2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Off-Road Looks Minus the Capability

Barring the (older) Hyundai Santa Fe caught jumping a raised drawbridge in Florida earlier this year, the Korean brand’s midsize SUV isn’t exactly known for its off-road prowess. Yes, pun intended—that bridge-leaping Santa Fe technically left the road. Anyway, the Hyundai Santa Fe is about as adept on dirt paths, rural two-tracks, and the like as any other modern car-based SUV, but the new-for-2022 Santa Fe XRT hopes to change that perception.

This off-road-focused Santa Fe isn’t billed as anything more than an “appearance trim.” In other words, Hyundai isn’t claiming the XRT treatment will give the Santa Fe the chops to keep up with a Jeep Wrangler off-road. That said, the off-road cosplay is convincing. Every Santa Fe XRT gets trim-specific black-painted 18-inch wheels, extra black plastic body cladding, side steps, front and rear skidplates, black-painted door mirror caps and roof rails, and a matte-black grille.

If you’re wondering whether there’s anything else to this XRT story, there is not. The Santa Fe XRT is a cosmetic package, full stop. It’s even available on front-wheel-drive Santa Fes, in addition to those equipped with Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive. Interested? The butch design gear is positioned roughly just above the Santa Fe SEL trim (and combines that model’s convenience package with the off-road visual enhancements), and starts at $32,300; all-wheel-drive versions sticker for $34,000. The Santa Fe XRT is available now.

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