is a carpeted storage area which is also home to your power outlets, and the centre console, while not very deep, offers a trick lid which can tilt-open in both directions.

Visibility is good for the driver, too.

The back seat offers a good amount of space for adults in the outboard positions. I fit behind my own driving position at 182cm tall with a few inches of knee room, and a little bit of headroom, although there’s an intrusion into the space for the sunroof’s roller cover, so it’s worth considering if you need that as an option if you’re regularly going to have taller passengers.

While the synthetic leather-clad seat trim continues, the centre position feels less useful, because the distance between the end of the seat base and the centre console severely limits legroom.

On the amenity front, the stand-out is the rear heated seats. Other than that there’s the expected array of adjustable air vents, dual USB-C ports, pockets on the backs of the front seats, and large bottle holders in each door.

My main criticism of the Uncharted’s interior is that it doesn’t feel anywhere near as large on the inside as the car looks and feels from the outside. This is not helped by dark headliner, chunky door cards, and heavy window tinting in the rear.

The boot is also not enormous at 403 litres. With some trickery, I could fit the full three-piece CarsGuide luggage set, with the floor set to its lowest of two positions. Underneath there is a small additional storage space where you can fit some charging cables alongside the inflator kit.

There’s no spare wheel, which is a strike against this EV’s Subaru go-anywhere credentials, and there’s also no frunk with the under-bonnet space taken up by high-voltage and battery cooling hardware.

I've said it before but I'll say it again. The cabin offers similar, if not the same, level of practicality of a people mover with passenger space and storage solutions.

In fact, Hyundai may have shot their other three-row SUV, the Palisade, in the foot here because I'm not sure why you'd now bother forking out an extra $13,800 on the base Elite grade over out test model. Not when each row will be comfortable for an adult and feature decent amenities.

With seats that don't sit too high and a 177mm ground clearance, the Santa Fe is an easy SUV to get in and out of, even for kids.

The front- and middle-row seats are the most comfortable when it comes to padding and under-thigh support. The powered drivers seat also offers adjustable lumbar support on top of the heat functions that both front seats get.

Storage is top-notch with lots of cubbies to choose from up front with dual gloveboxes, one that can fit a manual and one that will hold smaller items like a wallet, wet wipes etc.

The middle console is huge and has a removable shelf but is also shared with the middle row as the bottom pulls out into a storage drawer for them. This means you can cut out the middle man (AKA the parent) and have a handy place to put any roadie snacks.

The centre console features two phone cradles and a large shelf underneath that easily holds a handbag or Saturday night's takeaway.

There are a total of 12 cupholders (2/6/4) and four drink holders (one in each door storage bin) plus a sunglasses holder and map pockets on the back of the front seats. So, definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to individual storage.

The technology is easy to use and high-quality with display screens that feature crisp graphics and a responsive multimedia touchscreen. The system features wireless phone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

Charging options are good throughout the car with six USB-C ports (2/2/2), and a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad up front.

Rounding out the cabin is the large boot which offers 642L when the third row is stowed, and up to 1963L when just the front seats are in use.

The loading space is level but you still get a handy under-floor compartment for small items. And the full-size spare tyre and powered tailgate are always practical to have!

The Hyundai Santa Fe is offered in three grades, with the base- and mid-spec options now having the option of having a turbo-petrol engine or a self-charging hybrid powertrain.

Our test model is the front-wheel-drive base-petrol grade, which is priced from $53,000 before on-road costs. That makes it the most affordable variant in the Santa Fe line-up, being $2500 more affordable than the base FWD hybrid model.

This positions it in between its three-row large SUV rivals, the Kia Sorento S ($50,680) and even larger Nissan Pathfinder ST-L ($60,220). But the Sorento is still offered with a choice between V6 petrol engine and a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which will entice some.

Our test model is incredibly well-equipped for a base variant and includes features like heated front seats, a powered driver's seat (with adjustable lumbar support), rear privacy glass and LED external lights.

There are great practical items like a full-size spare wheel, a powered tailgate, keyless entry/start, a 360-degree camera system, dual-zone climate control and tyre pressure monitoring.

Technology is also a standout with dual 12.3-inch displays taking centre stage, FM/AM and digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, Hyundai 'Bluelink' app, over-the-air updates, Bluetooth connectivity, a wireless charging pad, six USB-C ports and two 12-volt sockets.

Bluelink connected car services brings features like ‘Automatic Collision Notification’ an emergency call (SOS) function, geo-fencing, valet, speed and time alerts and more.

Power output is impressive from this car’s dual-motor all-wheel drive system. The Uncharted is front-biased, featuring a 167kW/286Nm motor on the front axle, and an 88kW/169Nm motor on the rear axle. The two combine for a 252kW total output, which makes this one of the most powerful Subarus you can buy.

As a point of difference from its Toyota brethren, the Uncharted features a software-emulated version of Subaru’s signature X-Mode for a little bit of extra off-road ability. It also has slightly less ground clearance compared to the Crosstrek, at 211mm as opposed to 220mm.

Our Santa Fe is the front-wheel-drive base variant, which features an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 206kW of power and 422Nm of torque.

Our model has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, which is up from its hybrid siblings which can only tow up to 1650kg.

The Uncharted has a 74.7kWh battery pack which grants it a WLTP-certified 522km of driving range.

The car I sampled was predicting around 500km of range in the real world according to the trip computer, which is impressive for an EV with all-wheel drive and a battery capacity of less than 80kWh, speaking to solid energy efficiency.

Officially, this is 16kWh/100km, but my car, which was primarily driven around town with some small freeway stints, performed even better, showing 14.1kWh/100km on the dash.

Owing to its e-TNGA platform, the Uncharted doesn’t have the most impressive charging specs. On a fast DC charger it is limited to 150kW. This should deliver a 10-80 per cent charge in a little over half an hour, but it’s still a lot slower than some competitors, which slash that charge time, in some instances, in half.

The slower AC charging is impressive at 22kW although an AC charger with an output above 11kW is rare in Australia.

The Uncharted also features a vehicle-to-load system, allowing you to use its large battery to power household appliances.

The base petrol Santa Fe has an official combined fuel cycle usage of 9.3L/100km and 67L fuel tank, giving it a theoretical driving range of 740km, which isn’t as good as its hybrid siblings but still sufficient for the odd road trip.

After doing lots of open-roading this week and a good three days of city dwelling, my real-world usage has popped out at 8.7L/100km, which is a solid result for such a large SUV.

To drive, the Uncharted proves where Japanese automakers still maintain an advantage over many of their rivals.

The overwhelming feeling in this car is one of balance. Weight is managed very nicely by the suspension, which isn’t too soft like a lot of Chinese cars, and not too hard like some Korean cars or the Tesla Model Y.

The steering feels organic and direct, as opposed to overly software-assisted, and feedback from the pedals and road feels more like a traditional combustion car than a new-age EV.

There’s also a focus on the touchpoints being familiar, leading to a car which won’t be too much of a leap into the future for many.

It comes with some drawbacks. There’s no true single pedal driving mode despite several levels of regenerative braking. If you’ve driven an EV with single pedal mode this might be disappointing as it is quite easy to get used to.

The giant 20-inch wheels also feel a bit at odds with this EV’s supposed go-anywhere attitude. It feels like any rutted tracks are best avoided, limiting your off-road ambitions to just gravel trails and the sheer size of them is perhaps the only blemish on ride quality.

In addition, the slim rubber has an effect on cabin ambiance. This isn’t the quietest EV I’ve driven when it comes to road noise.

All that said, once you get the uncharted on some twisty roads it leaps out and shines. It’s alarmingly rapid when you stomp on the accelerator, making its power outputs feel the part, and its capable Dunlop tyre package and well-calibrated all-wheel drive system give the power-down a civilised silence as opposed to some of the wheelspin wackiness of some of this car’s Chinese rivals.

It is deeply capable in the corners, attacking them with poise and grip, with the traction system also keeping the power at sane levels.

It’s not quite as athletic or quick as its premium cousin, the Lexus RZ which I also drove recently, but still one of the more impressive EVs in this small SUV segment as an overall package.

The petrol engine definitely has more pep to it than the hybrid variants I've sampled. The power is responsive and you still feel like there’s heaps leftover when you have to overtake or get up a hill without any annoying engine whines.

The steering isn’t too heavy, despite the size of this car but turning off the lane-keeping aid will keep the on-road experience feeling smooth. Otherwise, you sort of ping-pong in your lane as the aid readjusts strongly.

All Santa Fes feel way more nimble than they have any right to in corners. You do get some roll, but our test model is sure-footed, even in heavy wet weather. 

The eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission is smooth enough and you don’t get any annoying lags when you accelerate from a full stop, which is unusual for such a unit.

Ride comfort is pretty high as well, with suspension that feels forgiving over the worst of the bumps and a cabin that remains quiet, even at higher speeds. 

You have really great visibility in this model because of how big the windows are and the taller driving position helps as well. None of the pillars hindered my vision either from my driving position.

The Santa Fe well and truly fills out a car space and it was easy to see it in a car park because the butt hangs out a bit, but it’s still easy to park with its very clear 360-degree camera system and parking sensors at the front, side and rear. So while it is big, it doesn't feel big to park.

Overall, the petrol Santa Fe is an simple SUV to drive and will be a forgiving choice for lots of different driving styles.

All hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe variants are covered by a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2024, but the petrol variants are not, so our test model is currently unrated. It does feature 10 airbags, though, which is excellent for a family SUV and the curtain airbags extend to the third row.

The standard safety equipment includes blind-spot monitoring, LED daytime running lights, driver attention alert, leading vehicle departure alert, safe exit assist, rear occupant alert (first two rows only), rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert and a lane-keeping aid.

There's also lane following assist, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning (first two rows only), adaptive cruise control (with start/stop), the 360-degree camera system and front, side, and rear parking sensors.

It's also nice to see the blind-spot monitor on the base model, which is a system that pops a video feed of your blind spot onto your dashboard.

However, some of the safety features, like the driver attention monitor and traffic sign recognition, can be intrusive to daily driving. If you could permanently disable the sound alert, it would be a lot more enjoyable to drive long term.

Subaru covers the Uncharted with the usual, but now behind-the-pace five year and unlimited kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery is covered by a separate eight-year and 160,000km promise.

Servicing is required once a year or 15,000km which is annoyingly frequent for an EV, but it is relatively cheap, especially for a Subaru, averaging just $196.84 for the first five visits, covering the life of the warranty.

Subaru has around 140 dealers across Australia, covering every state and territory including capital cities as well as key regional and rural centres.

The Santa Fe comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which isn’t as good as some of its rivals, especially with Nissan now offering a 10-year warranty on its models, albeit conditional.

The pre-paid servicing plans are competitive, though, and the five-year plan averages just $481 per service.

Servicing intervals could get a bit annoying if you do a lot of kays every year as they're at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Santa Fe petrol is a simple gal and enjoys 91RON unleaded petrol and is even E10 suitable.